Showing posts with label Next Gen Toyota Supra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Next Gen Toyota Supra. Show all posts
Thursday, April 24, 2014
MagX Renders the Potential of a Next Gen Toyota Supra (working with BMW?)
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Toyota files a new trademark application for the Supra moniker
Covers "automobiles and structural parts thereof"
Toyota has filed a new trademark application for the Supra moniker.
According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the application was filed on February 10th and covers "Automobiles and structural parts thereof."
While this is sure to stoke rumors about a Supra revival, the company previously filed an application for the Supra name on July 16th, 2010. That particular trademark is "dead" and listed as "abandoned" as of January 27th 2014.
As we have previously reported, Toyota is rumored to be working on a new Supra which draw cues from the FT-1 concept that debuted at the North American International Auto Show earlier this year. It could be launched in 2016 and feature a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and hybridized 2.5-liter V6 turbo with a combined output in excess of 402 bhp (300 kW).
According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the application was filed on February 10th and covers "Automobiles and structural parts thereof."
While this is sure to stoke rumors about a Supra revival, the company previously filed an application for the Supra name on July 16th, 2010. That particular trademark is "dead" and listed as "abandoned" as of January 27th 2014.
As we have previously reported, Toyota is rumored to be working on a new Supra which draw cues from the FT-1 concept that debuted at the North American International Auto Show earlier this year. It could be launched in 2016 and feature a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and hybridized 2.5-liter V6 turbo with a combined output in excess of 402 bhp (300 kW).
Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office via The Motor Report
Source;
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
TopSpeed: 2015 Toyota Supra Rendered
C'mon Honda, bring back the Prelude!
by Christian Moe of www.topspeed.com
If there is a car that is included on almost every list of “greatest enthusiasts car” it’s the Toyota Supra. The little two-door sports car was originally bolted together as a response to the Z cars coming from competitor Datsun, but it eventually grew into a special machine with a cult-like following.
Now after years of rumor, speculation and dreaming, it looks like the new Toyota Supra is all but official. Toyota’s newest concept car, the FT-1 likely previews the new shape and design of the upcoming Supra replacement.
The story of the Supra may start in 1978, but it was in 1987 with the introduction of the first turbocharged Supra, that it began to truly build its performance legacy. This third-generation Supra was fitted with more than a powerful engine, it featured adjustable suspension and brake systems that helped make it great around a racetrack as well.
It became a cult icon in the auto enthusiast world, and everyone has been clamoring for a new model since the old one was pulled form U.S. showrooms in the late ’90s.
With more info and rumors coming out every day about the 2015 Toyota Supra it’s only a matter of time before we find out what Toyota really plans to do. Read on to see our thoughts on the matter.
Updated 2/3/2014: We have just created several new renderings of the anticipated Supra. You can see one image above and the rest after the jump.
Source;
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/toyota/2015-toyota-supra-ar99796.html
If there is a car that is included on almost every list of “greatest enthusiasts car” it’s the Toyota Supra. The little two-door sports car was originally bolted together as a response to the Z cars coming from competitor Datsun, but it eventually grew into a special machine with a cult-like following.
Now after years of rumor, speculation and dreaming, it looks like the new Toyota Supra is all but official. Toyota’s newest concept car, the FT-1 likely previews the new shape and design of the upcoming Supra replacement.
The story of the Supra may start in 1978, but it was in 1987 with the introduction of the first turbocharged Supra, that it began to truly build its performance legacy. This third-generation Supra was fitted with more than a powerful engine, it featured adjustable suspension and brake systems that helped make it great around a racetrack as well.
It became a cult icon in the auto enthusiast world, and everyone has been clamoring for a new model since the old one was pulled form U.S. showrooms in the late ’90s.
With more info and rumors coming out every day about the 2015 Toyota Supra it’s only a matter of time before we find out what Toyota really plans to do. Read on to see our thoughts on the matter.
Updated 2/3/2014: We have just created several new renderings of the anticipated Supra. You can see one image above and the rest after the jump.
Source;
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/toyota/2015-toyota-supra-ar99796.html
Monday, January 13, 2014
Toyota FT-1 Concept Heralds A More Exciting Future (And Maybe A New Sports Car--Supra?!?)
Wouldn't it be nice if this got Honda thinking about a Next Generation Honda Prelude, if only in concept form....?
by Matthew de Paula of www.forbes.com
The suspense is over. After years of hand wringing, diehard fans of Toyota’s defunct but beloved Supra sports car have been given hope of a successor.
Their salvation comes in the form of the FT-1 concept car, which Toyota unveiled today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Although the Japanese automaker has not said whether it will build a production version of the curvaceous coupe, nor whether it would be called “Supra” if it did, the FT-1 is groundbreaking nonetheless. It represents the culmination of Toyota’s efforts to infuse excitement into its vehicles, much as the company’s luxury division, Lexus, is already doing. (Read more about Lexus’ efforts here.)
