The S-FR Concept

Today at the Tokyo Auto Show Toyota debuted a vehicle that could very well be an attempt to corner the niche market currently occupied by the Mazda MX-5 Miata.  The new concept, dubbed the S-FR for Small Front Engine Rear Wheel Drive.  The new vehicle is not to be confused with the Toyota 86, known here in the States as the Scion FR-S.

We couldn't be happier with the announcement and are hoping that the new S-FR is going to find it's way to American roads.  The 1.5L engine announced as being the beating heart of the new vehicle brings back memories of the very attractive Japanese sports cars of the 1960s and 1970s such as the Toyota 800, and Datsun Fairlady.

America has always had an attraction to the larger beefier American muscle cars and missed the boat with the nimble and reliable sports cars coming out of Japan during the time of the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro.  But in an age where what were once very accessible sports cars are now costing as much as many luxury vehicles, the American consumer might want something that is going to be nimble, reliable and economic.

What makes this announcement more exciting is the apparent desire by Toyota to once again start making dedicated sports cars.  The Scion FR-S and now this new S-FR might be Toyota once again re-entering a section of the market that they have been absent from ever since the last MR-2 and Celica rolled off the lot in 2005.

But the main reason we are excited, is that this might finally mean we can expect the arrival of the much teased Supra successor, the production model of the FT-1 concept.