Toyota sports car enthusiasts can allow themselves a bit of optimism: the manufacturer has just filed trademarks for a couple of names. Protecting the GR MR2 and GR MR-S names can only boost anew rumours of a return for the famed mid-engine model.
According to Creative Trend, Toyota submitted the GR MR2 trademark to the Japanese Patent Office on November 25, 2025, followed two days later by the registration of GR MR-S in Australia. The filings cover vehicles and their components.
It’s not known why Toyota is protecting two different names, but it’s likely both names are in the process of being registered in multiple regions before being publicly revealed.
The future sports car could join a booming GR lineup
If this actually leads to something, the GR MR2 would enrich an already well-stocked Gazoo Racing family: GR Yaris, GR Corolla, new GR Celica, upcoming GR86, GR Supra, not to mention the GR GT supercar, expected today, December 4 at 9 pm.
Toyota has confirmed nothing, but the trademark filing schedule and certain internal statements suggest that a prototype is in active development. A road launch in 2027 or 2028 is no longer far-fetched at all.
The clues pointing to a return are multiplying
The rumours of a new MR2 really gained momentum in 2023 when Toyota unveiled the FT-Se concept at the Japan Mobility Show. Although all-electric, its proportions strongly evoked the MR2.
The signals intensified in January 2025 with the presentation of the GR Yaris M prototype at the Tokyo Auto Salon, featuring a 2.0L turbo mid-engine and a 4WD system. Despite some difficulties during initial development, the project now seems well underway.
More recently, some rumours suggested that the future GR Celica would adopt a mid-engine architecture. However, the new trademark filings suggest that Toyota wants to clearly separate the Celica and the MR2 in the lineup.
Even Toyota’s animated series GRIP is said to have included several nods to a potential return—one more clue indicating that the idea has been brewing for a while.