The Toyota FT-1 concept is a stake in the ground that signifies no more boring cars for Toyota.
“It really expresses the direction that we’re moving in and the company that we’re evolving into, which is one that develops more exciting vehicles with heart, more emotion, more driver-engaged products that speak to the excitement of driving,” said Kevin Hunter, president of Toyota’s Calty Design Research studio, in a one-on-one interview ahead of the concept car’s unveiling at the Detroit auto show.
The FT-1 has design elements that pay homage to past Toyota sports cars. The slant of the roofline and the wraparound windshield with blacked out roof pillars evoke the styling of the 2000GT, a slinky two-seater built from 1967 to 1970 and famously featured in the James Bond film “You Only Live Twice.” The rear of the FT-1 pays homage to the last generation of the Supra, called the Mark IV, which was built from 1993 through 2002.
The 2000GT and Supra lineage is also evident in the long hood of the FT-1. Both the 2000GT and Supra featured so-called in-line six-cylinder engines, which were long and dictated a certain proportion at the front of the car. “Even though we’re not saying exactly what engine is in the FT-1, we thought at least it should feel like it has a long hood and it has a powerful engine under the hood,” Hunter said.
Though it draws on Toyota’s heritage, the FT-1 is far from just a rehash of previous sports cars. “The surfacing is all new. We refer to it as ‘function sculpting,’ and that, I think, is in line with our bigger fundamental design philosophy of ‘vibrant clarity,’” Hunter said. “There’s something rational happening and there’s something emotional going on as well. And it’s kind of those two values merging that creates something new.”
The entire car appears to be shaped by the wind. Deeply sculpted intakes and outlets improve aerodynamics and channel air to cool the engine and other components. “It has to be dynamic, exciting, but it also has to function well as a sports car,” Hunter said.
This design and engineering ethos wrapped up in one can also be found at the pinnacle of motorsports: Formula One. Not by coincidence, the pointy nose of the FT-1 recalls the shape of an Formula One race car. “It was kind of on our mind, I guess, as we were designing the car,” Hunter said.
The interior of the FT-1 is stripped down like that of a race car.
Toyota designers completely rethought how the driver should interact with the vehicle and devised a head-up display, like something from a fighter jet, and large buttons on the steering that look like a video game controller. The goal was to reduce driver distraction.
“It’s very easy for your thumb to identify the input points that relate to the heads-up display,” Hunter said. “So ideally, you can do it blindly, not looking down at the steering wheel and always keep your eyes focused on the road.”
Whereas current cars, including Lexus models, use controllers on the center console to manipulate menus on a screen mounted in the middle of the dashboard, everything on the FT-1 is managed right on the head-up display using only the steering wheel controls. This sort of technology could eventually end up on future production vehicles, Hunter said.
Despite all of the Toyota FT-1’s exotic features, which also include a movable rear wing that raises at high speeds to increase stability, the concept is meant to project the possibility of an affordable sports car in keeping with Toyota’s position as a mass-market automaker. A production version of the FT-1 would cost far less than a Porsche or Ferrari, Hunter said.
“We felt it was important to bring a halo image to the Toyota brand, which could use a bit of strengthening in that area,” he said. “We know that Lexus has the LFA, Scion has the FR-S, and the Toyota brand is really lacking a sports car right now.”
Calty designers came up with the idea for the FT-1 a couple of years ago. They’ve been waiting for the right moment to bring it into the limelight.
To help sway board members and Toyota president Akio Toyoda to produce the concept car, Calty designers worked with Sony to create a virtual version of the FT-1 that could be “driven” in the video game Gran Turismo.
This turned out to be a shrewd move. When the FT-1 was presented in video-game form to the board, Toyoda was able to complete a virtual lap of Japan’s Fuji Speedway faster than his best real-world lap time in his own personal LFA supercar.
Needless to say, the FT-1 got the green light, which is to be expected, considering Toyoda’s passion for motor sports.
“This kind of high-performance car I think is ideal to symbolize the
direction that our company is moving in,” Hunter said. “We all know Akio
Toyoda said we need to develop more cool cars and more emotional cars. And he used the term ‘waku doki,’ which means ‘with great passion and
from the heart.’ We need to capture this kind of spirit in our new
vehicles.”
Source;
http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewdepaula/2014/01/13/toyota-ft-1-concept-car-heralds-a-more-exciting-future-a-surprise-debut-at-the-2014-detroit-auto-show/2/
The suspense is over. After years of hand wringing, diehard fans of Toyota’s defunct but beloved Supra sports car have been given hope of a successor.
Their salvation comes in the form of the FT-1 concept car, which Toyota unveiled today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Although the Japanese automaker has not said whether it will build a production version of the curvaceous coupe, nor whether it would be called “Supra” if it did, the FT-1 is groundbreaking nonetheless. It represents the culmination of Toyota’s efforts to infuse excitement into its vehicles, much as the company’s luxury division, Lexus, is already doing. (Read more about Lexus’ efforts here.)
