Toyota and Mazda may develop sports car twins on the current MX-5 platform.
Mazda engineers are reportedly working at Toyota City on the joint project.
No official confirmation or technical specs have been released to date.
Toyota and Mazda are reportedly collaborating on a pair of next-generation sports cars that will share a common platform, according to a report by Japanese automotive outlet Best Car. The joint project would underpin the successors to Mazda’s MX-5 and Toyota’s GR86 using a modified version of the current Miata platform.
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Mazda has reportedly dispatched engineers to Toyota City to support the development of its vehicles. If confirmed, the collaboration would contrast with Toyota’s previous arrangement with Subaru, which co-developed both the first- and second-generation 86 models.
The approach would mirror the Toyota-Subaru model, where the brands offer two distinct vehicles with shared core architecture. The partnership would allow Toyota to maintain a compact, rear-wheel-drive sports car in its lineup while helping Mazda distribute development costs for the next-generation MX-5.
The project comes at a time when Toyota is managing multiple sports car initiatives, including the GR Corolla, GR Yaris, and a planned successor to the Supra. The automaker is also reportedly working on a Lexus LFA revival and the possible return of both the Celica and MR2 nameplates. The latter seems to be the most likely to be affixed to this reported joint venture between the automakers.
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Toyota and Mazda have previously collaborated on various projects and maintain cross-shareholding ties. Shared development is a common strategy for Japanese automakers aiming to preserve sports car offerings in a market increasingly dominated by electrification and SUVs. We’ll speculate that electrification for this next car is certainly in the cards, given Toyota’s history and Mazda’s desires to introduce new powertrains. Depending on the powertrain, we can imagine it finding its way in future small vehicles from the Hiroshima-based automaker.
Neither automaker has confirmed the report. No technical specifications, launch timelines, or pricing information have been released at this stage.
Source: BestCarweb
