The Toyota MR2 is fondly looked back on as being a relatively affordable mid-engined sports car, albeit one which gained notoriety for being tough to handle.
Early second-generation (SW20) MR2s had shorter toe arms than later models, causing them to become loose at the rear when unloaded, leading to a reputation of being easy to break into snap oversteer.
While some believe this assessment was over-egged at the time, it seems Toyota is well aware of the MR2’s rotational reputation, and is keen to not reenact it if the nameplate does rise from the ashes.
Toyota recently took part in its first Super Taikyu race with the GR Yaris M Concept, powered by a mid-mounted, all-new turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, making it the perfect testbed for a new MR2 – but with all-wheel drive.
Speaking to Toyota Times, the brand’s in-house magazine, Gazoo Racing president Tomoya Takahashi said the snap oversteer-prone MR2 was a key factor in why the new concept – and potentially a new GR MR2 – is all-wheel drive.
“The midship layout was our way of making cars that are fun for customers to drive. As for why we went with four-wheel drive for the midship, you can trace that back to the MR2,” Takahashi said.
“The MR2 likewise had an incredibly well-balanced weight distribution between the front and rear, but it was prone to spinning. What made the car turn so well also led it to spin out easily on corners.
“By turning that layout into four-wheel drive, you transform the power that causes the vehicle to spin into a force that pulls the car forward, improving stability through corners. That’s why we took on the challenge of a midship four-wheel drive, aiming for faster, more stable cornering.
“When you get behind the wheel, we hope the first thing people notice is how well the car turns. From here, development is going to happen out on the racetrack for all to see, as we want customers who purchase the car in the future to feel that they’ve been part of the process.”
The executive also referenced Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda’s assessment that such uncontrollable moments made drivers feel like it was “time to pray to God”, something that the brand believes has been reduced with the new mid-engine concept.
Prior to the race, Toyoda told Takahashi the GR Yaris M Concept is “a fun drive, but there’s still work to be done, isn’t there?”
Takahashi’s comments are interesting given Toyota hasn’t officially announced any plans to make a new model based on the new mid-engine concept, though it has been eager to promote the new ‘G20E’ four-cylinder.
According to Toyota, the new 2.0-litre will be more powerful than the 2.4-litre turbo-petrol engine in a number of its vehicles – such as the Tacoma and Australian market Kluger until last year – but it’ll be about 10 per cent shorter, making it “suitable for a wide range of vehicles that require high output, from sports cars to trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles”.
Reports last week suggested the GR MR2 was closer than ever following a Japanese trademark filing, though the brand moved to temper expectations in its Toyota Times article, saying “given the many issues that remain, no release date has been set”.
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