Yamaha Sports Ride Coupe Will Allegedly Use A 1.5-Liter Turbo, Debut In 2017

Stealing Mazda’s rotary powered RX-Vision thunder was very unlikely, but sports car fans must have noticed another interesting concept at the recent Tokyo Motor Show – and from a rather unlikely source at that.

Yamaha is not a complete stranger to the automotive world, having supplied engines to Formula 1 teams in the past and getting involved with Toyota’s classic 2000 GT and, more recently, tuning the Lexus LFA sound.

Now, though, it wants to become a manufacturer in its own right. Earlier this year, it was reported it will build a manufacturing plant in Europe to produce the Motiv city car.

Apparently, the Smart ForTwo rival will be joined by a sports coupe that will use a carbon-fiber version of the same layout that’s been designed by Gordon Murray, of McLaren F1 fame, and allows for low weight (something Murray was always obsessed with) and compact dimensions.

Measuring just 3900mm in length, 1720mm in width and 1170mm in height, and with a weight of just 750kg, the mid-engined, rear-wheel drive coupe will give the Lotus Elise and Alfa Romeo 4C something to think about.

While Yamaha did not disclose any information, motoring.com.au reports that the production version won’t be powered by the Motiv-sourced 1.0-liter three-cylinder but a 1.5-liter turbocharged unit. A pre-production car will allegedly be introduced in late 2017 and we guess the finished item will follow shortly after.