SOME PEOPLE WOULD ARGUE that Mazda’s brilliant reinvention of the sports car, the best-selling MX-5, has had it all its own way for far too long.
That may be about to change.
Toyota is pulling out all the stops to compete with the likes of affordable sports cars such as Mazda’s MX-5 (Miata in some markets). The automaker reportedly plans to put the S-FR concept car, originally debuted in 2015, into production, with potential release dates slated for early-2026 or early-2027.
A new report out of Japan confirmed that the Toyota S-FR concept, first seen at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, will hit the market to challenge the entry-level sports car segment. Forbes backs up this claim via its print edition of Best Car. According to the report, the Toyota S-FR will be produced in partnership with Daihatsu, a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota, and Suzuki, of which the Toyota Motor Corporation owns 4.94 percent.
From what little information is available, the S-FR will share a platform with the Daihatsu Vision Copen that was revealed at the 2023 Tokyo Mobility Show. It will supposedly feature the same two-plus-two seating as displayed in the concept, but will be even smaller and lighter than the Toyota 86 model.