Toyota is toying with the idea of a new, smaller sports car that would slot in below its BRZ. Called the S-FR, it is said to be a front engine, rear drive sports car with a 1500 cc engine making about 130 horsepower. That should give it performance on a par with Mazda’s popular sports car, the Miata MX-5.
“I already tell you Toyota’s sports car goal must be three brothers – [BRZ] is the middle [brother], top model is something like a Supra,” Tetsuya Tada, chief engineer of Toyota’s sports car range told the press at the Tokyo motor show this week. According to Drive, Tada went on to say, “When you see the S-FR concept I suppose you imagine it is a 1.5-litre car but nowadays I can choose many kind of engines. Downsized turbo, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated and something additional as well. Now we are thinking which one is the best engine for a small sports car.”
Tada also said that if Toyota builds this car, it will not do so with a partner. The BRZ is shared with corporate cousin Subaru and the next large Toyota sports car is rumored to be a joint project with BMW.
The styling of the S-FR is far from elegant. It looks very much like a Griffith or TVR from the 80’s, neither of which won any design awards. It seems to have none of the visual interest most people associate with the many versions of the Toyota MR2.
The other concern is that the BRZ, despite being a pretty good sports car, is not selling particularly well in any markets around the world, leading some to wonder why Toyota needs yet another slow selling two seat sports car. It remains to be seen whether Toyota can make a business case for the S-FR. It may be that the ship has sailed on small two seaters like the Bug Eye Sprite that captured the hearts of sports car fans in the 50’s and 60’s.
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