Toyota MR-2 could return...as a hybrid or electric vehicle

Toyota is on a sports car high in recent years. There's the car that kicked it all off, the 86, along with a range of souped-up Gazoo Racing models, and, of course, the Supra. But Akio Toyoda, CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation, along with Tetsuya Tada, chief engineer of the Supra, want to add another one to the range.

Right now, it's the Supra and the 86 serving as the marque's dedicated sports cars. The only thing missing is the MR-2. Automotive publication Car And Driver says that, sometime in the next decade, the MR-2 will return. However, their report also stated that it might come back as an electric or hybrid vehicle.

So why the talk of an electric-powered MR-2? It has been said that Toyota is currently developing pure electric powertrains, and it is possible that the MR-2 could be the test bed for it. On the other hand, given that Toyota is keen to push out even more hybrids in the future, they are also exploring the possibility of a sporty gas-electric vehicle. Two years ago, Tetsuya Tada mentioned that they are 'working hard' to bring a lightweight hybrid sports car into production.

But before you bring out your pitchforks, these are all speculation, so there is hope that it will still be powered by good 'ol gasoline; if they really will revive it. Back in 2017, Tada mentioned that Toyota wants to build another lightweight sports car in the future. There was the S-FR concept, which followed the small, lightweight philosophy. Unfortunately, the project was canned just when many thought it would reach production.

If Toyota will push through with the MR-2, it is likely that its biggest hurdle will be its very platform. Toyota doesn't have one currently in use, meaning they will have to develop one from scratch. Engineering a car from the ground up takes a lot of time, cost, resources, and research. What Toyota could do is partner up with another automaker to do the project together, which is what they did for the 86 (Subaru) and Supra (BMW).

Source: Car and Driver