The Toyota FT-1 concept is a stake in the ground that signifies no more boring cars for Toyota.
“It really expresses the direction that we’re moving in and the company that we’re evolving into, which is one that develops more exciting vehicles with heart, more emotion, more driver-engaged products that speak to the excitement of driving,” said Kevin Hunter, president of Toyota’s Calty Design Research studio, in a one-on-one interview ahead of the concept car’s unveiling at the Detroit auto show.
The FT-1 has design elements that pay homage to past Toyota sports cars. The slant of the roofline and the wraparound windshield with blacked out roof pillars evoke the styling of the 2000GT, a slinky two-seater built from 1967 to 1970 and famously featured in the James Bond film “You Only Live Twice.” The rear of the FT-1 pays homage to the last generation of the Supra, called the Mark IV, which was built from 1993 through 2002.
The 2000GT and Supra lineage is also evident in the long hood of the FT-1. Both the 2000GT and Supra featured so-called in-line six-cylinder engines, which were long and dictated a certain proportion at the front of the car. “Even though we’re not saying exactly what engine is in the FT-1, we thought at least it should feel like it has a long hood and it has a powerful engine under the hood,” Hunter said.
Though it draws on Toyota’s heritage, the FT-1 is far from just a rehash of previous sports cars. “The surfacing is all new. We refer to it as ‘function sculpting,’ and that, I think, is in line with our bigger fundamental design philosophy of ‘vibrant clarity,’” Hunter said. “There’s something rational happening and there’s something emotional going on as well. And it’s kind of those two values merging that creates something new.”
The entire car appears to be shaped by the wind. Deeply sculpted intakes and outlets improve aerodynamics and channel air to cool the engine and other components. “It has to be dynamic, exciting, but it also has to function well as a sports car,” Hunter said.
This design and engineering ethos wrapped up in one can also be found at the pinnacle of motorsports: Formula One. Not by coincidence, the pointy nose of the FT-1 recalls the shape of an Formula One race car. “It was kind of on our mind, I guess, as we were designing the car,” Hunter said.
Toyota designers completely rethought how the driver should interact with the vehicle and devised a head-up display, like something from a fighter jet, and large buttons on the steering that look like a video game controller. The goal was to reduce driver distraction.
“It’s very easy for your thumb to identify the input points that relate to the heads-up display,” Hunter said. “So ideally, you can do it blindly, not looking down at the steering wheel and always keep your eyes focused on the road.”
Whereas current cars, including Lexus models, use controllers on the center console to manipulate menus on a screen mounted in the middle of the dashboard, everything on the FT-1 is managed right on the head-up display using only the steering wheel controls. This sort of technology could eventually end up on future production vehicles, Hunter said.
Despite all of the Toyota FT-1’s exotic features, which also include a movable rear wing that raises at high speeds to increase stability, the concept is meant to project the possibility of an affordable sports car in keeping with Toyota’s position as a mass-market automaker. A production version of the FT-1 would cost far less than a Porsche or Ferrari, Hunter said.
“We felt it was important to bring a halo image to the Toyota brand, which could use a bit of strengthening in that area,” he said. “We know that Lexus has the LFA, Scion has the FR-S, and the Toyota brand is really lacking a sports car right now.”
Calty designers came up with the idea for the FT-1 a couple of years ago. They’ve been waiting for the right moment to bring it into the limelight.
To help sway board members and Toyota president Akio Toyoda to produce the concept car, Calty designers worked with Sony to create a virtual version of the FT-1 that could be “driven” in the video game Gran Turismo.
This turned out to be a shrewd move. When the FT-1 was presented in video-game form to the board, Toyoda was able to complete a virtual lap of Japan’s Fuji Speedway faster than his best real-world lap time in his own personal LFA supercar.
Needless to say, the FT-1 got the green light, which is to be expected, considering Toyoda’s passion for motor sports.
Source;
http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewdepaula/2014/01/13/toyota-ft-1-concept-car-heralds-a-more-exciting-future-a-surprise-debut-at-the-2014-detroit-auto-show/2/
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Toyota Vision Gran Turismo Concept – Could this be the new Supra?
Toyota has just released a teaser sketch of its upcoming Vision Gran Turismo Concept vehicle and guess what, it cuts a very familiar figure! We have nothing else other than the sole silhouette image above, so the rest is up to your imagination.
The Toyota Vision Gran Turismo Concept looks eerily similar to the late Supra sports car. Is the Japanese automaker hatching a surprise concept reveal on the just-released Playstation 3 racing game? That would be fantastic indeed, as the Supra gained a large majority of its strong following among youngsters through earlier instalments of the same game.
A next-generation Supra is way overdue, with the last of its kind rolling off the production line as far back as July 2002. With the new Honda NSX due soon, the timing couldn’t be any better either.
