It has been more than fifteen years since the last Toyota MR2 was produced and since then, rumors have been swirling around about the classic mid-engined sports car being revived. With the success of the Toyota Supra, a new MR2 could be on its way, and it would be the cheapest mid-engined sports car in the US.
According to the Japanese auto publication Best Car, the new MR2 will be powered by a turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine developed with the help of Suzuki. It will have a hybrid powertrain, producing around 120 horsepower, a step back from the 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder found in the final generation of the MR2. Interestingly, this engine is quite different than the turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine found in Toyota's Yaris GR, which produces 257 horsepower and redlines at 7200 rpm.
The new MR2 is also said to share DNA with the Yaris, using the front suspension of the Yaris with a wheelbase around 100 inches and weighing 2,200 pounds. The performance should be similar to Toyota's front-engined sports car, the GR86. It's unclear why Toyota is not using the Yaris engine, as it would make more sense to keep all parts in-house.
The MR2 is also rumored to have an affordable price tag of about $20,000, which would dwarf the Porsche 718 Cayman by a huge margin, making it accessible even for consumers who don't want an expensive supercar.
Unfortunately, until there is an official announcement, we won't know if a new MR2 will be released. There are plenty of MR2 fans who have been waiting for a modern version of this iconic Japanese sports car, and their dream might become a reality. For now, we can only hope and wait to see what the future holds for the MR2.