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The Only Answer
Mazda has received countless thank-yous for reviving the light, affordable roadster concept with the MX-5. Many have tried to replicate it and come close to its success, but ironically, because it’s a replica of classic British roadsters, none have truly succeeded. You wouldn’t think such a simple recipe would be difficult to duplicate, but that’s the magic of Mazda’s secret sauce.
Miata is always the answer, they say, and it’s been the only answer for a reasonably priced roadster for years. Even the Fiat and Abarth 124 Spider, both based on the MX-5, were canned after just four years. America tried to take on it with the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, but ultimately failed despite showing a lot of promise and potential. Toyota tried knocking Mazda off its perch with its MR-S, but the MX-5 barely budged.
Enter the S-FR
Toyota’s last small, affordable sports car was the MR-S, built from 1999 to 2007. After that, the company didn’t build anything nearly as fun and affordable until the GT 86, initially sold in America as the Scion FR-S. It was something the brand so desperately needed to shake off its stodgy image at the time. Yes, there was the Lexus LFA, but it wasn’t exactly accessible.
Then Toyota surprised us all at the 2015 Tokyo Auto Show when it unveiled the S-FR. It stood for Small, Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, and it was the perfect sibling to the GT 86. Although it was dubbed a concept, it looked very much like a production car, with an engine and a complete interior. Its rounded design was playful and wouldn’t have looked out of place in showrooms, while that theme carried over to the interior.
Reception was overwhelmingly positive, and it was easy to see why. It was a two-door car about the same size as an MX-5, and it followed the same ethos of being simple and light. To say people were begging Toyota to build it would be an understatement.
Toyota
The Specs
Toyota even released some specs for the S-FR, which did nothing to quell rampant rumors that it was greenlit for production at the time. Its dimensions were similar to those of the roadster from Hiroshima. The SF-R measured 157 inches long, 66.7 inches wide, 51.9 inches tall, and rode on a 97.6-inch wheelbase. For comparison, the MX-5 measures 154.1 inches long, 68.3 inches wide, 48.4 inches tall, with a 90.9-inch wheelbase.
Oddly enough, Toyota claimed there was room for four inside. How actual humans would fit in the back is baffling, but there were back seats, nonetheless. The car also had a front-mid-engine layout, plus it had a six-speed manual to keep things simple – and fun.
Alleged leaked specifications then surfaced online, and they looked promising. It was supposedly powered by a 1.5-liter engine sourced from the Japanese-market Corolla Axio, producing 128 hp and 100 lb-ft of torque. It doesn’t sound like much, but it was on par with the 1.5-liter MX-5 sold in Japan and select markets. As for weight, it was said to be just 2,160 lbs.
Toyota
There was Also a Racing Version
Before hype had any chance to die down, Toyota made a second version of the S-FR. It was simply called the Racing Concept, and it would’ve looked right at home on a track day.
Toyota announced the S-FR Racing Concept in December 2015 and showed it at the 2016 Tokyo Auto Salon a month later. It featured a carbon fiber front splitter and canards hewn from the same material. The car also sat lower than the first concept shown, plus it came with more aero add-ons in the form of side skirts, a rear bumper diffuser, and a whopper of a wing on the trunk lid.
Toyota
And Then, Silence
11 years plus countless rumors and reports later, the S-FR is still nowhere near reaching dealers. Toyota never confirmed it for production in the first place, but it sure had people putting their hopes up for the roadster. Besides, the concept made roadshow appearances and became drivable in Gran Turismo. The car generated a lot of hype, and it remains one of Toyota’s biggest ‘what-ifs’ in recent memory.
Toyota’s budget car division, Daihatsu, did show off a concept that somewhat captured the spirit of the S-FR. Unveiled during the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, the Vision Copen was also MX-5-sized, manual, and rear-wheel drive. The S-FR rumor mill then woke up from a long slumber in 2024 after reports said the car finally got the green light and was slated for 2027. Well, 2027 is just a few months away, and so far, we’re not hearing much buzz about it from Toyota.
Some are still hopeful it will reach showrooms someday, but rules and regulations have made it difficult for cars like these to exist. Even Mazda admits that developing the next-gen MX-5 has been a massive challenge because of the requirements. The automotive landscape has changed a lot since the S-FR Concept premiered, but as things stand now, it’s exactly the kind of car we need.
If it’s any consolation, heaps more sporty and exciting vehicles have been made by Toyota since then. The Supra came back (and left again), the GR Yaris and GR Corolla exist, and the GR86 is still around. We’re also getting the Celica back soon, so it’s safe to say Toyota’s fun division hasn’t been idle.
Toyota
Toyota
View the 6 images of this gallery on the original article
Continue reading...
