Short Throw Shifter: What is Sport? (part 1)

Toyota, a brand renowned for it's ability to make fuel efficient cars boring, is taking bold steps into the "Sport" market by placing a red adhesive "S" on the back of their Corollas. But what does that "S" really mean? Many think it means "Sport." I mean, yeah, it's red, and the "S" is curvy and stands out against the paint and black front grill. However, it turns out that the "S" means something more like "Simple" or "Standard" than "Sport."

Take Honda's Civic "Si" for example. It literally means "Sport Injected," and they mean it. They don't use the same gutless 4 cylinder found in the other Civics, unlike Toyota's Corolla S. It actually has a sport-tuned suspension, a 6-speed manual tranny, and a definite stand-out look when compared to the base Civics. Of course, I'm not even talking about it's 197 horsepower engine, it's 8000 rpm redline, or it's limited slip differential. Toyota's Corolla S looks a little more sporty than the base Corollas, per se, but they forgot to "inject" the sport into the car.

I must say, I'm a little biased, since I own a Civic Si. Every time I see a Corolla S, I want to roll down my window and ask, "What does that 'S' stand for?"

So, it looks like Toyota now offers a slightly larger engine in the XRS model (must stand for Extra Standard or Simple). It has a slight increase in power, and includes (extra fees applicable) an "X" and an "R" in front of that lonely "S."

Way to go Toyota, you've almost got the "Sport" figured out. In the meantime, I'll continue to laugh at these pitiful attempts of creating an economical car that's actually a blast to drive. I prefer cars injected with something resembling better performance or handling. "Sport" goes beyond a little red "S" on the bumper.
Thanks for reading.
-Biggs