If so, will Subaru build its own version?
Rumours that a revived Toyota MR2 is being cooked up in Japan have been floating around for a while now. With the debut of the Supra only a few weeks away, attention will now start naturally gravitating towards the second so-called "brother" (the third brother is the Celica) in the Japanese automaker's sports car lineup.
Previous reports claimed there are a number of options on the table regarding its general makeup. An all-electric small sports car has not been ruled out, for example. But a fresh report coming from Japanese Nostalgic Car is claiming Toyota and Subaru are, once again, holding talks. Currently, the pair sell the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ, but those coupes are aging fast.
Direct successors have yet to be confirmed, but since the partnership worked well the first time around, why not give it a second go? This latest MR2 rumor further adds that a mid-engine setup is being examined. No information regarding potential powerplants was mentioned, but we'd really appreciate (and we don't think we're alone on this) something more powerful than the 86/BRZ's naturally aspirated 2.0-liter box four-cylinder engine. Given that the second generation MR2 was turbocharged, there is historical precedent for that to happen again.
The publication further adds that the two automakers are currently at work on a new 2.4-liter engine which could be utilized for the next-gen 86/BRZ, assuming they happen. Could this engine be adapted for a smaller car? Hard to say at this early stage.
Then again, an all-electric powertrain would have a low center of gravity courtesy of a battery pack under the floor, while engineers will work hard to configure that ideal 50:50 weight distribution. Because the Supra will be powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six instead of an electrified powertrain, that leaves open the possibility for the reborn MR2 to be very different and, in a word, bold.
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