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Toyota is developing a new hybrid powertrain for its lineup of GR sports cars, according to a report from Autocar.
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The heart of the powertrain will be a new turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that could produce up to 400 horsepower.
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Toyota teased this powertrain with the GR Yaris M concept, which also hints at the return of the mid-engined MR2 sports car.
Over the past decade, Toyota has increasingly catered to car enthusiasts with an array of GR-branded sports cars, from the affordable GR86 coupe to the GR Corolla hot hatch and the six-cylinder GR Supra. Now, Toyota is ensuring that its GR lineup will be able to stick around as many countries—with the exception of the United States—continue tightening emissions regulations, as Autocar has reported that Toyota is working on a new hybrid system for future performance models.
The GR Yaris M concept from the Tokyo Auto Salon. Toyota
The hybrid setup will be based around a new turbocharged four-cylinder that is currently under development. Toyota teased this powertrain with the GR Yaris M concept revealed earlier this year at the Tokyo Auto Salon, which replaced the tiny hatchback’s turbocharged three-cylinder with a mid-mounted 2.0-liter turbo four.
The engine can be utilized for both traditional hybrid and plug-in-hybrid configurations. The 2.0-liter is smaller and lighter than Toyota’s current engines, thanks to a shorter piston stroke that helps minimize the overall weight gain of adding the electronics needed for a hybrid system.
While Toyota hasn’t divulged many details about the engine, Autocar suggests the new four-cylinder could produce around 400 horsepower in road-going applications. The 2.4-liter flat-four in the GR86 currently produces 228 hp, while the GR Corolla’s turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder is good for 300 ponies. The hybrid powertrain will also be used for Toyota’s motorsports programs.
The FT-Se concept suggested an electric sports car but with mid-engined proportions. Toyota
The mid-engined GR Yaris might also spawn a sports car with the engine situated between the axles. Rumors about the return of the MR2 name have gathered steam in the past year. The FT-Se concept from 2023 suggested that the MR2’s successor might be electric, but Toyota’s general apprehensiveness about EVs and the GR Yaris M project make a gas-powered sports car seem more likely.
Autocar states that the mid-engined sports car was greenlit for production last May, and Toyota hinted at plans for an array of new sports cars in a video last fall, including a third-generation GR86, a new MR2, the return of the Celica, and a sixth-generation Supra. A flagship sports car—presumably based on the 2022 GR GT3 concept—was also listed and has been spotted testing, although it may end up being badged as a Lexus.
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