Rumors that Toyota may bring back the iconic MR2 keep popping up every now and then, but there is still no launch date or any other confirmed details. Tofu Auto Works, from New Zealand, decided not to wait and instead build its own MR2 restomod with Le Mans looks.
The donor car has some bodywork damage, a worn soft top and no engine under the hood, but this is apparently not an issue for the tuner. The idea behind the project is to turn this MR2 Spyder into something like the Toyota MR-C coupe from Gran Turismo. Recreating a video game car can be challenging, but the company has already scanned an original MR2 in 3D and designed a body for it using CAD software, so it should be doable.
For the engine, the project may fall back on Toyota’s own 1.8-liter supercharged 2ZZ-GE mill or a more recent 1.6-liter turbo three-pot powering the GR Yaris and GR Corolla. The original MR2 that raced at the 24 Hours of the Le Mans in 1995–1997 packed a massive 4.0-liter V8 capable of 600 PS (592 hp / 441 kW), but it had never achieved much. The car came 24th in the race of 1996 and failed to finish in the years before and after that.
Check out the video for an in-depth look at the project. It’s still at an early stage, but we are excited to see things develop.
