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Toyota and Mazda Are Reportedly Teaming Up on a Pair of Sports Car Twins

The two Japanese automakers are supposedly working to develop their next-generation sports cars around the current MX-5 Miata platform.

Front side view of a gray Mazda car with water droplets on its surface, featuring a black alloy wheel and a sleek headlight design. The image is partially obscured by a glass panel on the left side.Mazda
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By Gray Van Dyke

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Between its current GR Corolla and Yaris hatchbacks, a next-generation Supra, a Lexus LFA successor and the rumored revival of not only the Celica but also the MR2, Toyota has its hand in a variety of different sports car projects at the moment.

Even still, the Japanese automaker remains committed to its affordable GR86. Following previous speculation that Toyota would be bringing the engineering of its small sports car in-house for the next generation, a new report suggests the brand may be looking to Mazda for a partner in the model’s development.

Two sporty Toyota GR cars on a racetrack, with a red model in the foreground and a white model behind it, both featuring sleek designs and black wheels under a partly cloudy sky.
Toyota has worked with Subaru on the first and second-generation 86 coupe, but Mazda may be getting involved for the third iteration.
Toyota

At face value, the project almost sounds too good to be true. But there’s a lot about it that makes sense from a practical perspective. After all, the two brands have a vested interest in each other, and both have an extensive history of collaboration.

A tale of two sports cars

According to a popular Japanese automotive magazine named Best Car, Mazda sent some of its chief engineers to Toyota City to work on the next generation of the MX-5 and GR86. Per the report, the two cars will share a platform, much the same way that the GR86 does alongside its Subaru twin today.

Silver convertible sports car driving on a road at sunset with mountains and a partly cloudy sky in the background.
The MX-5 brings a lot to the table as far as driving enjoyment goes, so the collaboration makes sense on paper.
Mazda

The current ND-spec Mazda MX-5 is supposedly going to be the basis for development, as the svelte 990S version of the platform tips the scales at a scant 2,182.5 pounds (990 kilograms) while also providing an exceptional benchmark for handling performance.

Of course, even though this kind of shared engineering means that the two models could be built on the same platform, they’ll still be distinct vehicles. 

For instance, the chassis will have to be stretched (or shortened) to accommodate each car’s seating provisions. The first and second generations of the GR86 have been 2+2s, while the MX-5 has exclusively existed as a two-seater roadster throughout its lengthy history.

A dark gray convertible sports car with a beige interior, viewed from above. The car has two seats, a black soft top folded down, and sleek, modern design lines. The vehicle is parked on a concrete surface with a tiled strip in the background.
Will the shared platform design compromise the MX-5’s compact nature, given that the GR86 is a 2+2 design?
Mazda

Moreover, unlike the GR86 and the BRZ, the two cars will be powered by different engines and drivetrains. In keeping with its push for mixed-energy offerings, Toyota will reportedly build its version as a hybrid. Mazda, meanwhile, is supposedly going to stick to an updated version of the current 2.0-liter inline-four. Though it could eventually add some degree of electrification.

Importantly, if these reports prove to be true and the two companies are indeed collaborating on a shared sports car platform, the potential for hybridization could mean the loss of a manual transmission for the GR86.

Red two-door sports coupe with black wheels parked on a paved road, set against a backdrop of green grassy hills and a clear blue sky. The car features a sleek, aerodynamic design with a prominent front grille and sharp headlights.
Toyota has made it clear that hybrid propulsion will be a part of its agenda in the future, even among performance cars in the GR lineup.
Toyota

Sharing production makes sense

In its report, the Best Car magazine alleged that the next-generation Toyota GR86 and Mazda MX-5 would be assembled alongside one another at Mazda’s Hiroshima factory.

As unlikely as this notion (or even the idea that the two brands are working together) may seem, it’s a move with established precedent — when the ND Mazda Miata and the Fiat 124 Spyder shared a platform, the location built the two models simultaneously.

Silver convertible sports car driving on a curved desert racetrack with dry shrubs and mountains in the background under bright sunlight.
Mazda has previously built a pair of models in its Hiroshima factory, so it wouldn’t be the first time that the MX-5 shared its assembly line with another sports car.
Mazda

Moreover, Toyota worked with Subaru on the development of the first and second-generation GR86, and it looked to BMW and the Z4 for the A90 Supra, so the automaker clearly isn’t afraid to tap another name in the industry for the sake of building a better (or cheaper) sports car.

Ultimately, though, it’s the fact that Toyota and Mazda have been working together for some time that gives the report the most credence. The two automakers signed an agreement to enter a business and capital alliance in 2017, and they’ve recently ramped up their collaborative efforts in the pursuit of innovating automotive electrification. 

Red Toyota GR sports coupe with black wheels parked on an empty road, viewed from the rear three-quarter angle during daylight.
Could this collaboration result in a drop-top GR86 or an MX-5 with additional seats? Never say never.
Toyota

Only time will tell what comes of this supposed shared sports car platform. A driver’s car forged from two industry titans like Toyota and Mazda — existing in both 2+2 and droptop form — would be the kind of vehicle that would break the internet should it ever see the light of day.

About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he’s not chasing the latest industry news, he’s probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.

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