Latest news with #midengine
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota Admits ‘Many Challenges' With Its Mid-Engine Sports Prototype
Toyota Admits 'Many Challenges' With Its Mid-Engine Sports Prototype originally appeared on Autoblog. The GR Yaris M Concept is a testbed with troubles Toyota's GR Yaris M Concept, a testbed for the company's compact mid-engine sports car engineering, has yet to make its planned 2025 race debut as the manufacturer grapples with significant developmental challenges. After the GR Yaris M Concept missed another race in Japan's Super Taikyu Series this past weekend, Toyota announced: 'While many challenges have been identified and improvements are ongoing, there are difficulties unique to midship-mounted vehicles in terms of braking, steering, and driving, and Toyota has therefore decided not to participate with this vehicle at Autopolis to refine it further.' Toyota added that it 'has its sights set on entering the vehicle in future races,' but there are only two more Super Taikyu Series rounds left in the 2025 season. The Super Taikyu Series consists of seven rounds, with its final two races scheduled to take place over a three-hour event on October 26 at Okayama International Circuit and November 16-17 at Fuji Speedway. Toyota unveiled its GR Yaris M Concept in January. According to the manufacturer, the GR Yaris M Concept features a new G20E engine with an IHI turbocharger, producing 400 to 450 standard horsepower. A version with a larger turbo is also available, offering up to 600 horsepower. Mid-engine sports car challenges aren't limited to Toyota Mid-engine sports car development issues have occurred with other automakers, such as General Motors (GM), which encountered several problems with its Pontiac Fiero produced during the mid-1980s. The Fiero sports car used a three-quart oil pan instead of a four-quart one during its first model year, resulting in the engine sometimes running hot due to an oil shortage, according to MotorTrend. Pontiac's 1984 Fiero also had weak connecting rods and a wiring harness mounted too close to the exhaust manifolds, which increased the risk of engine fire. One in every 400 debut Fieros experienced a fire, and GM didn't recall the vehicle until 1987. So, what makes a mid-engine car difficult to perfect? These vehicles have a low center of gravity, which aids stability but makes regaining control harder during spins. Mid-engine sports cars are also more expensive on average to make, posing challenges to companies like Toyota. In contrast, companies like Ferrari, known for using this configuration, aren't as restricted in this area. Since mid-engine parts are more difficult to access, repairs can also come at a higher expense. Rumors of Toyota using the GR Yaris M to help revive its mid-engine MR2 sports car have excited many, but this concept's slow development raises doubts about a near-future MR2 release. Final thoughts Toyota hasn't yet pulled the plug on its mid-engine sports car testbed, but those waiting on an MR2 revival shouldn't necessarily hold their breath. The automaker has until mid-November to fulfill its goal of entering the GR Yaris M Concept into Japan's Super Taikyu Series, and whether this happens will likely influence release timelines for future mid-engine models. Toyota's current struggles with its compact mid-engine sports car concept underscore the challenge of striking a balance among performance, reliability, and affordability in these vehicles. Still, the manufacturer appears to be carefully navigating these obstacles to facilitate smooth debuts of future mass-market models using the configuration. Toyota Admits 'Many Challenges' With Its Mid-Engine Sports Prototype first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 8, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
The Drive
28-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Toyota's New Mid-Engine Testbed Sidelined by Development 'Difficulties'
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Toyota's not-so-secret mid-engine sports car program has hit a snag. The GR Yaris M Concept, which the company announced back in January, has still not made an appearance in Japan's Super Taikyu racing series. With five of the seven races scheduled for 2025 already in the bag, it's becoming increasingly unlikely that the GR Yaris M will race in the series this year. Why? Well, as it turns out, designing a proper mid-engine performance car is tricky. 'The GR Yaris M Concept exhibited at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2025 held in January is undergoing full team development in pursuit of further possibilities for the GR Yaris, with a view to participating in the Super Taikyu Series,' Toyota's announcement said. 'While many challenges have been identified and improvements are ongoing, there are difficulties unique to midship-mounted vehicles in terms of braking, steering, and driving, and Toyota has therefore decided not to participate with this vehicle at Autopolis to refine it further,' it said. With the new mid-engine race car still sidelined, Toyota instead brought along the #32 GR Yaris (a standard front-engine car, prepped as it was for the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race held in June) and the ENEOS-built #28 GR86. Mid-engine platforms are tough to dial in—just ask General Motors, which spent more time developing the C8 Chevrolet Corvette than just about anybody anticipated. It says a lot that even Toyota, which is in a position to draw on institutional knowledge from its development of the MR2, is facing setbacks. If there's any good news here, it's the fact that Toyota has acknowledged the delay openly. A pet racing project like this might normally die quietly in the face of mounting market pressures. Public updates like this suggest that this is more than just a frivolous boondoggle, meaning that it likely has implications for Toyota's future sports car development. In other words, new MR2 when? Got a news tip? Let us know at tips@
