Toyota will expand its electrification strategy to its more sporty models, in collaboration with Gazoo Racing, and in this regard, it is developing a new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that will equip future electrified GR models.
The new engine, which will integrate a traditional hybrid system and plug-in hybrid systems, features a shorter piston stroke and a lighter construction to improve efficiency. According to the Japanese brand, it “exceeds the limits of performance and efficiency, with very compact dimensions that help generate a low center of gravity.”
The Japanese brand has already announced that the prototype GR Yaris M with a central engine, revealed earlier this year at the Tokyo Motor Show, was designed to serve as a testbed for the next generation of the MR2, and currently features a non-electrified version of the aforementioned system that is still in development. However, Hiroyuki Yamada, an engineer at Gazoo Racing responsible for the new engine development project, has already confirmed plans to combine the new engine with a hybrid system in the future.
The new 2.0-liter powertrain in its non-electrified form. However, Hiroyuki Yamada, the Gazoo Racing engineer overseeing the project, confirmed plans to add hybrid assistance in the future.
In an interview with “Autocar”, Yamada revealed that the new technology will be used in both competition models and mass-produced vehicles, considering that Toyota needs a more economical engine with lower emissions for future GR-branded models.
It is worth noting that currently, the Yaris and Corolla GR use a 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, while the GR86 utilizes a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter boxer engine sourced from Subaru.
