This Sure Looks Like The New Toyota MR2...

Toyota’s mid-engine sports car project is starting to look less like a modified hot hatch and more like something enthusiasts might actually want in their garages.

The latest version of the Yaris M Concept just showed up at a race in Japan, and it traded its original Yaris-based hatchback silhouette for a lower, wider coupe body, fueling speculation that a new MR2 is more likely to be a reality than just a concept.

The prototype recently appeared in Japan’s Super Taikyu endurance racing series. It seems to be an all-new design sporting exaggerated rear fenders, aggressive aerodynamic details, and proportions far removed from the production GR Yaris. Familiar lighting elements remain, but the overall transformation suggests Toyota is moving beyond its original development mule and perhaps exploring actual, practical designs for the supposed MR2 successor.

Underneath, the Yaris M race car packs Toyota’s new G20E 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and in true MR2 guise it's mounted behind the cabin. Reports suggest the powerplant could produce around 400 horsepower in its current configuration, though racing applications potentially extract even more. That would represent a substantial jump over the output of Toyota’s existing GR86.

The project also has an enthusiastic supporter in Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda, who has participated in testing and racing development under his Morizo pseudonym. Toyota is using motorsport to refine the car’s performance before any potential production debut, though again-- Toyota has said nothing about if, when, or how the new, mythical MR2 should debut.

Exactly what the finished vehicle will be called remains uncertain. An MR2 revival is an obvious possibility, although a new Celica has also been linked to Toyota’s developing sports-car lineup. The company has yet to confirm a production model, but our hopes are high given Toyota's recent run of great sports cars.

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