The internal combustion engine and manual transmission are increasingly endangered these days, but at least a few manufacturers intend to keep them around. Following Toyota’s announcement earlier this year that it will develop a set of new turbocharged combustion engines, Lexus is now reportedly testing them in two prototype vehicles that have us excited about their potential.
As the YouTube channel Toyota Times revealed in a video, at a press event in Japan a few months ago, journalists had the chance to ride in a new 400-hp Lexus IS prototype with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission—possibly similar to the automatic seen in the GR Corolla and GR Yaris. A Toyota Hilux with a six-speed manual and 2.0-liter turbo rated at a claimed 300 horsepower was also undergoing testing at the event.
Even more exciting, however, was that according to Lexus Enthusiast, journalists also caught a glimpse of a new Lexus RC prototype using the 2.0-liter turbo that was said to have 600 horsepower and a six-speed manual transmission. The car is reportedly in development for motorsports purposes, but considering stick shifts are rarely in use in racing these days, it’s easy to wonder if perhaps the automaker is simply being cagey about the production potential. Toyota has been quite happy to plop manual gearboxes in its performance cars lately; it stands to reason that Lexus might do the same. Even if this particular RC setup never reaches the street — the car is rather old — the fact that Toyota is testing the new engine in a high-performance tune with a stick shift bodes well for enthusiasts.
Toyota’s new engine lineup, developed in collaboration with Subaru and Mazda, consists of three powerplants — a naturally aspirated 1.5-liter, a turbocharged 1.5-liter, and the turbocharged 2.0-liter — all of which demonstrate the trio of brands’ continued investment in internal combustion technology. These new engines are more compact and more efficient than Toyota’s existing options… and, if Toyota is being honest about its prototypes, it seems they’re more power-dense, as well.
Though we likely won’t see them until 2027, Toyota’s talking the new combustion engines up early, with one Toyota engineer telling Karuma News that they hope to surpass the performance and popularity of the fabled 2JZ motor. That’s a high bar to clear — but from what we’ve learned about these new prototypes, Toyota and Lexus seem to be taking it seriously.
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Source Agencies
