Speculation continues over the future of Toyota’s sports car lineup, with the latest reports suggesting the brand’s in-development turbocharged four-cylinder engine could be used in an MR2 successor.
Japanese outlet Best Car reports the 2.0-litre engine could find a home in a reborn MR2 and Celica, though it’s unconfirmed whether any upcoming model will actually wear those nameplates, and the power unit is still in development.
Previously rumours pointing to a new MR2 suggested it would use the same 1.6-litre turbo three-cylinder as in the GR Yaris and GR Corolla.
Now, the rumoured mid-engined all-wheel drive sports car in development will reportedly use the upcoming 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder instead, with no hybrid or electric assistance.
2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder
It was previously thought a new MR2 would be mid-engine, rear-wheel drive as per the old model, though Best Car suggests it could instead adopt a version of Toyota’s GR-Four AWD system
According to the publication, Toyota’s new 2.0-litre turbo is anticipated to be available in different states of tune, starting with a base version outputting 221kW of power and 400Nm of torque – identical to what all versions of the GR Corolla will receive with an upcoming update.
A high-performance version could boost those numbers to 294kW and 550Nm, while a racing version could bring as much as 441kW.
It’s not clear which other GR models could use the four-cylinder engine.
The new MR2 is estimated to cost around 10 million yen (around A$100,000) as a very rough guide, and it’s been suggested could be produced in limited numbers and only sold in Japan.
It may also follow the GR Yaris and GR Corolla in offering a choice of either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission.
The rumours follow calls from Toyota’s chairman for a new Celica, which could be mechanically similar but with a front-engine layout.
Toyota, alongside Subaru and Mazda, recently announced it would continue to build petrol and diesel engines for as long as feasibly possible.
That announcement brought with it a commitment to develop lower-emissions internal combustion engines that will lean on hybrid tech and the use of synthetic fuels.
At the time, Toyota previewed a new 1.5-litre (available in both naturally aspirated and turbo guise) and a 2.0-litre turbo, the latter of which is the centre of speculation surrounding a potential new MR2.
It was reported the 1.5-litre will succeed the carmaker’s current identical-displacement engines, though it’ll not only occupy 10 per cent less space but also provide “big fuel efficiency gains” in naturally aspirated guise.
The 2.0-litre turbo meanwhile will replace Toyota’s current 2.4-litre turbo engine and offer more power while using less fuel, both in comparison to the larger unit currently in production but also the brand’s existing 2.0-litre offerings.
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