Toyota's Cheaper Sports Car Is Reportedly Back On The Menu

More than a decade after the original concept debuted, Toyota could finally bring the S-FR to life as a tiny sports coupe.

2015 Toyota S-FR concept

Adrian Padeanu

By: Adrian Padeanu

Nov 13, at 3:20am ET

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Remember the S-FR? The cute little sports car debuted as a concept at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, promising an affordable, lightweight alternative to larger performance cars. However, much to the dismay of budget-conscious enthusiasts, Toyota never gave it the green light for production, leaving the rear-wheel-drive coupe on the long list of promising concepts that never made it to showrooms.

Now, there's a glimmer of hope that the S-FR could finally happen, albeit in a very different form. According to a new report from Japanese publication Response, Toyota is considering reviving the nameplate as a tiny rear-wheel-drive sports car built to kei-car specifications. If the rumors are accurate, the production model could arrive as early as next year.

The biggest clue comes from Daihatsu, which has been working on a next-generation Copen. The promising K-Open concept unveiled at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show previewed a radical departure from the already-discontinued front-wheel-drive roadster, switching to a more engaging, tail-happy rear-wheel-drive setup.

2015 Toyota S-FR concept

2015 Toyota S-FR concept

The S-FR Could Become A Kei Sports Car

Daihatsu's concept measures just 133.7 inches (3,395 millimeters) long, 58.1 inches (1,475 mm) wide, and 48.4 inches (1,230 mm) tall, with an 89.2-inch (2,265-mm) wheelbase. Those are precisely the dimensions reportedly being considered for the new Toyota S-FR. As for weight, the K-Open tipped the scales at just 1,874 pounds (850 kilograms).

That's a substantial downsizing compared to the original concept. When Toyota introduced the S-FR, it measured 157.1 inches (3,990 mm) long, 66.7 inches (1,695 mm) wide, and 52 inches (1,320 mm) tall. It also had a 97.6-inch (2,480-mm) wheelbase.

The original concept was a four-seat coupe with a front-midship engine layout, rear-wheel drive, and a six-speed manual gearbox. Its rounded headlights and generous grille paid homage to the company's diminutive Sports 800, although, to be honest, it looked like an angry modern Mini Cooper.

A production version would reportedly take a different approach, embracing Japan's kei-car regulations to keep dimensions and costs down. Power could come from a turbocharged 660cc three-cylinder engine producing a mighty 64 horsepower. Buyers might get to choose between a five-speed manual and a CVT, with power going exclusively to the rear wheels.

Daihatsu K-Open concept at the Japan Mobility Show 2025

Daihatsu K-Open at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show

Source: Motor1.com Germany

The Daihatsu Connection

Those figures hardly sound exciting on paper, but that's not necessarily the point. A lightweight sports car with modest power and a manual gearbox could deliver the kind of driving experience that's becoming increasingly difficult to find. Toyota hasn't revealed the car's weight, engine placement, or suspension configuration, so it's too early to conclude its handling credentials.

There's also a question mark over seating capacity. The original S-FR concept accommodated four people, whereas the K-Open is strictly a two-seater. Toyota could retain the original car's 2+2 configuration, but a two-seat layout would arguably make more sense given the substantial size reduction. The rear seats would likely be borderline useless anyway.

Daihatsu has already gone beyond simply displaying a pretty concept. The company has developed a running prototype to investigate the feasibility of a rear-wheel-drive sports car within kei-car dimensions.

A second iteration, called the K-Open Running Prototype 2, appeared at the Tokyo Auto Salon in January, with the engine pushed slightly toward the back for a front-midship layout for better weight distribution. Daihatsu has been using these experimental vehicles to explore packaging solutions, a low center of gravity, and optimized weight distribution. However, the company has yet to approve a production model officially.

If Toyota and Daihatsu decide to share the engineering, the two brands could offer distinctly different interpretations of the same basic formula. Daihatsu could revive the Copen as an open-top roadster, while Toyota could sell the S-FR as a fixed-roof coupe. That would give buyers two ways to enjoy an affordable, rear-wheel-drive sports car without requiring an entirely separate development program.

2015 Toyota S-FR concept

A New Entry-Level GR Model?

The reported 2027 arrival date should be treated with caution, though. Neither Toyota nor Daihatsu has confirmed plans to put the S-FR or K-Open into production. The matching dimensions are certainly intriguing, but they don't automatically confirm that the two companies are developing mechanically related vehicles.

Still, the idea makes plenty of sense. In an era when sports cars are becoming heavier, more expensive, and increasingly complicated, a little rear-wheel-drive machine with a 660cc engine and a manual gearbox sounds refreshingly old-school.

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However, we can't realistically expect Toyota to build every car the rumor mill has been talking about. Ideally, the S-FR would slot below the GR86, GR Yaris, GR Corolla, GR Celica, GR Supra, GR MR2, and the new V8-powered GR GT supercar. But it's hard to imagine all those new and returning nameplates together. It's simply not feasible from a business perspective, so something has to give.

That said, Toyota is serious about expanding the lineup for Gazoo Racing, which is now a standalone brand. In a perfect scenario, there would be a whopping eight GR-branded cars, though we could easily imagine the S-FR with a Scion badge now that the brand is making an unexpected comeback.