Photo: screenshot from Youtube/edited by autoevolution
The TE-Spyder 800 concept car has been introduced to the public at the 2014 Tokyo Auto Salon and presented as a spare time project the engineers from Toyota Engineering Society did. But what if it’s more than that?
We think this baby right here might actually hint towards the small sportscar that Toyota is developing with BMW, of which no one has any precise details yet.
Why believing such thing?
Well, first of all the TE-Spyder is built on the small Toyota MR2 platform with a mid-engine configuration. And since the MR2 was the last small sportscar made by Toyota, this might be a sign of reving the idea.
Then comes the hybrid powertrain. Toyota is reportedly known to work with BMW on a small sportscar with a hybrid powertrain. Boom, another hint.
It’s lighter than a GT 86. The TE-Spyder tips the scale at exactly 1,000 kg, which is about 300 kg less than the automatic GT 86 sportscar.
It has a generous amount of power. The concept has been said to be powered by a modified Toyota Prius hybrid powertrain which enables it to reach 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.8 seconds. Maybe rumors about a 1.5-liter hybrid developing only 100 hp are just bull-crap. I don’t see a 100 hp sportscar being fun to drive unless that engine is bolted down to a sub-900 kg car, and the only thing Toyota made that light lately is the Camatte57s concept (it would be really cool to fit that with a 100 hp powertrain but it won't probably going to happen).
It looks small. Last but not least, the TE-Spyder is a two-seater, and despite the fact we hadn’t had the chance to see it IRL, the car looks smaller than a GT 86, which makes sense for what Toyota said about its three-model sportscar lineup.
Oh, almost forgot... the TE-Spyder was also codenamed “800” which totally makes you think at the Toyota Sports 800 from the 60s, another small car the automaker made for the masses.
The only thing out that doesn’t fit in the puzzle here is BMW making a small sportscar with a mid engine. But who knows, the i8 has a gasoline engine in the mid along with the electric ones.
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