Future Toyota Sports Cars Could Use 450 HP Engine From GR Yaris Concept

Toyota’s not ready to give up on gas engines just yet, and honestly, that’s great news if you still love the sound and feel of a proper motor.

They’ve just confirmed they’re working on a new family of four-cylinder engines that are smaller, lighter, and way more efficient. There’ll be two versions: a 1.5-liter and a 2.0-liter. But the real star here is the 2.0, which is being developed with Toyota’s Gazoo Racing team and already tested in the wild-looking GR Yaris M concept.

That little monster has the engine mounted in the back and is pushing up to 450 horsepower with a turbo. And according to Toyota engineers, it could easily go over 600 horsepower with a bigger turbo. That’s insane for a four-cylinder. It would blow past what even Mercedes-AMG has done in the C63 hybrid.

Now, Toyota probably won’t release a 600-hp version for the street as it has to meet emissions rules. But even if they dial it down to 400 or 500 horsepower, that’s still seriously impressive.

This new engine is also super versatile. It can be mounted in the front or rear and in all kinds of setups. What’s even cooler is that Toyota built this engine with tuners in mind. One of their engineers said they left space between the cylinders so it can be bored out later. That’s a big nod to the old-school 2JZ engine that made the old Supra such a legend.

It’s not just Toyota doing this. They’re teaming up with Mazda and Subaru to find ways to keep gas engines alive longer, by making them cleaner and possibly running them on synthetic or biofuels. Mazda’s working on rotary engines again, and Subaru is refining its boxer engines. They’re all looking at hybrid tech too, but the message is clear: they’re not giving up on combustion.

Even Toyota’s chairman, Akio Toyoda, recently said he doesn’t think electric cars will ever fully take over. He sees them maybe making up 30% of the market in the long run. That’s a bold take, especially since EV sales are booming, especially in China.

Still, if you love driving, there’s something exciting about all this. Toyota’s making sure the future isn’t all silent and soulless.