These hot exotic cars run on Toyota’s unbeatably reliable V6

The V6 is loved in so many different types of cars. From pickup trucks, which require torque and low revs, to smooth and refined luxury sedans, to sports cars that require maximum performance, the V6 has covered all the bases of the automotive spectrum. One of the finest examples of a six-cylinder engine is the famous Toyota 2GR powertrain. It provided an all-encompassing foundation that spanned all vehicle genres, especially notable in the bulletproof Toyota Camrys and in many Lexus models over the years.

What most people don’t know is that this V6 has found a new life with another manufacturer, who has relied on it for more than a decade. While Japanese manufacturers have slowly but surely moved to more emissions-friendly engines, often turbocharged inline-fours, there’s one exotic sports car brand that doesn’t want to let this engine die. We’ll find out which cars will keep the legendary 2GR V6 alive in 2026 and give it the swan song it deserves.

From sustainable trucks to the exotic sports car brand

The 2009 Lotus Evora started life with the perhaps unusual move to six-cylinders, but as it was a slightly larger, heavier car with a little more attention to comfort, the extra power Lotus craved made perfect sense. Since then they have relied on this engine to power later versions of the Exige and the new one Lotus Emirawhich is as advanced and fast as the brand has ever been.

In the late 2000s, Lotus dominated a niche in the market: the lightweight British sports car. They had had great success in recent years with the Elise and Exige models – cars that handled as if there was glue holding them to the road – and were impeccably agile due to their weight being measurable in ounces rather than pounds. Most of their vehicles so far had been 2,000-pound rocket ships, and while they didn’t have much power, they were so light and maneuverable that it didn’t matter.

Why the Toyota V6 in a lightweight exotic copy?

Although it seemed like a curious decision at first, there are actually several reasons that make sense when using the 2GR Toyota engine. Lotus is a small brand, unlike Toyota, and developing a bespoke engine specifically for their future models would have been time-consuming and expensive, and because it was so niche, it just didn’t make financial sense. If only they could instead explore an already existing, mass-produced powertrain that would meet the needs of the Lotus Evora without compromising them.

Reliability was a serious reason for choosing a Toyota engine. Having a proven track record of long-term performance gave Lotus a sense of confidence that there wouldn’t be many problems that could plague a bespoke engine. And with that sustainability, a different conclusion was drawn. With its vaunted power, the 2GR engine could likely tolerate the stress of forced induction and could be tailored to Lotus’s needs in several meaningful ways. This turned out to be true: superchargers were added to most versions of the Evora. The performance was impressive and the reliability was still intact.

The original Lotus Evora, in glorious supercharged V6

The 3.5-litre V6 proved its worth: the Evora had an impressive set of numbers, but more importantly, an engine that really seemed to suit the car’s aims. With strong mid-range torque, the supercharged V6 offers impeccable throttle response and a wide range of usable torque, which feels insanely muscular for a relatively light car. Not only that, but the powerful linear transmission also improved the ease with which stability could be maintained out of corners, making the Evora feel both exhilarating and predictable – an exciting prospect for maximum fun while harnessing a car’s performance.

Specifications Lotus Evora (V6 Supercharged) from 2009

Not only did the Evora boast some notable specs for 2009, but the supercharged V6 also gave the Lotus a richer sound: a characterful supercharged whine, with six rumbling cylinders at the helm. Something that Elise and Exige’s mill has never had the pleasure of doing until now. There were also variants without a supercharger with a more modest power of 276 hp and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 4.9 seconds.

The Exige then got the V6 treatment

This was an exciting time for the company, because although the grinding four-cylinder engine was a raw and passionate combination with the mega-lightweight Lotus Exige, things were changing. Lotus had already achieved what they set out to do with their ultralight cars, and they had perfected the recipe. With changing regulations and fully researched lightweight saving measures, Lotus had nowhere to go with a low-powered 2,200-pound featherweight. It was perfect, but it was time for a change. It was time to combine the legendary V6 with the lightweight rocket ship.

Lotus Demand 350 Specifications

The V6 rocketed the Exige into new stratospheres that weren’t considered feasible in the decade before. It was the same technical silhouette: a hydraulically controlled, manually operated lightweight tracked weapon with a mid-engine. No, it wasn’t as light as before, but 2,480 pounds is light to a skeletal degree from a 2026 perspective. The power is. 345 supercharged V6 horses racing through the rear wheels felt brutally confident and could embarrass supercars on track days. Comparing the beautiful four-cylinder predecessor with this felt like comparing a go-kart with a real racing car. The original Exige format had been perfected, but the new one had taken it to a galaxy far beyond.

The present and future of Lotus and the V6

Ever since the Exige, Lotus has been practically obsessed with the 3.5-liter V6. Although initially a risk, it had been a successful platform in creating the Evora, a more GT-oriented lightweight sports car, and the Exige 350, the maximalist approach to what a featherweight could achieve. Lotus took it to the next level with the amazing Lotus 3-Eleven, which pushed even further the boundaries that the Exige 350 had already set.

Lotus 3-Eleven Spec boosts on Exige 350

• 2,028 pounds (400 pounds lighter)

• 3.1 seconds to 100 km/h (0.6 faster)

• Top speed of 300 km/h (10 km/h higher)

• 430 hp (85 hp more)

This was an insanely performance car based on the Exige 350, which would go on to become the fastest accelerating and best handling variant of any car to ever use the 2GR 3.5-liter V6. When Toyota originally made this engine, they probably didn’t expect it to become the basis of a British sports devil, but it has.

The twilight years of the 2GR and the Lotus Emira

The most recent Lotus to use this engine, and perhaps its final farewell, is the Lotus Emira. By the time the 2020s rolled around, the 3.5-liter V6 had already been part of Lotus’s arsenal for over a decade, and in that time it had shown the world that it was capable of just about anything, and it proved to Lotus that they had made the right decision all those years ago.

Emira is an opportunity. Its beauty lies in the truthfulness of its intention. It is designed to drive fast. This isn’t for excuses or lazy driving. In Emira you live in the moment.

-Garret Donahue for TopSpeed

The Emira is an exceptionally refined, all-encompassing Lotus that seems to bridge the gap between Exige excitement and performance with Evora practicality and relative comfort. A tribute to the brand over the past decade and a half, everything they have learned in that time has been poured into the farewell of the 2GR V6.

Euro 7 emissions standards have made the supercharged V6 no longer compliant, leaving Lotus with no choice but to look elsewhere. With the Emira already being sold with a Mercedes-sourced 2.0-liter inline-four option, it’s clear the brand is preparing for a possible departure from the V6. Not only that, but they are also looking at expanding the range with hybrid options, which puts the 2GR engine in a vulnerable position. Toyota has also pulled the plug on production of this V6, so unless an alternative manufacturer or Lotus itself negotiates a new deal, these are the twilight of this beautiful engine. With each unfortunate demise comes an opportunity to reflect on the immortal legacy this engine has amassed over the years, and how it will continue to power the dreams of many existing vehicles for decades to come.

Sources: Lotus, Toyota, AutoEdge