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Did Toyota Just Confirm the Return of a Beloved Two-Seater?

Mr. Toyoda himself had some words to share on the company’s YouTube anime platform.

Rear side view of an orange Toyota GR FT-Se sports car with black diffuser and Michelin tires.Toyota
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By Chris Chin

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Toyota may have just nudged a little closer to confirming the return of the MR2. The automaker’s Gazoo Racing division just posted a short animated video clip on X featuring Chairman Akio Toyoda having a chat with a colleague.

And in that chat, under “Morizo” nickname in the automaker’s “GRIP” YouTube-based anime show, Toyoda essentially confirmed the impending arrival of a new mid-engine sports car at the Tokyo Auto Salon in the coming days.

Years in the making

Gray Toyota MR2 Spyder convertible with red interior parked on asphalt.
It’s been over a quarter of a century since Toyota gave us a mid-engine sports car.
Toyota

For the past several years, rumors have been circulating about the MR2’s revival. It began with a few words on the street.

Those words then got amplified by more emerging details and even a couple of concept cars. The rumors, however, became more compelling after Toyota revealed a mid-engine GR Yaris-based M concept almost exactly a year ago.

Rear view of a Toyota Gazoo Racing car with open trunk showing exposed engine and red, white, and black geometric patterned body.
Toyota really began stirring the pot with its mid-engine GR Yaris M Concept.
Toyota

On top of Toyota’s latest campaign to start making fun and affordable sports cars again — especially after the revival of the Supra — the rumors about the MR2 revival led to an “all roads lead to” situation.

Especially after the automaker filed trademark protection applications for the “GR MR2” nameplate in various intellectual property offices around the globe.

Toyota-MR2-gear-patrol-lead-full
The MR2 is one of history’s most iconic affordable sports cars.
Toyota

The brief video clip posted on X is in Japanese. But when translated:

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!

Gazoo Racing via X

But is it an MR2…?

Red two-door sports coupe with pop-up headlights and rear spoiler parked on pavement.
The MR2 helped prove that mid-engine performance could be affordable.
Toyota USA

With the Tokyo Auto Salon just days away, it’s unsurprising that Toyota has the automotive world sitting on the edge of its seat. With so much anticipation riding on all the circumstantial evidence pointing to an MR2 revival, many are convinced that it’s making a comeback.

But there still hasn’t been any official confirmation. That has some speculating that the new sports car could also signal the return of the Celica.

Orange Toyota GR FT-Se sports car rear view with sleek black roof and futuristic taillights on blue gradient background.
Toyota and Gazoo Racing teased a mid-engine sports car with the FT-Se in 2024, but it was all-electric.
Toyota

In the mix of the MR2 rumors, Toyoda was caught confirming the Celica’s revival at the WRC Rally Japan event in 2024. Since then, other hearsay began circulating, suggesting the new mid-engine sports car could take on the role as both an MR2 and Celica successor.

But the latter has fans and enthusiasts confused. That’s because the MR2 is the affordable sports car with the unique mid-engine placement.

Orange and black futuristic sports car with sharp angular design on a blue reflective floor.
The FT-Se Concept could provide some hints as to what Toyota’s new mid-engine sports car could look like.
Toyota

Whereas the Celica always featured a front-engine layout, driving either the rear, front, or all four wheels (depending on the generation).

Either way, Toyota has a big reveal brewing, so stay tuned.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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