Toyota iQ to use 2-cylinder motorcycle engine?
The production version of the Toyota iQ will use a 2-cylinder 1.0 liter motorcycle-based engine, according to two Toyota executives in an interview with Automotive News Europe under the condition of anonymity. The engine will be designed in collaboration with Yamaha, which might also manufacture the engine for Toyota.
Toyota and Yamaha have worked together before on many engine projects. The high revving VVTL-i 2ZZ-GE was designed together with Yamaha, and was Toyota’s first all-aluminium engine. It is used in the Toyota Celica and the Lotus Elise. The 3S-GE and the 3S-GTE (but not the 3S-FE) also used Yamaha-tuned heads. Yamaha also contributed to the legendary 4A-GE. These modern days, Toyota still gets car engines such as the 4GR-FSE 2.5 liter V6 from Yamaha, and it is used in cars like the Toyota Mark X and the Lexus IS250.
The inline-2 engine will help reduce the iQ’s engine bay length, with the transmission being able to be located within the engine block and other usual engine bay space hogging culprits like air conditioning module being able to be bolted on the side of the engine. The whole engine module with ancillaries bolted on will be a single tall compact unit, installed in the front of the car.
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Toyota iQ Concept unveiled at Frankfurt 2007
October 16, 2007 @ 8:04 am
I wonder how the Gordon Murray small car will be like? Remember the Prancing Mouse F500 you posted earlier? Now THAT was cool!
October 16, 2007 @ 8:43 am
Gonna be a bommer of all things supermini
October 16, 2007 @ 9:54 am
Duh! I won’t touch this car with a ten-foot pole because of the engine. I have driven a Smart ForTwo; its 3-cylinder motor is barely tolerable. Now a motorcycle powerplant? You’d be betta off in a Hijet van instead. Common Toyota! An electric motor would suit the IQ more than 2 piston rods!
October 16, 2007 @ 9:59 am
looks like dey run out of iq
October 16, 2007 @ 10:40 am
Shall be competitor for Smart 2! Look at front lamp, ugly “cat eye”.
October 16, 2007 @ 1:48 pm
toyota
lexus
daihatsu
scoin
perodua
hino
yamaha
er..subaru
October 16, 2007 @ 3:43 pm
the front just makes me think this is designed alongside the lambo reventon…. hahaha…
October 16, 2007 @ 5:31 pm
Toyota + Yamaha…small compact..soon ’small’ will be in fashion…
October 16, 2007 @ 5:45 pm
http://www.ti-journal.com/face%204-4-96%201-2a.gif
October 16, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
Finally a sorrow looking car for a sorrow robot named marvin….remember The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Dont get me wrong though….its cute
October 16, 2007 @ 7:19 pm
even the 250cc Kawasaki ZXR250 has 4 cylinder engine!!
twin cylinder engine in a car will sound like shit and rough
October 16, 2007 @ 9:09 pm
a smart fortwo hit a concrete barrier at 90km/h, its passenger would never survive…. guess what would this iQ work out ?
October 16, 2007 @ 11:03 pm
Sport car is a big boy toy. This car may become girly toy!
October 17, 2007 @ 12:05 am
wait and see how it performs
October 17, 2007 @ 1:46 am
pink will be the ideal colour for this IQ…
October 17, 2007 @ 1:40 pm
Look like Naza Sutera..
October 17, 2007 @ 3:14 pm
Smarter than Smart…i definately buy if price no object
October 17, 2007 @ 3:46 pm
Toyota should just put an R1 engine….hmmm that be interesting….if twin should colloborate wt Ducati instead..