Japanese reports indicate that Toyota and Suzuki are jointly developing a small two-seater sports car with a central combustion engine that, if it arrives, will be a direct rival to the Mazda MX-5.

This new small sports car can also be considered as an indirect heir to the Toyota MR2. However, the surprise jumps when a gasoline engine is pointed to under the skin of the vehicle, mainly because the Japanese brand presented at the end of 2021 the Sports EV, a prototype configuration as described but with 100% electric propulsion.

Nothing has been heard about the possible production version of the Sports EV. In fact, the Japanese magazine states that this new two-seater sports car can find its germ in the 2015 S-FR, although that one had the engine in the front area. In this case, the small sports car would be mid-engined.

The Japanese media even dare to give the first figures of what is supposed to be the engine of this car. It is a 1.0-liter three-cylinder with about 120 horsepower and approximately 200 Newton meter of maximum torque. All this with a mild-hybrid system intended to improve efficiency and also to generate extra boost at certain times.

These 120 horsepower may seem scarce at the time in which we find ourselves, but not much more is needed to move with more than ease a car that should be around 1,000 kilos in weight. As a reference, the Mazda MX-5 access, whose engine develops 132 horsepower, stops the scale at 1,114 kilos.

In addition to being lighter than the Miata, this new Toyota aims to be bigger. While the MX-5 announces a length of 3.92 meters the still embryonic Nippon aims at 4.20 meters. And in what part of the play takes Suzuki protagonism? It is precisely the company that develops the engine.

Finally it has been leaked that this new Japanese two-seater sports car aims to reach the local market with a starting price of 2.2 million yen, which at the current exchange rate is about $17,000. In US, if it ever arrives, it would logically be more expensive. Surely along the lines of the MX-5, which narrowly exceeds the $31,920 euros starting price.

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