Toyota Reportedly Working on a Lotus Seven-Like Sports Car

1965 Lotus Seven (Credit: "1965LotusSevenSeriesII" by dave_7 - Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons )

File this one in the “maybe wild speculation” drawer from our pals at Motoring.com.au. According to an insider, the Aussie site has learned that Toyota is working on an open-wheel concept car that may spawn a production model.

This is a hard left-hand turn for the brand that most of us know as very careful and calculated with its every move. The Toyota GT 86 was a wild enough departure for the company best known for family friendly economy cars like the Camry and Corolla, but the brand is trying hard to grab the attention of younger buyers, which is something it has failed at multiple times.

The report claims that this model will be about 3,700 mm (145.7 inches) long and 1,730 mm (68.1 inches) wide. It will also reportedly weigh in at about 700 kg (1,543 pounds). Power will come from a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that will be good for around 75 kW (101 horsepower), which would be just about right for this lightweight concept. One sore spot is Motoring.com.au’s claim that the engine will mate to a continuously variable transmission.

The interior will have a three-seat arrangement, with the driver in a central position and two passengers behind him.

The report goes on to claim that this concept will make its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show. Given the press and public give it a good review, it could move into production in two years. This means that we could possibly see a production version of this strange Toyota hit the show circuit by 2017.

We’ll keep a skeptical eye on this topic and bring you any new reports as they become available.