Toyota Wants To Revive The MR2, And It Might End Up Being Electric

The Japanse company is making noises about resurrecting the MR2, but it could end up being a very different car to its predecessors
Toyota Wants To Revive The MR2, And It Might End Up Being Electric

We’re not quite sure what we’ll do with ourselves once the new Toyota Supra is at last revealed at the Detroit Auto Show next January. It’ll arrive five years after its concept preview - the FT-1 - was first revealed, riding on a wave of hype.

Perhaps what we’ll need is the prospect of another new Toyota sports car and the inevitable deluge of reports, teasers and rumours to fill out time. A car like the MR2.

Important figures from the Japanese company have hinted on several occasions in the last few months that the MR2 name could return. This week, Autocar is reporting that Toyota is in the “discussion stage” when it comes to the model’s return.

The new Supra could just be the start of a sports car revival at Toyota
The new Supra could just be the start of a sports car revival at Toyota

Those were the words of European vice president of sales and marketing Matt Harrison at the Paris Motor Show a few weeks ago, who also referenced the ‘Three Brothers’ - a term used in the past both by company boss Akio Toyoda and Supra chief engineer Tetsuya Tada. These ‘siblings’ are believed to be the new Supra, the GT86 and a third new car, which could end up being this near-mythical MR2 revival.

Should the MR2 make a return, Autocar claims it is “looking likely” that the car would be fully electric, primarily for costs reasons. The only problem is this doesn’t exactly fit with the ‘Midship Runabout 2-seater’ name since it’d involve a battery pack sitting on the floor and a motor on the rear axle.

Toyota Wants To Revive The MR2, And It Might End Up Being Electric

That’s not exactly a mid-engined car, but Toyota could still make a new MR2 that’s truer to the layout of the original three generations. It could do so via a joint venture - like the one with BMW, which gave the world the new Supra and a new Z4 - suggested Supra assistant chief engineer Masayuki Kai recently.

Whatever happens, it’s likely we end up waiting years before seeing a production car.

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Comments

Klush
10/25/2018 - 23:53 |
0 | 0
Melons

I hate it already. I’m a huge MR2 fan because of how good the handling is. An electric motor will detract from that experience that is quintessentially MR2

10/26/2018 - 00:02 |
3 | 0
Anonymous

Keep in mind that there was hybrid concept:

http://carsot.com/images700_500/toyota-mr2-iii-w30-1999-2007-roadster-exterior.jpg

I hope new mr2 won’t be fully electric. Hybrid, plugin hybrid - I’m fine with that. It’s not that I’m EV-phobe it’s just fact that part of roadster being rodster is that freedom it gives you. Wind, open sky, twisty road, going without the plan. With EV you need to plan all the time. What is my range, where are the chareging stations, how long I need to reserve to charge my car. Track day? Lets say there is no charger on the track, nearest one is 50km from the track, so once you run flat on battery you need to make 100km and 2,3 maybe 5hours trip to recharge battery to have fun on track for… 30min? I think that under full load battery drain is extreme. Thats not fun

10/26/2018 - 00:32 |
1 | 0
Griffin Mackenzie

Oh ffs

10/26/2018 - 01:22 |
2 | 2
Turquoise Turbo

Hmm, I wonder if it could have a t-top or would be more similar to the mk3 style?!?!

10/26/2018 - 04:28 |
0 | 0
DragzMR2

YES

10/26/2018 - 05:12 |
0 | 0
Noah Thorley Images

As long as it’s mid-engined, rear wheel drive and a 2-seater, then it deserves to be called an MR2

10/26/2018 - 06:08 |
1 | 0
Skyline_Fanboi ( Apex05)

As long as it still snap oversteers, it’s welcome.

10/26/2018 - 09:30 |
0 | 5
ThatV70Guy

Cars are gonna sssuuuccckkk in the future

10/26/2018 - 10:50 |
1 | 0
Anonymous

Their MR2s won’t be making any noises though

10/26/2018 - 14:03 |
0 | 0