Source;
http://paultan.org/2013/12/12/toyota-vision-gran-turismo-concept-new-supra/
Monday, September 30, 2013
Toyota’s Rumored Sports Coupe Plan
Rumors fueled by official statements abound that Toyota
will be bringing two new sports cars to market – one positioned above
the Scion FR-S/FT-86, and one below. These cars will form a trifecta of
sports coupes, similar to the group of sports coupes that carried Toyota
to popularity and profits in the 1980′s and 90′s. This new knowledge
has people excited, but also confused about the future of sports models
they’d hoped were going to be resurrected.
The new CEO of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, seems to be as ready as everyone else for a new rear-wheel drive sports coupe, or two. Although the GT86 is fairly new to the brand, two more RWD models are taking one slot above and one below the GT86/FR-S in accordance with plans of the incoming chairman. His plans were outlined as including two new sports cars with the 86 in the middle of both.
More specifically, he plans to make the larger of the cars a successor to the Supra — this model is said to be under development in collaboration with BMW. The smaller of the models is being hinted as a joint effort, but no details were given as to who Toyota would team up with to make it. Some speculate that the smaller of the models might be a MR2 or Celica.
It’s not exactly time to start putting in orders at local dealerships, neither model has actually been given the green light for production.
Next Generation of Supra: Will They or Won’t They?
In the early 2000′s, Toyota ceased production of the Supra. As far back as the conclusion of the latest generation of Supra, talk of replacement models and a new generation have caused quite a stir in the import enthusiast community. The news about the plans being made by Toyota’s future chairman has people wondering if the Supra even stands a chance still of a comeback.
Although conceptual drawings and speculation are in no short supply, the reality of a Supra now seems more unlikely now than ever. If Toyota has a new successor to the Supra in the works, they probably won’t bring this model back into their lineup to murk up the waters for their upcoming sports coupes.
So, why won’t Toyota axe the model forever or confirm its comeback? They want to keep consumers on the hook. The rumors, regardless of what the ultimate truth is, will keep the idea of a Toyota sports coupe on the minds of drivers.
The most current rumor (one started before the rumors about the two new models) is that Toyota will unveil their newest Toyota Supra concept at the 43rd annual Tokyo Motor Show at the end of the year. This is when the world will know, with almost absolute certainty, if the Supra is actually coming back, or if it’s time to let it go.
It’s at this same show that eager Toyota sports car enthusiasts will likely get their first glance at the other models Toyota’s chairman has alluded to. It seems at this point that the best chance the Supra has of a return is being the name on the larger of the sports models planned by Toyota.
Author Jason Lancaster is a huge fan of the Toyota Supra and hopes it will return. He works with Olathe Toyota Parts Center, an online seller of wholesale OEM Toyota parts.
Source;
http://www.motorward.com/2013/09/toyotas-rumored-sports-coupe-plan/
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Toyota's incoming chairman covets Supra-like sports car
C'mon Honda, let's get going on that next Honda Prelude! Higher than the Civic SI, low $30's....
OSAKA, Japan (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp.'s incoming chairman said he wants the sports car the company is developing with BMW to be a mid-sized vehicle comparable to the discontinued Supra.
Takeshi Uchiyamada has been telling people that Toyota's next sports car should be like the Supra so that it doesn't overlap with the 86 coupe, he said in an interview today in Osaka at a gathering of members of the Keidanren, Japan's biggest business lobbying group.
Still, such decisions are up to engineers, Uchiyamada said.
"That's what I want but it's not me who makes the decision," said Uchiyamada, who's known within Toyota as the "father of the Prius" for his work developing the world's best-selling gasoline-electric car.
"It's futile if we make something similar" to the 86, he said.
Toyota and BMW announced this year they will jointly produce a mid-sized sports car as part of a broader collaboration between the two. Should Uchiyamada, who's leading the negotiations with BMW, get his wish, Toyota would be reviving a model that was last produced in 1999 after a 20-year run.
Toyota spokesman Naoto Fuse declined to comment beyond saying nothing has been decided.
Uchiyamada, 66, is scheduled to become Toyota's next chairman at the company's annual shareholders' meeting this week, replacing Fujio Cho, who will become honorary chairman.
President Akio Toyoda, grandson of the founder, runs day-to-day operations at the world's biggest carmaker.
Source;
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130612/OEM02/306129942/toyotas-incoming-chairman-says-he-wants-supra-like-sports-car#axzz2W6g8R8dx
OSAKA, Japan (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp.'s incoming chairman said he wants the sports car the company is developing with BMW to be a mid-sized vehicle comparable to the discontinued Supra.
Takeshi Uchiyamada has been telling people that Toyota's next sports car should be like the Supra so that it doesn't overlap with the 86 coupe, he said in an interview today in Osaka at a gathering of members of the Keidanren, Japan's biggest business lobbying group.
Still, such decisions are up to engineers, Uchiyamada said.
"That's what I want but it's not me who makes the decision," said Uchiyamada, who's known within Toyota as the "father of the Prius" for his work developing the world's best-selling gasoline-electric car.
"It's futile if we make something similar" to the 86, he said.
