Toyota Is Testing Its New Inline-Four Engine In The GR86

The experimental race car has a newly developed 2.0-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine.

Toyota GR86 Future FR Concept

Photo by: Car Watch

Adrian Padeanu

By: Adrian Padeanu

Oct 26, at 4:29am ET

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The mid-engined sports car believed to preview the long-awaited MR2 successor stole the spotlight during the latest round of Japan's Super Taikyu endurance racing series. But it wasn't the only interesting machine Toyota brought to Okayama International Circuit. Gazoo Racing also used the race to test the GR86 Future FR Concept, an experimental prototype that ditched its turbocharged three-cylinder engine for a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline-four.

Before you bring out the pitchforks claiming the GR86 never had a turbocharged engine, its racing sibling did. A few years ago, Toyota fitted the coupe with the GR Yaris and GR Corolla's 1.6-liter engine, producing around 300 horsepower, to test synthetic fuels using a destroked 1.4-liter version. Now, that engine has made way for the company's newly developed naturally aspirated 2.0-liter unit.

Codenamed G20E, the powertrain is part of Toyota's new family of smaller, lighter four-cylinder engines. The Japanese automaker has been hyping these engines for a while, including in the GR Yaris M Concept and a subsequent coupe, where the 2.0-liter unit is mounted behind the driver. In the GR86, it sits under the hood and produces around 220 hp.

The Engine Isn't The Only Change

That's a far cry from the G16E-GTS, but removing the turbocharger has made the front end lighter. Turbo lag is obviously gone, and Gazoo Racing driver Kazuya Oshima told Car Watch magazine that the engine revs higher than the development team expected. The naturally aspirated setup should also make throttle response more immediate and predictable, particularly when accelerating out of corners.

Aside from ditching the road car's boxer engine and the race car's turbocharged setup, the concept brings other changes. Japanese reports say this GR86 is internally nicknamed "Levin," after the sporty Corolla nameplate. It also uses double-wishbone suspension at both ends to further sharpen handling.

Toyota has yet to confirm what will power the next-generation GR86, and the new 2.0-liter engine shouldn't be taken as a guarantee that the production car will abandon its current powertrain. Nevertheless, this race car provides an intriguing look at the solutions Toyota is exploring for future sports cars.

Toyota G20E engine

Toyota G20E engine

The Next-Gen GR86 Is Likely A Few Years Away

Since Toyota is only now testing the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine in a race car, don't expect it in the next-generation GR86 anytime soon. The development program still has a long way to go, and engineers will need time to fine-tune the powertrain before considering it for a production model. If the engine makes the cut, it could take a couple of years to reach the road. For now, Toyota hasn't confirmed whether the next GR86 will ditch its Subaru-sourced 2.4-liter boxer engine for an in-house four-cylinder.

This is an interesting development because the GR86 has always relied on Subaru-sourced boxer engines, even though Toyota has helped shape the coupe's character. Switching to an in-house inline-four would mark a significant departure from that formula, potentially suggesting Toyota is taking a more independent approach to developing the next-generation sports car.

Alternatively, the two companies could still be collaborating, with Toyota leading the engine while Subaru contributes elsewhere. Neither scenario has been confirmed, but the prospect of a Toyota-developed powertrain in the GR86 raises questions about how the partnership might evolve for the next generation.

Toyota G20E engine

Toyota G20E engine

Toyota G20E engine

Toyota G20E engine

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The Relatively Affordable Sports Car Isn't Dead Yet

Toyobaru follow-up or not, it's clear that Toyota won't abandon its affordable sports car. The GR86 has carved out a niche as a relatively attainable, rear-wheel-drive coupe in an era when fun-to-drive cars are becoming increasingly expensive and complicated. It's part of a dying breed, but it's not dead just yet.

Toyotas aren’t the only cars used for testing. The automaker previously installed a development four-cylinder in a Lexus IS at Fuji Speedway, with a video revealing a surprisingly sporty exhaust note. At the time, engineers highlighted how the smaller engine could sit farther back in the engine bay, helping lower the center of gravity. Now that Toyota is testing the G20E family in both front- and mid-engined performance cars, it appears keen to explore a range of applications for its next-generation powertrains.

More About Toyota's New Engines:

Toyota Hypes New Four-Cylinder Engine: '600 HP Is Easily Possible'

Toyota Sets 400+ HP Target for New Four-Cylinder Engine

Toyota Wants to Use Its New Gas Engines for Everything

Toyota's New 2.0-Liter Turbo Engine Makes Big Power

Source: Car Watch Channel / YouTube

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