It’s easy to see the rise of electrification and threat of climate change as death knells for the internal combustion engine. But they aren’t, and Toyota is pressing on with development to take combustion technology to new heights. One of the ways it’s doing so is with a new family of four-cylinder engines, which a Toyota engineer says the company intends to make better than one of its greatest engines ever—the Supra’s legendary 2JZ-GTE.
These new engines were first detailed at an ICE technology summit in May, where Toyota and its affiliates Mazda and Subaru reaffirmed their commitment to the tech. There, Toyota detailed the development of a “reborn” family of four-cylinders ranging from 1.5-liter naturally aspirated and turbo motors to a larger 2.0-liter turbo, all built to accommodate electrification. They’ll be more efficient, more powerful, and more tightly packaged than current Toyota four-cylinders. Of them, the biggest and most promising is the 2.0-liter, for which a Toyota engineer set towering expectations: Beat the 2JZ.
“Toyota has a globally popular engine called the ‘2JZ engine,'” the engineer told Karuma News according to Lexus Enthusiast. “I would like to aim for an engine that surpasses that.”
That’s a tall order for a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, a smaller engine than the famed 3.0-liter 2JZ inline-six. But it may not be unrealistic, as Toyota’s tiny 1.6-liter G16E-GTS in the GR Corolla has proven itself a stout little motor with its boost turned up. The same (or better) design applied to a slightly larger engine is a tantalizing prospect, especially in light of its likely applications.
Lexus Enthusiast reports the engine is being tested in at least two cars: one, a 400-horsepower Lexus IS prototype seen in a Toyota Times video; and the other, a 600-hp Lexus RC. The IS apparently uses an eight-speed automatic with snappy shifts, while the RC is said to use a six-speed manual and be meant as a sort of motorsport mule. There are other potential destinations too, as a 400-hp four-cylinder is also rumored to power Toyota’s revived mid-engined sports car, the MR2. Rumors of a Celica comeback at Akio Toyoda’s behest also continue to simmer.
In short, Toyota has all manner of places it could use such an engine, especially if its potential exceeds the iconic 2JZ’s. But whether Toyota succeeds is just something we’ll have to wait and see about.
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