Amidst the chaotic rows of vendors selling wheels and custom cars at the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon, Toyota unveiled a mid-engine GR Yaris. The car looked like it had plenty of hard development miles under it, complete with scuffed paint, dusty brake calipers and some very used looking slicks. Clearly, this is a working, driving car. Toyota calls it the GR Yaris M Concept (M for midship) but we think it looks more like a prototype or a mule.
Lift up the rear hatch and you will find the former cargo area stuffed with engine. Interestingly, this is not the same 1.5L turbocharged three-cylinder that you’d find in a GR Yaris or GR Corolla. The M Concept uses a new turbocharged 2.0L inline-four. Rumours suggest the engine would make 395 hp in street trim and a further 592 hp in racing trim. Those are some pretty specific figures for a rumour! Open the (front) hood and you’ll find nothing there except a beefy looking front differential. The GR Yaris M is AWD.
The staff on stage introducing the car made it very clear that there is no official announcement on whether this car will be produced. But they did say they “hope” it will turn into a production car. The accompanying Toyota press release says it was built to “explore the potential of the GR Yaris.” Given that the GR Yaris (and the regular Yaris) is not sold in North America, it seems unlikely that we’d see a production mid-engine Yaris over here. The GR Yaris debuted about four years ago and I can’t see them offering a mid-engine version of an old car that was never sold in North America.
But put on your optimist glasses and see the potential for a new MR2 sports car. We think this is a working prototype or a mule to exhibit the drivetrain that will eventually power a reborn MR2. Toyota has hinted that some of its most famously classic nameplates could return and my guess is that MR2 is one of them. Just imagine an MR2 with a 395-hp turbo four, all wheel drive, and no hefty hybrid batteries. Sign me up! Of course for now, these are just dreams. But sometimes dreams come true.
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