Toyota and BMW announced this year they will jointly produce a mid-sized sports car as part of a broader collaboration between the two. Should Uchiyamada, who's leading the negotiations with BMW, get his wish, Toyota would be reviving a model that was last produced in 1999 after a 20-year run.
Toyota spokesman Naoto Fuse declined to comment beyond saying nothing has been decided.
Uchiyamada, 66, is scheduled to become Toyota's next chairman at the company's annual shareholders' meeting this week, replacing Fujio Cho, who will become honorary chairman.
President Akio Toyoda, grandson of the founder, runs day-to-day operations at the world's biggest carmaker.
Source;
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130612/OEM02/306129942/toyotas-incoming-chairman-says-he-wants-supra-like-sports-car#axzz2W6g8R8dx
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Toyota Supra to get a turbocharged 2.5-liter hybrid engine - report - photos
C'mon Honda, 2017 would sound like a good year to bring back the Prelude!
Toyota's highly-anticipated Supra successor is coming into focus as a
new report is indicating the model will be launched by the end of 2017.
That's still several years off, but sources are indicating the model could be powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine which is outfitted with a hybrid system. The engine could produce more than 400 bhp (298 kW), but there has also been speculation about a hybridized 3.5-liter V6.
As we have previously reported, the Supra successor is expected to go into production as a result of Toyota's tie-up with BMW. The model is slated to ride on a revised version of the GT 86 platform and have suspension tuning by BMW.
Toyota GT 86 chief engineer Tetsuya Tada has already confirmed the company wants to launch the car as soon as possible and rumors suggest we could see a concept as early as this year's Tokyo Motor Show. Little else is known about the model but it will reportedly have styling inspired by the FT-HS concept.
Source;
http://www.worldcarfans.com/113021153691/toyota-supra-to-get-a-turbocharged-25-liter-hybrid-engine
That's still several years off, but sources are indicating the model could be powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine which is outfitted with a hybrid system. The engine could produce more than 400 bhp (298 kW), but there has also been speculation about a hybridized 3.5-liter V6.
As we have previously reported, the Supra successor is expected to go into production as a result of Toyota's tie-up with BMW. The model is slated to ride on a revised version of the GT 86 platform and have suspension tuning by BMW.
Toyota GT 86 chief engineer Tetsuya Tada has already confirmed the company wants to launch the car as soon as possible and rumors suggest we could see a concept as early as this year's Tokyo Motor Show. Little else is known about the model but it will reportedly have styling inspired by the FT-HS concept.
Source;
http://www.worldcarfans.com/113021153691/toyota-supra-to-get-a-turbocharged-25-liter-hybrid-engine
Monday, November 12, 2012
Toyota to let loose two more sports cars after the 86
C'mon Honda, Next Gen Prelude is just waiting to happen!!!!
By Samuel Ee
SINGAPORE - The radical new Toyota 86 compact coupé is only the first of three new sports car line-ups that the Japanese carmaker is planning as part of a new business model that seeks to create a bond with buyers.
"The 86 is in the middle but we don't know when the other two will be ready," says Tetsuya Tada, the chief engineer of the 86, the first sports car for the Japanese giant carmaker in recent history.
A lightweight 2+2 model, the 86 has a 2.0-litre horizontally opposed engine in front to drive the rear wheels in classic fashion.
Mr
Tada continues: "The 86 needed five years to develop, so at least five
years is required for the others. A normal passenger car about two to
three years. But sports cars need special parts, so it's five years."
Also not determined is whether the other two cars will be coupés or convertibles, or if they will have different engine/drive layouts "because technology changes, so we have to find the best layout".
So it is entirely possible that one of the line-ups could have a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout like the discontinued two-seater MR2 (also called the MR-S in its final iteration).
But one thing is certain - the higher-end sports model is likely to be introduced before the entry-level car.
Mr Tada explains with a smile: "The president (Akio Toyoda) has asked me to make a successor to the Supra as soon as possible." The chief engineer was speaking in Germany at the recent launch of the Toyota 86 Experience to highlight the model's sporty abilities.
"The 86 was not conceived for pure speed but for driving pleasure," he explains.
It was inspired by the AE86 Levin of 1983, the original lightweight Toyota coupé which also happened to be Mr Tada's first car when he joined the firm.
It also has the ability to be extensively customised as per owner's wishes.
"The philosophy of the 86 is that it is an open concept," says Mr Tada.
The conventional way is for the carmaker to produce a car and call it perfect, which means the users don't have to or can't do anything else.
For example, if the rims and tyres are changed, the manufacturer's warranty is void.
Instead, the 86 was created as a car with the potential to change into something the customer wants it to be.
"Why? Because if you ask 100 people what you think of the car, you will get 100 answers. They all have different views," he said.
Hence the open concept, which will satisfy customers because the car evolves with them and make 100 people's dreams come true.
Taking it one step further, Toyota has even made Playstation integration possible.
