TOYOTA TEASES A POWERFUL NEW ENGINE FOR SPORTS CARS
- Toyota has previewed a new four-cylinder engine with a pleasant-sounding exhaust note.
- The Japanese automaker is working on efficient, powerful, and compact four-cylinder engines.
- Positioned lower down and further back, the four-cylinder allows for more aerodynamic designs and a lower center of gravity.
Earlier this year, Toyota said it was working on new four-cylinder engines that are lighter, more powerful, and more efficient than its existing four-pot motors. Now, the automaker has provided us with a preview of the new engine - well, a preview of what it sounds like, at least.
The Toyota Times, the automaker's in-house publication, shared a video on YouTube documenting, among other things, its endeavors to create carbon-neutral combustion engines. Part of the video includes a test drive in a prototype vehicle that we cannot see, unfortunately. Once inside, however, it's evident that the test mule is a Lexus IS with a stripped-out interior. But enough about that, let's get to the engine.
2024 Lexus IS
New Four-Cylinder Engine Sounds Great
The four-cylinder motor is far from generic, emitting a deep, rorty exhaust note that wouldn't sound out of place in a Volkswagen Golf R or a Mercedes-AMG CLA 45. Many modern performance cars (six-cylinders and V8s included) often sound dull and are just loud, but Toyota's new engine has some substance and is pleasant on the ear, especially as the revs build. Of course, it can't hold a candle to a high-rpm naturally aspirated motor, but those are a rare breed outside of the hypercar space.
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Mated to an automatic transmission (possibly the novel Direct Automatic Transmission), the engine emits subtle pops and bangs on downshifts. Takashi Uehara, President of Toyota Powertrain, describes the new motor as responsive and exciting, noting that "you can really feel it speed up." Uehara says the engine is positioned lower down than before and can be installed further back in the engine bay, allowing for a lower center of gravity and better chassis balance. This also limits engine vibrations, which makes for a more refined experience.
Would Be Perfect In A Sports Car
"It will be a totally new engine for the era of electrification, intelligence, and diversification," commented Uehara, who added that the new four-cylinder engine will produce very few emissions. There's no word yet on what cars these engines will power, but the engine previewed here would be well-suited in a sports car, like the next GR86 or an entry-level GR Supra replacement.
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Hybrids are a possibility (and so are hydrogen combustion engines), but GR-badged EVs? They're not coming anytime soon.
The four-cylinder engines (designed for electrification) will be available in two displacements: 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter. The former will be offered in naturally aspirated and turbocharged guises, while the latter will be turbocharged only. The 1.5-liter has been designed to replace the automaker's existing 1.5-liter three-cylinder motor, currently used in products like the new Lexus LBX and the Toyota Yaris Cross. Due to the compact size, Toyota says the hood can be streamlined, improving fuel efficiency by as much as 12% in sedan-style vehicles. As for the 2.0-liter, Toyota says the motor has 10% less volume than the current turbocharged 2.4-liter while being more powerful. The company says it "will serve a wide range of applications where power is required, from trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles to sports cars."