We’ve seen Toyota’s concept sports car already, but now reports from Best Car Web indicate that the likely mid-engined two-door sports vehicle could cost over 10 million yen, or roughly the equivalent of AUD$100,000.
Very likely to be called the MR2 and featuring a powertrain borrowed from the GR Yaris, the future Toyota sports car could be as expensive as the current GR Supra.
But what exactly could be planned, and when could we see the new-generation MR2 come to reality?
The 2023 Toyota FT-Se concept sports car
Mid-engined sports car was going to be a GR Yaris
Best Car Web reports that the original plan was for Toyota to build a mid-engined GR Yaris, much like the iconic rally-honed Renault 5, but the brand shelved the idea.
The Japanese report also states that the GR Yaris has “not become more popular” in its home market, pushing the possibility of a mid-engined two-door coupe while rekindling an iconic sports nameplate.
The next MR2 could have a GR Yaris powertrain
Electric version also on the cards
It’s likely that a future MR2 will also be able to be configured for a full-electric powertrain further along the line.
The FT-Se concept, which debuted at the recent Japan Mobility Show, gives us a good idea of what to expect from a future Toyota sports car. However, nothing has been confirmed just yet.
The Toyota FT-Se concept on track drifting
The next MR2 could fill the space left by the Lotus Elise and could compete with cars such as the Mazda MX-5 and, on an entirely different level, the upcoming MG Cyberster.
The MR2 – or ‘mid-ship runabout 2-seater’ – was offered in three generations from 1984 globally, its debut generation first arriving in Australia in 1987.
Its ‘millennial’ third-generation surfaced as a drop-top spider to primarily take on the iconic Mazda MX-5, but was discontinued two years later in 2002.
