Toyota's Mid-Engine M Concept: A Glimpse at a Possible MR2 Revival

Toyota’s test mules are usually hidden from view, spotted only by accident or through a spy photographer’s long lens. But the company recently pulled back the curtain on its mid-engine M Concept, a prototype that could hint at the return of the MR2 or Celica. Engineers let us inspect the turbocharged inline-four under development and even take an early version for a spin.

No plug required.

The M Concept started as a modified GR Yaris. After three years, GR chief engineer Naohiko Saito says six versions exist, with 14 more planned. “These are basically our toys,” he said, though they represent work from at least 500 Gazoo Racing employees. Some mules have swollen body panels for extra cooling; others wear intercoolers with hoses running through the carbon-fiber roof.

The first-generation mule we drove had a solid hood and a gutted interior—roll cage, bucket seats, and random wires. Under the hood sat the rear subframe from another GR Yaris, turned 180 degrees. 6-liter three-cylinder engine sat behind the seats. Engineers warned it would overheat after 20 minutes.

On gravel, the car rotated easily and held slides without effort. A 30/70 front-to-rear torque split kept it balanced.

0-liter four-cylinder, felt dramatically faster. On a track section inspired by the Nürburgring, it reached nearly 100 mph where a 300-hp GR Yaris managed 75. The engine produced loud exhaust pops and turbo hisses. Toyota’s pro driver cornered with oversteer rather than lifting, and the car felt rear-biased and responsive to trail braking.

The Gen-6 race car competed in a 24-hour race at Fuji Speedway, finishing within a second of GT4 cars. An oil cooler cracked and a wastegate rod failed, but the program continues. Saito said the biggest failures are “too much to list,” but that’s part of the point.

Toyota brought us to Japan to see this early, unfinished project because it knows enthusiasts love a good story. The M Concept could become a new MR2, a Celica, or something without a nostalgic badge. Toyota isn’t saying yet. But the car speaks for itself. If Gazoo Racing can solve a few more bugs, 2027 might bring bigger teases.