More than 11 years ago, Toyota pulled the plug on
the MR2, a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster that was being sold in the
United States, Europe and Japan. Back then, the company had a trio of sporty
models, which also included the Supra and the Celica. The former is making a
comeback, and while we didn’t get a new Celica, Toyota did present the 86, so we
now have two sports coupes from the Japanese brand.
But that could change over the next few years, as
Toyota is currently contemplating reviving the MR2, according to Autocar that
quotes the brand’s Europe VP of Sales and Marketing, Matt Harrison. A new
compact roadster is being examined and, if given the green light, then it might
arrive in the next decade, before 2025.
Before deciding whether a new MR2 would make sense
from a financial standpoint, the carmaker has to determine the approach. And
since the MR2 is in a “discussion stage”, according to Harrison, Toyota is
considering a platform-sharing joint venture with another car firm. For the 86,
they collaborated with Subaru, which also gave birth to the BRZ, and for the
Supra, with BMW, which was co-developed with the new Z4.
Toyota wants to make sure that if the MR2 makes a
comeback, it should have their DNA, so they will probably engineer the
powertrain on their own. Possible scenarios include a gasoline-only model, a
gasoline-hybrid, or both. A battery-electric powertrain is also being
discussed, with the electric motor located behind the two seats and the
batteries mounted under the floor, for a lower center of gravity.
