More sports cars are coming from Toyota, led by this 2.0-L 400PS turbo powerplant

KUALA LUMPUR: After all the futuristic talks at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, Toyota brought us back to familiar territory — the roar of combustion engines.

In a special post-show presentation, the company unveiled two brand-new powertrains to us, that proves the internal combustion engine (ICE) still has a meaningful future in Toyota’s lineup.

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A 400PS turbo engine built for tomorrow’s sports cars

Part of the showcase was a new high-output 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine, still in development, but already shaping up to be the heart of Toyota’s next generation of performance cars.

Producing an impressive 400PS and 500Nm of torque, the compact engine is designed to meet strict emissions regulations without compromising excitement — a sign that Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

“This engine will be one of the lifelines of our upcoming sports cars,” said Takashi Uehara, President of Toyota’s Powertrain Company. “We are making a lot more sports cars in the near future, and this compact, emissions-compliant engine will be one of the key powertrains.”

While Toyota didn’t display it at the show, Uehara also confirmed that a six-cylinder turbocharged engine is currently under development. The 2.0-litre engine is now being tested under the hood of the GR Yaris M Concept, piloted by none other than Morizo — the racing alter ego of Akio Toyoda, Toyota’s Chairman and former CEO.

It’s a sign that Toyota wants to return to building its own bespoke sports car engines, possibly ending the era of shared powertrains with brands like Subaru and BMW. Future iterations of the GR Supra and GR86 could very well carry engines developed entirely in-house.

That same powerplant could also underpin a revived Celica, sitting between the GR86 and Supra as a compact, lightweight coupe that blends turbocharged punch with Toyota’s signature reliability.

Meanwhile, the ongoing development of a six-cylinder turbo engine hints that something larger and more powerful is also brewing, possibly a GR GT3-derived supercar or flagship sports coupe that could sit above the Supra. Toyota is promising a full reveal of this sports car at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon.

A Next-Generation 1.5L Hybrid engine for the electrified era

The second powertrain showcased was Toyota’s all-new 1.5-litre hybrid engine, designed for both HEV and PHEV applications. Uehara described it as “electric-rich” and more efficient than any of Toyota’s existing hybrid engines, positioning it as an “optimal engine for the electrification era.”

With a potential output of up to 170PS, the engine is engineered to balance fuel economy, performance, and low emissions. It can be paired with a variety of transmissions, including CVT, e-CVT, and even dual-clutch gearboxes, expanding its usability across Toyota’s global vehicle range — from compact hatches to larger models like the Innova Zenix.

Interestingly, Uehara added that the engine architecture allows for turbocharging in the future, not just to boost power but also to improve overall emissions performance. “It’s hard to quantify torque for now,” he said with a grin, hinting that final figures are still being validated.

While Toyota is investing heavily in electrification, these new engines underline the brand’s continued belief in “multi-pathway” solutions — offering customers a range of choices from battery-electric to hybrid, hydrogen, and efficient combustion engines.

In a world chasing silent propulsion, Toyota’s move to celebrate and evolve the internal combustion engine feels both nostalgic and refreshing. The company may be driving toward carbon neutrality, but as this showcase proved, the emotional connection between driver and machine remains at the heart of Toyota’s philosophy.

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