IN THIS FEATURE Blending into the background Mmmm... supercharger Physics take over Grey never looked so bland

Once you do get the Corolla moving, it is undeniably quick - 60mph comes up in a shade under seven seconds and top speed is a seriously license-losing 143mph. Top speeds and acceleration, however, don't give the full picture of the Compressor: yes, its speedy in a straight line, but once you throw a couple of corners into the equation then the laws of physics take over.

On paper, the Compressor comes with "sports suspension and uprated springs for extra handling performance": on the road, however, it's hard to notice it doing anything.

The gods of understeer and torque steer make themselves known

This not-exactly-sporty suspension set-up means that the Compressor suffers from a lot of body roll, which causes the car to pitch and roll when you head into a corner. Any speed you may have carried into the corner is soon lost to the gods of understeer and torque steer, leaving you with a wriggling steering wheel and squealing tyres. The electronic traction control is a little harsh in action, putting the dampeners on with great ferocity if things look like they're getting too exciting.