Last year, the man tasked with sports car development at Toyota, Tetsuya Tada, revealed that the Japanese automaker was planning a three-tier sports car lineup, with the GT 86 (sold here as a Scion FR-S) sitting in the middle. At the top of the range will be the Supra successor, previewed by the stunning FT-1 concept car, while at the bottom will be an all-new car that we know very little about. All we do know is that all three cars will feature rear-wheel drive, although it’s possible the Supra successor will feature a hybrid-based all-wheel-drive system.

Now, Holiday Auto (via Motoring) has managed to scrape together some details. According to the Japanese publication, the new entry-level sports car will feature a shooting brake-like body combining elements of a coupe and a hatch. Inside, there will be 2+2 seating; think Toyota’s version of the Volkswagen Scirocco.

A new platform is needed, according to the report, and lightweight construction is said to be key. The final curb weight is expected to come in under 2,200 pounds, which will allow engineers to fit a small engine yet still deliver exciting performance. A 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with about 134 horsepower is said to be planned.

The launch date for Toyota’s entry-level sports car in the Japanese market is said to be early 2018. If approved for the U.S. market we’ll likely see it in the fall of that year. A concept version could be shown as early as 2015’s Tokyo Motor Show.

Pictured above is Toyota's GRMN FR Hot Hatch concept, which debuted at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon and featured a 1.5-liter front-mounted engine spinning the rear wheels.

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