Toyota MR2 return could arrive in 2028 without Toyota badges

The return of the Toyota MR2 appears to be drawing ever closer. After Gazoo Racing developed several prototypes based on the GR Yaris, a new mid-engined sports car has recently been spotted testing at Fuji Speedway. All indications suggest it could reach the market in 2028.

Autocar reports the news and, for the first time, puts a date on the arrival of the successor to the well-known MR2. Toyota still has not officially confirmed a production model, although its development is far from secret.

There is also a development that may prove even more surprising than the timing: the new sports car could be launched without a single Toyota badge.

A mid-engined GR with 450 hp

At the heart of the project is the G20E, Toyota’s new turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, which it has been developing and testing in motorsport. True to the MR, or Midship Runabout, name, the engine will be mounted behind the cabin.

In road-going form, this engine is expected to produce around 400 hp to 450 hp, although its potential in competition applications could exceed 600 hp.

Those figures would place the forthcoming Toyota MR2 far above any of its three previous generations. While the final MR2 was positioned against the Mazda MX-5, this new model is targeting cars such as the Porsche 718 and Lotus Emira.

Its styling is expected to draw inspiration from the FT-Se concept revealed in 2023. However, the prototype pictured in this article remains a “test mule”, using a combination of parts from other models - including Lexus LC doors and GR Yaris light units - and gives little away about the final design.

All-wheel drive will be a first for the Toyota MR2

Another significant change is expected. Whereas all three generations of the MR2 sent the engine’s power solely to the rear wheels, the new model is set to adopt all-wheel drive for the first time.

Tomoya Takahashi, head of Gazoo Racing, told Autocar that one of the older MR2s’ strengths - their willingness to rotate through corners - could also become an issue when pushed to the limit, resulting in sudden oversteer.

With four-wheel drive, Gazoo Racing intends to use that natural eagerness to rotate and turn it into an ability to deploy power on corner exits, while improving stability at the same time.

The GR Yaris M Concept, which is being used to test this architecture, has demonstrated another benefit. By moving the engine and transmission behind the driver, Toyota reduces the load on the front axle and therefore lessens understeer and rapid front-tyre wear on track.

Toyota or Gazoo Racing?

Perhaps the greatest surprise surrounding this forthcoming sports car is the badge it may not wear. According to Autocar, the new MR2 could follow the GR GT’s route and be sold solely under the Gazoo Racing identity, without any Toyota emblem.

That split has already begun. In early 2026, Toyota announced that the division previously known as Toyota Gazoo Racing would become simply Gazoo Racing, strengthening the standalone identity of its performance arm.

Toyota has already registered the “GR MR2” and “GR MR-S” names, reflecting the different designations used in different markets, as with earlier generations. All that remains is to wait for 2028, the anticipated year of its launch.