Toyota’s Miniature Miata-Fighter Comes With a Quirky Retro Design

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Posted by Jeff Perez 

 

                                

If it were up to Toyota, the answer to every automotive question wouldn’t always be “Miata.” After the success of the FR-S, Toyota went and jumbled up those very same letters for a new and very intriguing concept. It’s called the S-FR, and it’s the sub-FR-S that Toyota hopes will take the fight to the Mazda.

 

The most appealing (or unappealing, to some) feature of the car is its retro design. With bug-eye headlights, a gaping grille, and a bright neon green paint job, it’s safe to say that Toyota wanted to make this little car as quirky as possible. In that sense, it’s a success.

Quirkiness aside, the real-world performance potential comes in spades. It’s only two inches longer than the Miata (157 vs. 155), and uses an identical front-engine, rear-drive layout. Not to mention the good ol’ manual gearbox.

Toyota hasn’t dished out the details on exactly what would fit under the hood, but they do say that it has smooth acceleration, optimal weight distribution, and an independent suspension. We assume power would be somewhere near 150 or 175 horses, though it could be less.

It sounds great—but even more great is the real possibility of it being produced. Toyota has been mulling over the idea of a sub-FR-S for months, so expect to see this cute little bugger on the road sometime in 2018. For now, it’s going to be on display at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show in Japan.