Is Toyota About to Debut a New MR2 at the Tokyo Auto Salon?

The Tokyo Auto Salon is days away, which means that we’re eagerly anticipating announcements from Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Toyota. This year is an especially exciting one for Toyota, which will show its V-8–powered GR GT and battery-electric LFA to the general public for the first time, appropriately in the capital city of its home country. Evidently, that power couple is not enough, because Toyota is also bringing a handful of race cars, heritage parts, and, as we just found out, “a new mid-engine two-seater car.”

A 29-second video posted to X by Toyota Gazoo Racing reveals just enough information to whet our appetites. There is no video footage of the exchange between a staffer and “Morizo,” just the audio—in Japanese, of course. “Morizo,” as Toyota aficionados will know, is the name that Akio Toyoda uses as a pseudonym when he races. Akio is the grandson of Toyota’s founder, who served as its president from 2009 to 2023 and is now chairman of the company. He’s a driving enthusiast who delights in bringing fun cars to market, cars like the original, V-10–powered LFA, the newest Supra, the GR Corolla, and … something that could maybe possibly be the fourth coming of the MR2, based on the transcript of the video as provided by Carscoops:

Staff: Morizo-san, I hear you got a new car?
Morizo: Ehhh!
Staff: What kind of car is it?
Morizo: A mid-engined two-seater!
Staff: That one?
Morizo: Yeah, yeah, that one.
Staff: So, what are you planning to do with it?
Morizo: It’s fine as is, but…
Staff: Don’t you want to do something more with it?
Morizo: Something more… yeah.
Staff: I want to have it ready in time for the Tokyo Auto Salon, but…
Morizo: Will you make it?
Staff: Let’s exhibit it!
Morizo: Is that okay?
Staff: The rest is up to the car!

The MR2, Toyota’s mid-engine sports car, debuted in 1984 and was built for three generations, with production ceasing in 2007. A compact two-door with the engine in the middle would fill a gap in Toyota’s rather impressive range of enthusiast vehicles. In the U.S., that portfolio includes the front-engine, four-cylinder GR 86 coupe, the three-cylinder GR Yaris hatchback, and the upcoming GR 86 halo car, with its front-mounted V-8. With the Supra nearing the end of its run, Toyota will soon be missing a $60,000 enthusiast-oriented offering. A mid-engine two-seater might be just the thing, whether or not it resurrects the MR2 badge.

Toyota

That said, Toyota has been really enjoying the nostalgic lately, from the Supra to the recent 4Runner and Land Cruiser to the LFA. Is the time right for the return of an MR2? Toyota’s press conference is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 8 (EST), when all will hopefully be revealed.