The rumoured Toyota G20E turbo four-pot could well become the new 2JZ of this new century.
While the world may be marching ever faster towards electrification, it nevertheless seems Toyota is still keen on throwing petrolheads a rather juicy bone. And this apparently will come in the form of its upcoming turbocharged four-cylinder, which is reportedly set to churn out over 400 horsepower on internal combustion power alone!
Internally known as the G20E, this new engine has long been whispered to be a modern-day successor to the legendary Toyota 2JZ. This boosted four-pot is set to sit above the already bonkers 1.6-litre turbo triple found in Toyota’s current GR hyper hatches, effectively becoming the halo internal combustion powerplant for the brand’s Gazoo Racing division.
Detailed specifications for this range-topping engine are still under wraps, but early reports suggest the G20E could arrive in both 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre displacements. It is also apparently being engineered with the flexibility to be mounted both transversely and longitudinally, not to mention the potential to pair with a mid-mounted evolution of Toyota’s GR-Four all-wheel drive system.
The rumour mill further suggests too that the engine block is around 10% smaller and lighter than Toyota’s current 2.4-litre turbo unit, thereby allowing engineers to significantly lower the bonnet line, resulting in future performance models with a lower centre of gravity and sleeker aerodynamic profiles that edge closer to modern supercar territory.
And speaking of supercars, those keeping an ear to the ground will have noticed Toyota steadily dropping hints about reviving some of its most iconic sports car nameplates. So with an engine like this in the pipeline, it is probably not hard to imagine a 400+ hp Celica or even a reborn MR2 arriving before the end of the decade.
It is also worth highlighting that the G20E may not be limited to Toyota-badged models, as there is already speculation that it could find its way into future offerings from Lexus. Though on that front, the premium arm has something even more tantalising in the works, with a twin-turbo V8 expected to power the road-going version of Toyota’s GT3 race car, widely rumoured to wear the LFR name.
Just to be a little pedantic here, some might already be pointing out that a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder producing over 400 hp is not entirely unprecedented. The Mercedes-AMG M139 already delivers up to 416 hp in AMG’s “45”-badged models. Meanwhile, the current Toyota GR Supra with its BMW-sourced B48 engine is also not far off that figure, albeit with a few well-chosen bolt-ons.
What nevertheless makes the G20E particularly significant is that it may well be Toyota’s answer to keeping ICE alive in an increasingly eco-conscious era. This is not least because the engine is expected to accept electrification assistance for even more performance, but more importantly because it has reportedly been engineered to run on carbon-neutral synthetic e-fuels, allowing enthusiasts to continue enjoying internal combustion with a somewhat cleaner conscience.
