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Toyota is reportedly working on what is said to be the world's most powerful 2.0-liter engine. The unit is expected to power the mid-engined Toyota MR2 and the Celica GRMN in an all-wheel drive configuration.
Toyota was late Electric vehicle party, despite having been quick into the hybrid segment with its Prius, the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, launched in 1997. The automaker does not seem to have cracked the password of the EV segment yet.
Sales figures back it up, as the bZ4x electric crossover isn’t exactly the most popular model in an already crowded segment. Toyota sold 9,329 units in the U.S. last year, and while it’s already beaten its 2023 numbers, it’s still far from where Toyota expected.
But the Japanese have a reputation to uphold when it comes to internal combustion engines, and they are counting on them for years to come. To confirm their strategy, they are developing the world's most powerful 2.0-liter engine, beating Mercedes-AMG in the process.
The M139 turbocharged inline-four engine, launched by Mercedes in 2019 as a replacement for the M133, can generate 416 horsepower (421 metric horsepower) and 369 pound-feet (500 Newton meters) in the S version of the compact Mercedes-AMG A 45. But Toyota's 2.0-liter unit has the potential to do more!
The Japanese carmaker is currently working on new 1.5- and 2.0-liter gasoline engines for upcoming model generations as part of a collaboration with Mazda and Subaru.
At the time, Toyota announced that the 2.0-liter engine would have more power than the current 2.4-liter engine, while taking up less space, weighing less, maintaining efficiency and supporting electrification.
The latter seems like a perfect match for the return of the Celica as a front-engined two-door coupe and the mid-engined MR2 roadster, with both reportedly set to get GRM versions.
Japanese media claim that the Toyota MR2 GRMN could be produced in limited numbers and will be a local market affair. The 2.0-liter engine could be mated to either an eight-speed automatic or a six-speed manual, which should fire the imagination of purists.
The 2.0-liter is expected to come in several variants. Japanese media claims the base model should have 296 horsepower (300 metric horsepower) and 295 pound-feet (400 Newton meters) of torque. Further up the range, we should see a variant with 395 horsepower (400 metric horsepower) and 406 pound-feet (550 Newton meters) of torque.
Toyota should squeeze up to 592 horsepower (600 metric horsepower) from the top-of-the-line engine without any electrification involved. That translates to 300 metric horsepower per liter.
Toyota will build the 2.0-liter to survive stringent emissions regulations. This means it will be compatible with zero-carbon fuels.
As for pricing, Japanese media suggest that the top-of-the-line MR2 and the Celica with the super 2.0-liter engine should start at around 10 million yen, or $67,930.