Ever since the A90 Toyota Supra was announced, enthusiasts have tirelessly speculated the return of the legendary “Three Brothers.” With the 86 (successor to the Celica) and Supra out of the way, the final piece of the puzzle would be the MR2.
There have been contradicting reports over the MR2. Toyota Europe’s vice president, Matt Harrison said the project wasn’t a top priority, but acknowledged of its importance in the automaker’s future product line-up. Akio Toyoda, the president of Toyota Motor Corporation, has also publicly expressed his desire to renew the trio. Even the chief engineer for the 86 and Supra wants to bring back the MR2, and all eyes are on Porsche. That’s right.
According to Japanese site Spyder7, development of the new MR2 has been approved, and Toyota has allegedly approached Porsche and Lotus – two midship sports car specialists – to be its technical partner. This is a similar cost-saving move as the Toyota-Subaru 86 and “BMW Zupra.” As for the design, it will apparently be inspired by the Toyota Alessandro Volta (a 2004 Geneva concept, pictured below).
In terms of powertrain, the publication suggests that the new MR2 will be a plug-in hybrid car that’s powered by a 2.9 litre or 3.0 litre V6 engine. An electric motor will provide extra juice to bring outputs close to 400 PS.
Of course, nothing is set in stone just yet, so take these reports with a pinch of salt. If you’re wondering about pricing, the new MR2 will supposedly be priced around six million yen in Japan, or roughly RM218k. It is expected to be launched in 2024.
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