After so many reports about Toyota resurrecting the Supra, one would be inclined to doubt the persistent rumors.
On the other hand, we have the example of the on-again, off-again, on-again Acura/Honda NSX, which came into fruition with the presentation of the pre-production concept at the Detroit Auto show in January.
Taking everything we have heard and seen over the past year into consideration, most importantly Toyota's newly found commitment to developing cars with more emotional styling and handling characteristics, there is a strong possibility that these rumors about a Supra replacement originate from facts.
Officially, the last time Toyota hinted at a direct successor to the Supra was in 2007 with the FT-HS Concept, a sharp looking two-seater model powered by a 400-horsepower hybrid powertrain linking a 3.5-liter V6 petrol engine to an electric motor. That project ended with the financial crisis that ensued the following year.
Fast forward to today and following a recent report from UK's Car Magazine that cited an unnamed source saying that Toyota is working on a potential successor to the Supra, another magazine, this time from the U.S., is claiming that the project is back in the cards, but with a twist.
Motor Trend says that Toyota is looking to channel the FT-HS Concept's styling philosophy into a new project based on the platform and running gear of the GRMN SPORTS HYBRID Concept II.
What the magazine fails to mention in the article is that both the 2010 GRMN SPORTS HYBRID and the revised 2011 GRMN SPORTS HYBRID II are based on the last generation of the MR2 roadster, which would be an odd choice for a Supra replacement in terms of size, though in theory, the powertrain bits could be used.
In its latest form, the roadster model that was developed by Toyota and its motorsports partner Gazoo Racing, featured a mid-mounted 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine rated at 249-horses working in tandem with a single electric motor to drive the rear wheels, with a total system output of 299-horsepower.
However, MT says that the production car would use a 400-horsepower hybrid powertrain with a V6 driving the rear axle and "in-wheel electric motors" turning the front wheels. This means that the setup is quite different from the one showcased in the GRMN SPORTS HYBRID Concept II.
The article claims that if the project gets the green light, the coupe could reach in showrooms by late 2015 "for less than $60,000".
8 Comments:
Nice snow plow.
GRMN looks like Tuscan lol
I'd rather have M IV Supra.
Toyota has made some brilliant sportscars in the 80's and 90's and that was due to the (extremely well hidden) input from a cash-strapped Lotus Engineering at the time (guess what? - Lotus makes great sports cars too, albeit a bit pricey - and whose Toyota engines are still used in Lotus cars).
Well, today that input has been lost, so Toyota use Subaru (with their rally experience) to "co-develop" the new Subaru BRZ - a car I am looking at getting. This is probably the reason why you do not see many sportscars from Toyota these days and only show these "rumours" to let you think they can still buid such cars. For any doubters look at Toyota's F1 results. IMO they should have partnered with Lotus - they wuld have done a lot lot better.
Toyota f1 was run by tte, Toyota european division. it had nothing to do with their successful trd division.
would you care to explain the toyota rally success? again down to lotus was it? i think not.
After the Viper...its the Supra that I have been looking forward to.... but I have to say...they should simply make the Lexus LF-LC the new super car for Lexus and bring the LF-A design to the Supra...while getting rid of superficial stuff that makes it expensive...
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