Mazda has received countless thank-yous for reviving the light, affordable roadster concept with the MX-5. Many have tried to replicate it and come close to its success, but ironically, because it’s a replica of classic British roadsters, none have truly succeeded. You wouldn’t think such a simple recipe would be difficult to duplicate, but that’s the magic of Mazda’s secret sauce.
Miata is always the answer, they say, and it’s been the only answer for a reasonably priced roadster for years. Even the Fiat and Abarth 124 Spider, both based on the MX-5, were canned after just four years. America tried to take on it with the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, but ultimately failed despite showing a lot of promise and potential. Toyota tried knocking Mazda off its perch with its MR-S, but the MX-5 barely budged.
Enter the S-FR
Toyota’s last small, affordable sports car was the MR-S, built from 1999 to 2007. After that, the company didn’t build anything nearly as fun and affordable until the GT 86, initially sold in America as the Scion FR-S. It was something the brand so desperately needed to shake off its stodgy image at the time. Yes, there was the Lexus LFA, but it wasn’t exactly accessible.
Then Toyota surprised us all at the 2015 Tokyo Auto Show when it unveiled the S-FR. It stood for Small, Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, and it was the perfect sibling to the GT 86. Although it was dubbed a concept, it looked very much like a production car, with an engine and a complete interior. Its rounded design was playful and wouldn’t have looked out of place in showrooms, while that theme carried over to the interior.
Reception was overwhelmingly positive, and it was easy to see why. It was a two-door car about the same size as an MX-5, and it followed the same ethos of being simple and light. To say people were begging Toyota to build it would be an understatement.
Toyota
The Specs
Toyota even released some specs for the S-FR, which did nothing to quell rampant rumors that it was greenlit for production at the time. Its dimensions were similar to those of the roadster from Hiroshima. The SF-R measured 157 inches long, 66.7 inches wide, 51.9 inches tall, and rode on a 97.6-inch wheelbase. For comparison, the MX-5 measures 154.1 inches long, 68.3 inches wide, 48.4 inches tall, with a 90.9-inch wheelbase.
Oddly enough, Toyota claimed there was room for four inside. How actual humans would fit in the back is baffling, but there were back seats, nonetheless. The car also had a front-mid-engine layout, plus it had a six-speed manual to keep things simple – and fun.
Alleged leaked specifications then surfaced online, and they looked promising. It was supposedly powered by a 1.5-liter engine sourced from the Japanese-market Corolla Axio, producing 128 hp and 100 lb-ft of torque. It doesn’t sound like much, but it was on par with the 1.5-liter MX-5 sold in Japan and select markets. As for weight, it was said to be just 2,160 lbs.
Toyota
There was Also a Racing Version
Before hype had any chance to die down, Toyota made a second version of the S-FR. It was simply called the Racing Concept, and it would’ve looked right at home on a track day.
Toyota announced the S-FR Racing Concept in December 2015 and showed it at the 2016 Tokyo Auto Salon a month later. It featured a carbon fiber front splitter and canards hewn from the same material. The car also sat lower than the first concept shown, plus it came with more aero add-ons in the form of side skirts, a rear bumper diffuser, and a whopper of a wing on the trunk lid.
Toyota
And Then, Silence
11 years plus countless rumors and reports later, the S-FR is still nowhere near reaching dealers. Toyota never confirmed it for production in the first place, but it sure had people putting their hopes up for the roadster. Besides, the concept made roadshow appearances and became drivable in Gran Turismo. The car generated a lot of hype, and it remains one of Toyota’s biggest ‘what-ifs’ in recent memory.
Toyota’s budget car division, Daihatsu, did show off a concept that somewhat captured the spirit of the S-FR. Unveiled during the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, the Vision Copen was also MX-5-sized, manual, and rear-wheel drive. The S-FR rumor mill then woke up from a long slumber in 2024 after reports said the car finally got the green light and was slated for 2027. Well, 2027 is just a few months away, and so far, we’re not hearing much buzz about it from Toyota.
Some are still hopeful it will reach showrooms someday, but rules and regulations have made it difficult for cars like these to exist. Even Mazda admits that developing the next-gen MX-5 has been a massive challenge because of the requirements. The automotive landscape has changed a lot since the S-FR Concept premiered, but as things stand now, it’s exactly the kind of car we need.
If it’s any consolation, heaps more sporty and exciting vehicles have been made by Toyota since then. The Supra came back (and left again), the GR Yaris and GR Corolla exist, and the GR86 is still around. We’re also getting the Celica back soon, so it’s safe to say Toyota’s fun division hasn’t been idle.
Toyota
Toyota
View the 6 images of this gallery on the original article
Continue reading...