Daihatsu-Toyota 1.0-Litre Mid-Engine Sportscar In The Works?

A new Toyota mid-engine hybrid sportscar is being developed in collaboration with Suzuki and Daihatsu, according to a recent report by Japan's Best Car Magazine.

The portal claims that the turbocharged 1.0-liter enigmatic sportscar could be 4,200 MM long, weigh as little as 1,000 KG while having a wheelbase of around 100 inches, which is comparable to the Toyota GR86.

Having said that, the car would not be built from the ground up and might share some components with the current-generation Toyota Yaris, specifically the front suspension.

Following that, the three automakers are currently collaborating to develop three-cylinder engines, with Suzuki spearheading the engine development and aiming for a power output of up to 120 HP and 200 NM.

The report also hinted that the MR2 descendent could very well be rear-wheel drive and offered with either 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed auto transmission.

Although the styling is said to be inspired by the Daihatsu Copen, the rendering published by the Japanese online portal depicts a sleeker sports car that would be a two-seater which bears the Toyota logo. As far as Daihatsu’s role goes, it will be in charge of styling, designing, and developing accessories for this sports car.  

The jointly created sports car's release status is unknown, but it is anticipated to cost between 2.2 and 2.8 million yen (RM72K to RM 62K).