Toyota’s Mid-Engined Prototype Reveals What’s Coming For The Celica And MR2
For years, enthusiasts have been begging Toyota to build more affordable sports cars. Now it looks like the legendary Japanese carmaker isn’t just listening—it’s preparing one of the biggest performance car comebacks in decades.
Hidden away at Toyota’s secret Shimoyama proving ground in Japan is a mysterious prototype that looks like a GR Yaris… until it starts moving. The engine isn’t under the hood. It’s sitting behind the driver, screaming away like an angry race car, and it’s giving us our clearest look yet at what’s coming next.
And if Toyota has its way, this strange little prototype is just the beginning. The new Celica is officially on the way, the MR2 appears closer than ever, a next-generation Supra is rumored to be in development, and there’s even a V8-powered supercar in the pipeline. Suddenly, the future looks incredibly exciting for anyone who loves driving.
This Isn’t A GR Yaris—It’s Toyota’s Secret Weapon
The folks at Top Gear got up close to many variants of this Toyota Yaris testbed vehicle. At first glance, you’d swear it was just another GR Yaris wearing camouflage. Look a little closer, though, and everything changes. The wheelbase is longer, the proportions are different, and when the engine fires up, the noise comes from directly behind the seats.
That’s because this isn’t a Yaris at all.
Toyota has built a mid-engined prototype to develop an entirely new generation of performance cars. The body is simply a disguise hiding a completely different platform underneath.
Some test cars use the familiar turbocharged three-cylinder from the GR Yaris mounted behind the cabin, while others pack an all-new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder known internally as the G20E. Even more exciting, Toyota says this engine has been designed to work in almost anything. It can be mounted at the front or in the middle, paired with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and even adapted for hybrid technology.
In other words, it’s exactly the kind of flexible platform you’d build if you were planning several new sports cars. Toyota isn’t saying exactly what this mule will become, but all signs point toward the long-awaited return of the Celica and, perhaps even more exciting, the legendary MR2.
The New Celica And MR2 Could Be Worth The Wait
Top Gear was lucky enough to drive the prototype, and the verdict should have every Toyota fan smiling. Despite wearing a GR Yaris body, it apparently drives nothing like one. Instead, the balance feels much closer to a mid-engined sports car like a Porsche Cayman. Turn into a corner, lift off the throttle, and the rear eagerly rotates. The steering is light and precise, while the weight distribution gives the prototype a playful character that encourages drivers to push harder with every corner.
Even the early development car running around 250 horsepower was described as hugely entertaining. Toyota also demonstrated a more advanced version powered by the new G20E turbocharged four-cylinder. Producing roughly 400 horsepower in development form, the prototype reportedly rockets around Toyota’s Nürburgring-inspired test circuit with incredible pace. Better yet, it isn’t just fast—it sounds eager to rev, responds instantly, and delivers the kind of driver engagement enthusiasts have been craving.
The best news of all is that Toyota’s sports car revival appears to be much bigger than a single model. The Celica has already been confirmed. Toyota has also trademarked the GR MR2 name, strongly hinting that another mid-engined icon could soon return. Add a future Supra and the upcoming V8-powered GR GT flagship, and suddenly Toyota has one of the most exciting performance lineups of any manufacturer. After years of crossovers and SUVs dominating headlines, Toyota seems determined to remind the world that affordable, driver-focused sports cars still matter.
The Toyota GR Celica Revival We’ve Been Dreaming Of Is Here, In The Digital World
If the final Celica sports car looks even half this good, it’s going to be an absolute riot.
HOTCARS TAKE
It honestly feels like Toyota is becoming the modern-day hero of enthusiasts. While many manufacturers are moving entirely toward electric performance, Toyota keeps finding new ways to make combustion-powered sports cars more exciting. If this mysterious mid-engined prototype really evolves into the next Celica and MR2, the future looks incredibly bright. Affordable sports cars have been disappearing for years—but Toyota might just be leading the charge to bring them back.
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