Browse over 9,000 car reviews

Chris Thompson
Journalist
16 Jan 2025
2 min read

Toyota has shown off a new concept sports car at the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon, but it’s the vehicle's powertrain that could signal a new era for the brand.

The GR Yaris M Concept, which exists as a show of intention for Toyota to enter the model in Japan’s Super Taikyu racing series, features a new petrol engine, mid-mounted, that’s currently in development.

The turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine hasn’t been entirely detailed just yet, but its presence in a GR model suggests it could be intended for powering Toyota’s next series of sports cars.

The brand currently has a few rumoured models in the works, including a potential new MR2 and Celica, plus there could also be next-gen versions of existing models like the GR Yaris, Corolla, and GR86.

The likes of Japanese auto news outlet Best Car have also hinted that it could be hybridised for use in sports cars like the Celica, and there’s set to be a smaller 1.5-litre version of the engine that could be used in other models.

Toyota itself has hinted at a new Supra, as well as the Celica, MR2, a new GR86 and has even referenced its GR GT3 car.

The MR2 is of particular interest given it was a mid-engined sports car, as is the Yaris concept at Auto Salon, which could mean it’s a ‘hiding in plain sight’ test mule for the mid-engined icon.

Toyota GR Yaris M Concept
Toyota GR Yaris M Concept

Even better, previous reports suggest that Toyota was aiming to target 300kW for the 2.0-litre engine's output, meaning it’ll be snapping at the heels of the 2.0-litre engine AMG built for the current Mercedes-AMG A45 S - that unit makes 310kW.

According to Car Watch in Japan, that power figure is still on the cards, so stay tuned for some potential wickedness coming from Gazoo Racing.

Chris Thompson
Journalist
Racing video games, car-spotting on road trips, and helping wash the family VL Calais Turbo as a kid were all early indicators that an interest in cars would stay present in Chris’ life, but loading up his 1990 VW Golf GTI Mk2 and moving from hometown Brisbane to work in automotive publishing in Melbourne ensured cars would be a constant. With a few years as MOTOR Magazine’s first digital journalist under his belt, followed by a stint as a staff journalist for Wheels Magazine, Chris’ career already speaks to a passion for anything with four wheels, especially the 1989 Mazda MX-5 he currently owns. From spending entire weeks dissecting the dynamic abilities of sports cars to weighing up the practical options for car buyers from all walks of life, Chris’ love for writing and talking about cars means if you’ve got a motoring question, he can give you an answer.
About Author

Comments