Toyota MR2 Returns in 2028 with a 600hp Four-Cylinder

Imagine the thrill of a mid-engined Toyota sliding through a tight mountain corner. Quiet, poised, then erupting with brutal, four-cylinder fury. That is the promise behind Toyota's plan to resurrect the MR2 for 2028.

Why this matters for sports-car fans

Toyota is turning its Gazoo Racing division into a standalone marque, shelving the old corporate safety net and betting on emotion. The strategy is simple and bold: bring back names that meant something, like MR2 and Celica, and give them technology worthy of today. While rivals retreat from small, driver-focused machines, Toyota is expanding its performance range from premium Lexus models down to accessible, hardcore toys for enthusiasts.

The current GR lineup will shrink in the near term. Iconic models such as the GR86 and Supra are leaving production lines, and the GR Yaris is close to the end of its run. For a short while the GR GT hypercar will sit alone as the brand's flagship. Behind the scenes, however, engineers are busy building lower-tier models that aim to keep driving fun alive across price points.

The MR2 will return as a mid-engine hybrid with a new 2.0-liter unit that can produce 400 to 450 hp in road form and exceed 600 hp in race trim.

The heart of the comeback is a new 2.0-liter engine named G20E. It traces its roots to the current 1.6-liter unit used in the GR Yaris, but has been reworked with a shorter piston stroke to occupy less space and keep the car's center of gravity low — a critical ingredient for any mid-engine layout. Packaging is everything when the engine sits behind the cabin, and Toyota's engineers have clearly prioritized balance and agility.

Power figures read like the specs of a boutique supercar. Road-going MR2s are expected to deliver between 400 and 450 horsepower, while competition-spec variants will push past the 600-horse mark, making this one of the most potent four-cylinder engines ever built. The G20E has been tested both as a gasoline unit and in hybrid and plug-in hybrid configurations, giving Toyota flexibility to meet regulatory and performance demands.

Why move the drivetrain behind the seats? Because front-engined sports cars concentrate braking, steering, and acceleration forces on the front axle. The result is heavy front tire wear and an annoying, understeery tendency when attacking fast corners. A mid-engine layout paired with all-wheel drive removes that compromise and returns a level of precision that lets drivers place the car exactly where they want it on the road or track.

Test mules are already on track. Engineers have been trialing prototypes with mixed dressings — doors borrowed from a Lexus LC and headlights from a Yaris — at Fuji Speedway. It is a clear sign that Toyota is iterating quickly, using existing components to validate the chassis and powertrain before committing to final production parts.

And the story doesn't stop with MR2. Toyota plans to revive the Celica name as well, this time as the foundation for a World Rally Championship contender, marrying heritage with modern rally tech. In short, Toyota wants its past icons to return, reimagined for performance-oriented, electrified platforms.

There is risk, of course. The mid-engine two-seater market is nearly empty, save for cars like the Lotus Emira. But that's exactly the point. Toyota is filling a gap and offering an answer to drivers who still crave mechanical purity and razor-sharp dynamics in an era of heavy crossovers and quiet electric sedans.

If the MR2 of 2028 drives anything like these sketches suggest, it will be a reminder that excitement can be engineered, and that familiar nameplates still have the power to ignite passion.