Toyota is developing a sports car for the masses that can come in below the GT86 and be the successor to the MR2. If you think of a small but fun sports car, the first car in mind is the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Toyota wants to change this with its rumoured model. The S-FR concept from 2015 will provide a base, and it might be produced in collaboration with Daihatsu and Suzuki for producing it.
The S-FR Production Model
We first saw the S-FR concept at the 2015 Tokyo Auto Show, and now seemed to have resurfaced. Toyota is planning to bring it into production. It is expected to get a 1.3L 3-cylinder engine that can produce 152 hp. It is expected to be a driver-centric, front-engine car with rear-wheel drive. The S-FR was a light car at just 1050 kg and had small dimensions of 3990 mm long, 1695mm wide and 1320mm tall. The most exciting bit is that it came with three pedals and a manual transmission. If it goes into production, it would align with Toyota’s Chairman Akio Toyoda’s ambition of reuniting the “Three Brothers” – the MR2, Celica and Supra.
Daihatsu Vision Copen
Daihatsu revealed a Vision Copen concept at the 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon, and rear-wheel drive might be key to the joint project. This 3.8-meter-long concept was expected to be a preview for a competitor to the Mazda MX-5. It shares its design and dimensions with the 2015 Toyota S-FR concept. It also featured a 1.3-litre engine that Daihatsu did not discuss in depth.
Suzuki Cappuccino
Considering how well the rebadging formula has worked for Toyota and Suzuki, Suzuki would also see an opportunity in this collaboration to bring back its rear-wheel-drive, front-engine roadster, the Cappuccino. Suzuki is a stalwart in small engines, so Toyota could also deeply benefit from the production of this car.
Are you excited to see Toyota trying to end the Miata Domination?
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