Toyota, please build this 'MR-E' electric roadster

Remember the MR2 coupes and the MR-S? Introducing... the MR-E.

The AW11 and SW20 MR2 coupes are icons, arriving as Mid-engined, RWD sports cars in 1984 and 1989 respectively – an era of passionate performance motoring for the Toyota brand.

The third generation, known in Japan as the MR-S (for 'spyder'), strayed a little from the formula, but not in the ways that mattered most: the 'MR' in the name.

What we've got here, then, is an imagined fourth-generation Toyota MR – this time driven by electric power. Rendered by our mate Theottle [↗], this generation would be named 'MR-E'.

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Toyota MR-E rendering Theottle [↗].

How did he arrive at that name? Theo jokes that the 'M' would this time stand for 'Maybe'.

In fact, Toyota could apply some sort of 'Midship' treatment here. Perhaps the position of the battery pack, if not the motor/s, although it would be odd to not simply run the cells along the floor of the car for weight distribution and a low centre of gravity.

As for the R(ear-wheel-drive) in the original MR2 name, Toyota could absolutely make this new two-door a spritely RWD offering – but we think it more likely the range would include, if not be entirely centered around, a dual-motor all-wheel-drive configuration for ultimate power and traction.

Perhaps, then, the R merely stands for 'roadster'.

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Toyota MR-E rendering Theottle [↗].

The final letter, E, speaks for itself: Electric.

And, if you were inclined to call the MR2 'Mister 2', you'll have as much fun with 'Mister E' or 'Mister Electric'.

Will it happen?

Toyota has yet to hint at any plans for an electric roadster to take on the stylish new MG Cyberster (also the donor body for Theo's renders), but it has confirmed a GR-badged electric sports car is in the works.

Details on that are still to come, but an event in December 2021 saw Toyota reveal a number of electric concepts, including the not-so imaginatively named Toyota GR Sports Concept (below).

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Japan's Best Car said at the time that the GR Sports Concept is being viewed as a successor to the MR2, to be developed in partnership with its own Daihatsu arm and compatriot brand Suzuki.

Both brands are, of course, very experienced with developing compact and 'kei-class' cars, including coupes and roadsters.

Since then, Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda has told the UK's Autocar that the GR division is working on a 'fun to drive' high-performance electric GR – but he did not go so far as to confirm it for production.

For now, Toyota's electric sports car remains shrouded in Mystery... (see what we did there? Blame John Law.)

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Toyota has hinted at a 'three brothers' strategy for years now, with talk of a new MR2 that would join the 86 and Supra in a trilogy of hero sports models.

Of course, it's likely that third brother is the GR Corolla. There's also the S-FR roadster sold in Japan...

Frankly, I'm more drawn to Theo's renders, inspired by Toyota's latest styling language (due in Australia with the new C-HR), but I certainly wouldn't kick the GR Sports out of my garage.

Watch the MG Cyberster transform into the Toyota 'MR-E'

Read our classic MR2 reviews

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Click the above photo to see the full gallery

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