Toyota's chief technology officer Hiroki Nakajima describes the new four-cylinder engine lineup as "variable." The upcoming engines will be available in 1,5- and 2,0-liter displacements, and while they're optimized primarily for electrification, they're clearly not neglecting the fun factor. That's true of the larger 2,0-liter turbocharged engine, which engineers tested in an empty Lexus IS last year.
At the 2025 Tokyo Motor Show, the four-cylinder was also shown in a wild mid-engined test vehicle based on the GR Yaris. Toyota did not specify the power of the 2,0-liter turbocharged engine in a press release, but in a conversation with Japanese journalists at TAS, it hinted that it could reach more than 400 hp. During the Multipathway workshop last May, Car Watch learned from Nakajima that the target was 400 hp. However, it seems that there is even more room for maneuver. The original version shown last year had 400 hp, so we can expect more than less. Maximum torque in 2024 was estimated at 500 Newton meters.
A 2,0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine with over 400 hp is not the first in the world. The Mercedes-AMG “M139” in the A 45, for example, produces 421 hp. In the controversial C 63, it produces as much as 476 hp when installed longitudinally as the “M139l”. And don’t forget the Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-440 MR. It already produced 440 hp a decade ago, but the engine has also been modified down to the last detail in this limited special model. Nakajima told Auto Watch that a smaller version of the 2,0-liter turbo engine is planned with an expected output of 300 hp and 400 Nm. Without the usual regulations for production cars, the new four-cylinder engine is expected to produce over 600 hp in racing cars.
The engine can be installed transversely or longitudinally. Thanks to BMW and its B48 engine, Toyota is already using a 2,0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder in a sports car. However, this hatchback will not be available for much longer. The current Supra is already on its farewell tour, so to speak, but the legendary name will live on. Whether the next generation Supra will use the “G20E” designation is not yet known.
It’s also worth noting that Toyota has repeatedly hinted at the revival of other sports car names. At irregular intervals, we’ve been getting signals about the return of the Celica and/or MR2. Logic tells us that the “G20E” will be the centerpiece of the company’s sports car lineup. The new engine will sit above the 1,6-liter three-cylinder found in the GR Yaris and GR Corolla.
Toyota wants to continue to appeal to enthusiasts, despite everything. Even if the whole world is buying only SUVs and it is becoming increasingly difficult for high-performance internal combustion vehicles due to regulatory fury. Sports cars, especially affordable ones, are increasingly a niche segment, but it seems that Toyota's performance unit Gazoo Racing wants to give the AMGs, Audi Sports and BMW Ms of this world a chance to make amends. That can only be welcomed.
