Toyota may be quietly laying the groundwork for its next enthusiast halo car—and all signs point to a return to the brand’s mid-engine roots.
In a recent interview with Automotive News, Tomoya Takahashi, president of Toyota Gazoo Racing, confirmed that the company is actively developing a new mid-engine sports car. While Toyota stopped short of officially reviving the MR2 nameplate, the architecture alone is enough to get enthusiasts talking—and hoping.
According to Takahashi, the project is still very early in its lifecycle. Toyota engineers are currently in the first of four major development phases that precede production. Historically, that full process takes roughly four to five years, which means this new mid-engine sports car is still some distance from hitting the road. Realistically, that places any potential debut closer to the end of the decade, with 2030 shaping up as the earliest possible timeline.
That long runway shouldn’t come as a surprise. Toyota has been deliberate with its enthusiast products in recent years, carefully balancing performance credibility with long-term viability. The GR86 and GR Supra have helped reestablish Toyota as a serious player in the sports car space, and a mid-engine model would represent a significant escalation—both technically and philosophically.
What makes this development especially intriguing is what could sit behind the driver. Toyota has already confirmed work on a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine known internally as the G20E. Early indications suggest this powerplant is being engineered with high performance in mind, making it a strong candidate for mid-engine duty. If paired with Gazoo Racing’s growing expertise in lightweight construction and chassis tuning, the result could be a modern interpretation of the affordable, driver-focused sports car Toyota once perfected.
For now, details remain scarce. Toyota isn’t ready to lock in a name, final specs, or even confirm production intent beyond development. Still, the fact that a mid-engine sports car is officially in the pipeline—and being discussed openly by Gazoo Racing leadership—is significant. It signals that Toyota isn’t done pushing its performance envelope, even in an era increasingly dominated by electrification and crossovers.
Whether it ultimately wears the MR2 badge or not, Toyota’s next mid-engine sports car is shaping up to be one of the most interesting long-term performance projects in the industry. And while the wait may be long, the payoff could be well worth it.