Motor Trend
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
The 2026 Chevrolet Corvette Sees Big Changes Inside With Latest Update
When Chevrolet revealed the Corvette C8 for the first time, it really felt like America's sports car was finally living up to its European rivals. It had finally gone mid-engine, while adopting an interior design worthy of its ambitions. That cabin's larger digital displays and a true fighter jet style cockpit were cool when new, but after six years of production, it all was starting to feel a little dated, while the long row of tiny buttons separating the driver and passenger seemed fiddly at best. Just in time for the 2026 model year, Chevrolet has corrected that feeling with an update that not only expands the Vette's infotainment display but also find a way to squeeze a third screen into the C8's interior. Now Screening It was time to get rid of that 12-inch central infotainment screen, honestly. Despite the real estate its housing took up in the Corvette dash, the actual screen was much smaller than it appeared when the display was dark. Once lit, you quickly realized just how small it was and really made you wish more was there or perhaps that the unused black edges were reduced somehow. Fortunately, Chevrolet was equally keen on doing something about it and adding some more functionality to the entire setup while they were at it. The new infotainment screen now measures 12.7-inches and while that might not seem like much of an improvement in the grand scheme, its fuller bleed toward the edges of its housing helps make the central display feel much more useful and refined. It continues to feature full Google integration like other Chevys, including Maps, the Assistant, and the App Store. You also still have a volume knob to twist, and it's not only bigger but also features a lit base to make finding it easier. Keeping the driver fully informed on their C8's health and performance is a new, larger 14-inch digital gauge cluster, allowing even more display space for additional features and information like a small map, radio and music info, and more. These displays are configurable, but you can also allow the screen layouts to change with each drive mode available on your Corvette. Completely new for 2026 is the addition of a 6.6-inch touchscreen display to the left side of the digital cluster. This display adds even more information and functionality directly in the driver's reach and is configurable to fit their needs. Possibly the most important feature of this 6.6-inch touchscreen is the ability to bring up the Performance Traction Management settings and allows the driver to adjust these and other settings without going through a ton of central touchscreen pages or know how to do the special ESC button sequence to reach it. This update also gave Chevrolet the opportunity to correct an even more glaring issue, the location of the HVAC controls in the 2020–2025 C8 models. Rather than keep them on the long, arcing grab handle bisecting the two front seats, these controls are now more conventionally located under the central dashboard air vent and even easier to reach for the driver while still allowing the passenger access. Some functions, like the heated and ventilated seats, get moved to the touchscreen. Just aft of the shifter is where you'll find the buttons to activate the front camera and nose lift, and the drive mode toggle switch. The center console has also been replaced with exposed and backlit cup holders with the Corvette crossed flags in the bases while the 2LT/LZ and 3LT/LZ trims add real aluminum highlights to them. Switching the drive mode selector from a big knob to a smaller toggle opened more real estate on the center console to fit a wireless charging pad where human arms can actually reach it while seated. The passenger gets a new USB C port on the updated passenger grab handle, just behind the aperture they wrap their fingers into, too, use in case the wireless charger pad is occupied. It's Not Only Cabin Fever There are other updates to the 2026 C8 Corvette besides these interior changes. The Performance App has been updated to include live horsepower and torque flow across all Corvette models and is no longer exclusive to the E-Ray. Also relocated into the Performance App are the acceleration timers where drivers can now set their own speed ranges for timed acceleration. The tire pressure gauge continues to include a temperature indicator so drivers can stay more informed on their rubber, just don't expect IMSA Corvette GTD level indicators that show inside, center and outside temperature readings, here. These are just a general 'cold, warm, hot' readings, but still useful overall. All these new gauges are in the new 6.6-inch display as well as the infotainment screen and the digital gauge cluster for Tour and Sport modes. To round out these updates, a new Performance Traction Management feature is now available across all Corvettes called PTM Pro that turns off the electronic stability and traction control systems. However, ABS and E-Ray specific front axle controls will remain on, but at least the driver now has the option for more control thanks to minimal intervention. For the E-Ray, the Charge Plus button has been relocated to the steering wheel, now sitting just below the Z Mode button and making it easier to use on track days. Outside, there is a new electrochromic roof option for the roof glass. This gives occupants the ability to dim the amount of sunlight passing through the roof with full, medium, and low tint settings. The ZR1 ZTK performance package gains a new brake package with 10-piston front, six-piston rear calipers clamping against carbon ceramic rotors. Body color rocker panels are now offered as either an option on the Z06 or as standard on the E-Ray, however both trims will get blue brake calipers as an option for 2026.
