Car News News

Toyota wants to launch a mass market sports car?

Written by Nizam Shaikh

Japanese manufacturer Toyota showcased its S-FR Concept car in 2015 at the Tokyo Auto Salon. Now, Toyota could be planning to develop the S-FR Concept car, which could go into mass production in the next few years. Sources revel that the brand is also likely to collaborate with Daihatsu and Suzuki, to tap into their expertise into the development of small cars.

Revival of the Starlet

Reports suggest that the production version of the S-FR is likely to be the slotted below the GT86 and is likely to be developed under the GR (Gazoo Racing) division. The brand is also likely to christen the car “Starlet” which will be the revival of a brand that Toyota sold from the 1970s to the 1990s. The nomenclature is already associated with small and sporty car that was sold in Japan.

Powertrain Details

According to reports, the production version of the S-FR is likely to come with a Small – Front engine and Rear wheel drive. Toyota is likely to use a 1.3-litre three-cylinder motor for the production version of the S-FR. Reports reveal that the GR tuned motor is likely to produce 150 PS of power and 220 Nm of torque. The engine is likely to be a downsized version of the 1.6-litre motor installed in the GR Yaris and GR Corolla.

When Will It Come?

While Toyota in the past has planned to develop multiple cars based on the FR layout. The plan to bring a small, medium and large sports car together with the GR Supra was shelved, but the GR Supra, out of this, was revived back in 2019. However, plans for the S-FR were aborted, but the brand could start developing the S-FR production version by 2026-27. It is highly unlikely that the brand will bring the S-FR to the Indian market when it goes into production.

Also Read: Volkswagen offers 6 airbags on all variants of Taigun & Virtus as standard