New GR Yaris M Concept: A preview of Toyota’s sports car plans?

The unveiling of a GR Yaris M Concept car at the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon has given us a tantalising look at the potential future of Toyota’s Gazoo Racing sub brand.

While Toyota has definitely got its sporting mojo back, it has given no indication it plans to produce a mid-engined hot hatchback, so one might wonder what the purpose of this concept car is.

But some industry insiders believe a new mid-engined sports car using the legendary MR-2 name will be produced in the coming years and this GR Yaris is a likely preview of its form.

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But while that mid-engined layout is important, this GR Yaris M Concept also debuts a new engine. Instead of the ‘G16E-GTS’ unit that appears in the regular model, it uses a new work-in-progress turbocharged four-cylinder 2.0-litre engine codenamed ‘G20E’.

Toyota is rumoured to be launching the new engine in the coming years with as much as 295kW of power and 550Nm of torque, though the ‘entry-level’ version of the engine will still make similar outputs to today’s GR Yaris at around 221kW and 400Nm. An unrestricted racing version of the engine will reportedly pump out 441kW.

Other Toyota exhibits from the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon included a new GR Yaris race car for the Nurburgring 24 Hour race and a new aero package for the GR Yaris.

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