A black box can record a track day session, and the telemetry downloaded to be played back and shared with other gamers on their Sony Playstation consoles. As a result, the addition of a turbo or supercharger can be simulated to see how it will enhance the naturally aspirated 86's performance.
So far, the success of the 86 has been a surprise, not least of all for rivals Nissan and Honda.
"They realise from the 86's sales that they have to go back to this kind of car. If everybody goes back to their roots, everyone can have a one-make race," says the former racer.
He reveals that Toyota wants to make sports cars again because "it is a very important strategy".
"We have two pillars - an ecological car and driving fun. We must balance these two aims otherwise users won't recognise us a true carmaker."
But Mr Tada notes that the mass production of sports cars has ceased to be a conventional business.
After the financial crisis of 2009, Toyota realised that it could no longer sell cars to dealers to make money because "the car population (was) not going to increase in future".
"So this is a new business model. When customers buy a car, it creates a new bond between the manufacturer and the owner - we do not just profit from selling the car," he said.
Source;
http://www.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/Story/A1Story20121101-380919.html
SINGAPORE - The radical new Toyota 86 compact coupé is only the first of three new sports car line-ups that the Japanese carmaker is planning as part of a new business model that seeks to create a bond with buyers.
"The 86 is in the middle but we don't know when the other two will be ready," says Tetsuya Tada, the chief engineer of the 86, the first sports car for the Japanese giant carmaker in recent history.
A lightweight 2+2 model, the 86 has a 2.0-litre horizontally opposed engine in front to drive the rear wheels in classic fashion.
Also not determined is whether the other two cars will be coupés or convertibles, or if they will have different engine/drive layouts "because technology changes, so we have to find the best layout".
So it is entirely possible that one of the line-ups could have a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout like the discontinued two-seater MR2 (also called the MR-S in its final iteration).
But one thing is certain - the higher-end sports model is likely to be introduced before the entry-level car.
Mr Tada explains with a smile: "The president (Akio Toyoda) has asked me to make a successor to the Supra as soon as possible." The chief engineer was speaking in Germany at the recent launch of the Toyota 86 Experience to highlight the model's sporty abilities.
"The 86 was not conceived for pure speed but for driving pleasure," he explains.
It was inspired by the AE86 Levin of 1983, the original lightweight Toyota coupé which also happened to be Mr Tada's first car when he joined the firm.
It also has the ability to be extensively customised as per owner's wishes.
"The philosophy of the 86 is that it is an open concept," says Mr Tada.
The conventional way is for the carmaker to produce a car and call it perfect, which means the users don't have to or can't do anything else.
For example, if the rims and tyres are changed, the manufacturer's warranty is void.
Instead, the 86 was created as a car with the potential to change into something the customer wants it to be.
"Why? Because if you ask 100 people what you think of the car, you will get 100 answers. They all have different views," he said.
Hence the open concept, which will satisfy customers because the car evolves with them and make 100 people's dreams come true.
Taking it one step further, Toyota has even made Playstation integration possible.
A black box can record a track day session, and the telemetry downloaded to be played back and shared with other gamers on their Sony Playstation consoles. As a result, the addition of a turbo or supercharger can be simulated to see how it will enhance the naturally aspirated 86's performance.
So far, the success of the 86 has been a surprise, not least of all for rivals Nissan and Honda.
"They realise from the 86's sales that they have to go back to this kind of car. If everybody goes back to their roots, everyone can have a one-make race," says the former racer.
He reveals that Toyota wants to make sports cars again because "it is a very important strategy".
"We have two pillars - an ecological car and driving fun. We must balance these two aims otherwise users won't recognise us a true carmaker."
But Mr Tada notes that the mass production of sports cars has ceased to be a conventional business.
After the financial crisis of 2009, Toyota realised that it could no longer sell cars to dealers to make money because "the car population (was) not going to increase in future".
"So this is a new business model. When customers buy a car, it creates a new bond between the manufacturer and the owner - we do not just profit from selling the car," he said.
Source;
http://www.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/Story/A1Story20121101-380919.html
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Motortrend: Toyota Supra Successor Back in the Pipeline
C'mon Honda, if Toyota can have a FT-86 and a Supra in their lineup (wouldn't it be nice to see a next gen MR2 as well), surely we can have a Accord Coupe, Civic Si, and a NEW PRELUDE!....
As
the Supra, Celica, and MR-S (MR2) progressively disappeared over the
last decade, so too did the excitement from Toyota's lineup. But sports
cars are back in the Japanese giant's product plan, led by the Lexus LFA
and the new Scion FR-S, which is just about to hit showroom floors. And
now it appears the green lamp is finally about to be lit on a
long-awaited Supra successor.
May 03, 2012
By Peter Lyon
Illustrator: Holiday Auto Magazine
Thursday, December 15, 2011
2015 Toyota Supra to be a hybrid with 400 hp - report
Smaller coupe also under considerationThe rumor mill is back in action as a new report is indicating Toyota is developing a Supra successor.
