Developed in cooperation with Toyota's racing and tuning partner Gazoo, the concept is a two-seater, all-wheel drive hybrid sports car based on a modified version of the platform used in the now obsolete MR2 roadster.
Underneath its widened body, the MR2 concept gets a mid-mounted 3.3-liter V6 petrol engine that drives the rear wheels and the company's THSII hybrid system with the electric motor propelling the front wheels.
The combined output of the hybrid system and petrol engine is estimated to be in the range of 400 horsepower
Power is transferred to the wheels through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with paddle shifts.
Toyota did not release any performance figures, but if you take into consideration that the 400HP plus roadster tips the scales at just 1,300 kg or 2,866 pounds (official data), this pocket rocket promises to be nothing less than fast.
Ever since Honda announced the CR-Z hybrid sports coupe, there have been rumors going around about the possibility of a corresponding Toyota model. Just to make it clear, we haven't heard anything official, but Japan's Best Car magazine is reporting/speculating/imagining (take your pick) that Toyota may revive the MR2 as a hybrid model called the MR-S to compete with Honda's CR-Z coupe that will go on sale in 2010.We'll have to wait until some of our Japanese-fluent readers give us all the details from the article, but from what we gather, the MR-S would probably use a specially developed version of the Toyota Prius' hybrid powertrain.
The magazine's article is accompanied by an artist's impression on how the MR-S could like. Judging by the air-inlets at the back, the proposed MR-S most likely features a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout.
If true, this would make the MR-S a sportier proposal than the front-wheel drive CR-Z.
As we said before, there's nothing official about the existence of such a model, but we can't say that it sounds improbable for Toyota to develop a second sports car after the FT-86, especially if it's a smaller, lightweight hybrid.
Source: Best Car
More often than not, we wouldn't take rumors such as the revival of the MR2 too seriously, but in this case, we're obliged to take a different view. Why, may you ask? Well, simply because this time, the report comes straight from a Toyota official. Speaking with UK's Auto Express magazine at the Geneva Motor Show, Toyota's executive vice president Masatami Takimoto revealed that the company is already developing a small hybrid sports car that will essentially replace the long-gone, and much-missed, MR2 in the firm's line-up.
"We are aware of the fondness with which the MR2 is held in the UK and Europe, and are developing a small hybrid sports car," Masatami Takimoto told AE. "We have set a tough price point (expected to be around £20,000 - with the current exchange rates, US$28,000 or €21,000), as it will be easier to sell if it is affordable. It has to be fun to drive, too, which means the hybrid set-up must be different to the Prius's, with greater responsiveness."
Of course, we're thinking the same thing as you are; if Toyota is indeed readying a small hybrid sports car - and we have no reason to doubt Mr. Takimoto, then where does this leave the highly-anticipated, compact-sized rear-wheel drive coupe that the Japanese firm is co-developing with Subaru? Tough question to answer, but it could be that we're talking about two separate models.
One could also support that the two coupes (quite possibly, and roadsters) may also share the same platform, but in cases such as this it's better to avoid any speculations until we learn more details.
Via: Autoexpress
If you're searching for a way to stand out from the mass for all the wrong reasons and at the same time, you don't mind dropping a few thousand bucks, then look no further; UK-based Ride Cars just might do the trick for you. This poorly recreated replica of the famous Eleanor Mustang, featured in the movie "Gone in 60 Seconds", is based on the long-gone, mid-engined Toyota MR2.The kit is available in either an assemble-it-yourself package for £3,995 (around $5,800) or partially assembled for £7,995 (approximately $11,700). These prices of course, do not include the cost of the donor car.
Via: Autoblog.com , Source: Ride Car
