New Toyota MR-2 Hybrid planned?

Bset Car Magazine's take on a new hybrid MR-2 / MR-S

Reports say that Toyota are working on a new MR-2 with a sport hybrid setup to take on the Honda CR-Z.

The Toyota MR-2 was a much loved sports car in its day (despite the MR-2 bit sounding like ‘Sh*t’ if said in French) and lovers of the MR-2 have long bemoaned its passing. But if reports by Japan’s Best Car Magazine are to be believed, Toyota are planning a new MR-2 as a hybrid to take on the Honda CR-Z Coupe. Which does have a ring of truth to it.

Despite the fact that Toyota already have a sports coupe nearly ready to roll in the shape of the Toyota FT-86 (and its  cousin the Subaru FT-86, which could come with 4WD and a turbo) it would make sense to see Toyota taking all necessary measure to keep its Hybrid crown by turning out a sport hybrid coupe to take on the CR-Z.

Best Car are saying that the new Toyota will be know as the MR-S, but as that was what the MR-2 was called at the end of its run in Japan it seems more likely that the MR-2 moniker will be revived. Plans are to run a modified version of the Toyota Synergy Drive system in the Prius, with the petrol engine mid-mounted and coupled to an electric motor.

We’re not huge fans of the Prius, but we do see the logic in some hybrids (particularly ‘Range-Extender’ Hybrids). One of our biggest gripes (apart from the fantasy mpg figures) is with the ‘Drive’ and the awful CVT ‘boxes. If a new Hybrid MR-2 can offer the benefits of the Hybrid with a joyful drive, we’re all for it. But we tend to think that if you tune a hybrid of this type for performance you’ll end up with worse economy than a regular petrol lump. So what’s the point?

But at the moment this is a cross between wishful thinking, speculation and reasonable possibility.