Mazda reportedly developing new sports coupe based on next-generation Toyota GR Supra - 3.3L inline 6 or two-rotor EV?

Image based on Best Car Web's render

Mazda could be developing a new flagship sports coupe using the platform of the next-generation Toyota GR Supra, according to a report by Japanese publication Best Car.

The report, featured in the magazine's latest issue announced on October 26, 2026, suggests that Mazda is considering a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports car positioned above the MX-5. However, neither manufacturer has confirmed the project.

Interestingly, this isn't the first time Toyota and Mazda have been linked to a jointly developed sports car.

Back in February 2025, Best Car reported that the two manufacturers could collaborate on their next-generation performance models, with Mazda's 3.3-litre turbocharged inline-six engine potentially powering the next GR Supra.

The latest report suggests a different arrangement, with Mazda potentially using Toyota's next-generation Supra platform for its own sports coupe. Whether Mazda's inline-six engine remains part of the plan is unclear.

Such a partnership wouldn't be particularly unusual. Toyota already shares development costs with BMW for the current GR Supra, while the GR86 was jointly developed with Subaru.

The Iconic SP

Mazda, meanwhile, has expressed interest in returning to the larger sports car segment, having discontinued the RX-8 in 2012. Its Iconic SP concept, unveiled at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, offered a glimpse of that ambition with a two-rotor range-extender electric powertrain.

However, there is currently no indication that the Iconic SP and the rumoured Supra-based sports car are related. The former explores Mazda's rotary-electric technology, while details of the latter's powertrain remain unknown.

A shared platform could help Mazda reduce the development costs of a low-volume sports car, particularly given the investment required to create a dedicated rear-wheel-drive architecture.

Toyota and Mazda also have an established technical partnership, although this does not confirm that a joint sports car programme is underway.

For now, the proposed Mazda coupe remains a rumour, with no confirmed specifications, production timeline or model name.

Nevertheless, if the report proves accurate, it could mark Mazda's return to the larger, front-engined sports car segment for the first time since the RX-8, potentially offering a new alternative to the next-generation Toyota GR Supra.