According to Motor Trend, the car will likely be launched in 2015 and feature a hybridized 3.5-liter V6 engine with more than 400 hp (298 kW / 406 PS). Additional information is limited, but the model will reportedly be rear-wheel drive and have styling that recalls the 2007 FT-HS concept.
In related news, engineers are reportedly working on a coupe version of the GRMN hybrid concept II concept. It could be launched by late 2014 and use the same hybridized 3.5-liter V6 engine as the Lexus GS 450h.
Source: http://www.worldcarfans.com/111121338997/2015-toyota-supra-to-be-a-hybrid-with-400-hp---report#ixzz1gcHWanU6
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Next Gen Toyota Supra underway!
Lexus plans super LFA Tokyo Edition, new Supra underwayBy Tim Pollard
Lexus will launch an LFA Tokyo Motor Show Edition at this autumn's 2011 Japanese show, CAR has discovered - and we can expect a brace of additional new Toyota/Lexus performance cars in the coming years, including a likely Supra replacement.
The Lexus LFA Tokyo edition will bring an M3-esque exposed carbon roof and (still hydraulically adjustable) carbon rear spoiler. Presumably this just means the weave is exposed, as the LFA is already made from carbonfibre.
CAR understands the LFA Tokyo will cost about €40k more than a 'regular' Lexus LFA.
What else is planned for the Lexus LFA?
A spider roadster was planned and its carbonfibre construction meant the open-top LFA was nearly as rigid as the coupe. But our sources in Japan have confirmed the roadster LFA has been canned owing to the economic uncertainty in markets around the world.
And what's this about new performance cars from Toyota/Lexus?
Toyota is working on two other performance cars separate from the FT-86 and LFA projects.
Information is sketchy at this point, but CAR understands one is a front-wheel drive car (possibly a go-faster CT200h) and one is a potential successor to the Supra.
Officially, a Supra replacement is denied. But we hear a skunkworks, unofficial project is underway to replace the RWD coupe and some insiders predict a 2014 launch.
It also sounds like future fast Toyota/Lexus models will switch from high-revving naturally aspirated engines - as in the LFA, ISF and FT-86 - to smaller, turbocharged engines. Interesting times at Toyota, as it attempts to play catch-up after a decade away from the performance heartland.
Source;
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Secret-new-cars/Search-Results/Spyshots/Lexus-to-launch-super-LFA-Tokyo-Edition-plus-new-Supra-underway/
Friday, July 30, 2010
You Asked For It, You Got It: Toyota Secures New Trademark on Supra Name
Wow, Toyota's getting serious about this sportscar stuff....shame, no S2000, no Prelude, sure we are getting a new hybrid version of a CRX....
Toyota has applied to trademark the iconic Supra name, according to documents it filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on July 16. The company’s previous trademark on the model name expired in 2006, and for the past four years Toyota didn’t bother to renew it.
This may be more than just business as usual. Only four days earlier, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda told journalists in Japan that he wants “to see the next Supra tested in the near future”, although he qualified that by adding “even if one president [Toyoda himself] says that we want to have a Supra again, the whole company is not going to be responding to that request.”
We spoke with Toyota’s vice president of external communications, Mike Michels, this afternoon for more info. Toyota, like many other carmakers, categorically won’t comment on future product plans except when, you know, they will. This was a case when they wouldn’t—Michels told us that Toyota likely just registered the name “provisionally” to “make sure we have a lot of latitude to use names in the future.” This is true, and it happens often. But the trademark system is really designed around use (or honest plans to use the trademark for a product), and, generally speaking, a company would have three years to use the name until it’s considered abandoned.
Of course, Toyota hasn’t revealed what it will be calling the on-again, off-again production version of the FT86 concept, which is a joint project with Subaru. Could it be called Supra? There’s also the possibility that the Supra name could be attached to a second, completely different model, leaving the FT86 to adopt the Celica badge. In any event, Toyota filing a trademark for the Supra name—especially when taken with Mr. Toyoda’s comments—is telling, but it’s still too early to bet the mortgage money on any one scenario. Until Toyota finally rolls out a new Supra and puts the speculation to rest—and gives enthusiasts a reason to look at the company again—you can at least enjoy a vintage one.
Source;
http://blog.caranddriver.com/you-asked-for-it-you-got-it-toyota-secures-new-trademark-on-supra-name/
Toyota has applied to trademark the iconic Supra name, according to documents it filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on July 16. The company’s previous trademark on the model name expired in 2006, and for the past four years Toyota didn’t bother to renew it.This may be more than just business as usual. Only four days earlier, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda told journalists in Japan that he wants “to see the next Supra tested in the near future”, although he qualified that by adding “even if one president [Toyoda himself] says that we want to have a Supra again, the whole company is not going to be responding to that request.”
We spoke with Toyota’s vice president of external communications, Mike Michels, this afternoon for more info. Toyota, like many other carmakers, categorically won’t comment on future product plans except when, you know, they will. This was a case when they wouldn’t—Michels told us that Toyota likely just registered the name “provisionally” to “make sure we have a lot of latitude to use names in the future.” This is true, and it happens often. But the trademark system is really designed around use (or honest plans to use the trademark for a product), and, generally speaking, a company would have three years to use the name until it’s considered abandoned.
Of course, Toyota hasn’t revealed what it will be calling the on-again, off-again production version of the FT86 concept, which is a joint project with Subaru. Could it be called Supra? There’s also the possibility that the Supra name could be attached to a second, completely different model, leaving the FT86 to adopt the Celica badge. In any event, Toyota filing a trademark for the Supra name—especially when taken with Mr. Toyoda’s comments—is telling, but it’s still too early to bet the mortgage money on any one scenario. Until Toyota finally rolls out a new Supra and puts the speculation to rest—and gives enthusiasts a reason to look at the company again—you can at least enjoy a vintage one.
Source;
http://blog.caranddriver.com/you-asked-for-it-you-got-it-toyota-secures-new-trademark-on-supra-name/
Friday, June 25, 2010
Toyota to launch two new hybrid sports cars: MR2 and Supra
According to the latest reports it appears that Toyota is ready to built two hybrid sports cars: a successor to the MR2 and a reborn Supra.First of all, we have the MR2 which is set to receive a hybrid powertrain based on a 1.5-liter petrol engine, just like the Honda CR-Z, which uses a 1.5-liter engine capable to deliver 102 hp but also an electric motor which develops an extra 20 hp. Apparently, the MR2, which will make its debut in 2013, was set to receive a V6 petrol engine but due to the success of the Honda CR-Z, Toyota changed its mind. Regarding the Supra successor, it seems that this car will be inspired by the FT-HS Concept unveiled back in 2007 at the Detroit Auto Show and will receive a V6 hybrid powertrain. Set to make its debut in late 2013 or 2014, the car’s development is now running almost in parallel with that of the FT-86.
Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/toyota-to-launch-to-new-hybrid-sports-cars-mr2-and-supra/#more-8958
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
No Big Surprise; Toyota Cancels Upcoming Toyota Supra to focus on Hybrids
Toyota Supra remains at the top of high-performance sports cars with the Mark I inline 6-cylinder generating 110 hp (82kW) to the twin-turbocharged Mark IV that comes with 320 hp (239kW). However, beginning 2002, Toyota moved away from the Supra image to the green vision of the Prius.With a move further down the hybrid lane, Toyota North America has canceled its Celica/Supra revival plans. Although at the Detroit Auto Show back in 2007 Toyota’s FT-HS concept seemed to point to an interest in a Supra resurrection, its current interest are more toward the production of hybrids in the US. This move is market-directed more than anything else. Toyota wants to build something they can sell and not just something customers can adore.
Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/upcoming-toyota-supra-canceled-due-to-the-financial-crisis/
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Look at all these Rumours, In front of me every day ....
At this point these are just rumours!
Here is a concept of the next gen Toyota Supra (V10 or V12 for 340k?!?)
They seem to think that the Next Gen Honda S2000 has been spared....
Nissan is apparently looking at bringing a 4 door GT-R to the market?!?
InsideLine's correspondent in Japan says that despite the global economic crisis that has caused the demise of the Acura NSX, there are plenty of good things on the way from Japan's top automakers.
Here is a concept of the next gen Toyota Supra (V10 or V12 for 340k?!?)
They seem to think that the Next Gen Honda S2000 has been spared....
Nissan is apparently looking at bringing a 4 door GT-R to the market?!?
InsideLine's correspondent in Japan says that despite the global economic crisis that has caused the demise of the Acura NSX, there are plenty of good things on the way from Japan's top automakers.Adding fuel to the rumormill fire, Peter Lyon reports that Nissan is hard at work developing two models based off the Nissan GT-R: the oft-rumored four-door Infiniti and a Porsche Cayenne-fighting SUV, a vehicle that has already been denied by Nissan. Naturally, he doesn't disclose his sources, nor does he go into detail about the automakers efforts, but both models are expected to be released sometime in 2011.
The rumored demise of the Lexus LF-A is also open to debate – yet again – and according to Lyon's logic, after Toyota made the decision to continue its Formula One campaign, the automaker "still wants to bring its first true supercar to market." The V10-powered luxo-coupe is supposedly 12 to 18 months off and pricing is expected to retail for close to $340,000.Two other vehicles on the chopping block that Lyon says have been spared are the Honda S2000 replacement, which could debut in late 2011 or early 2012, as well as Toyota's plans to bring back the Supra with V6 power in 2011. The all-new Subaru Legacy which debuted in Detroit is also slated to arrive in production form this May, with sales beginning sometime in the fall.
We are not entirely convinced that any of these projects are sure things, so until we get confirmation from the individual automakers, we'll remain comfortably numb to the news.
Source (via Inside Line).
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