Photo: Mark Farrington
The collaboration between Toyota and BMW over a new sportscar is a subject everyone has heard of and developed an opinion on, while the two automakers are still silent as fish about it.
What we know so far?
Toyota is back into sportscar territory, with the introduction of the GT 86 affordable sports coupe in 2012 and plans to give it two other brothers - a smaller and a bigger one to be exactly.
The Japanese automaker confirmed one of the siblings by introducing that gorgeous FT-1 concept at the 2014 Detroit Motor Show, previewing the lines of a new Supra - the GT 86’ bigger brother if we have to label it. In fact, Toyota did applied for the “Supra” trademark in the US, so it’s kind of official that whatever comes above the GT 86 will wear the name of the legendary 2JZ titan.
Everybody said that BMW helped with the project and this was what they were secretly working on. False... as a source close to Toyota came out an said BMW had nothing to do with the new concept, which by the way it is the pride and joy of Calty’s Design studios in California.
So, if Toyota wasn’t working with BMW over the new Supra, then it has to be the smaller sportscar, with rumors telling it might be some sort of new Z4. Of course, it’s Toyota equivalent will be a bit detuned and using more plastic inside to keep it affordable. Some said it might cost $16,000 and “sport” a 100 hp 1.5-liter engine, which seem a bit unrealistic. But you know, Japanese have a special gift of making good-looking cars with tiny engines.
Moreover, the new thing could come out in 2016 when BMW celebrates its 100th anniversary, at an estimated price of around €45,000, while the Toyota equivalent with less luxury and maybe performance might come €35,000.
Indeed, it sounds good for a next-generation Supra, but then the idea is opposing the statement that BMW had nothing to do with the FT-1 concept. But who knows, since the FT-1 was said to be just a concept that will dictate the automaker’s future design, maybe BMW and Toyota are actually working on a high performance sportscar.
The small sportscar slotted under the GT 86 might be under development in Japan actually. If you remember, Toyota’s engineers were secretly working on the TE-Spyder concept in their free time. This really seems as a more plausible entry level sportscar as its built on a lightweight MR2-type platform and comes with hybrid powertrain.
In the end, all we can do is wait and see what the two automakers were doing behind the curtains once the sister cars will finally be revealed.
Toyota is back into sportscar territory, with the introduction of the GT 86 affordable sports coupe in 2012 and plans to give it two other brothers - a smaller and a bigger one to be exactly.
Everybody said that BMW helped with the project and this was what they were secretly working on. False... as a source close to Toyota came out an said BMW had nothing to do with the new concept, which by the way it is the pride and joy of Calty’s Design studios in California.
So, if Toyota wasn’t working with BMW over the new Supra, then it has to be the smaller sportscar, with rumors telling it might be some sort of new Z4. Of course, it’s Toyota equivalent will be a bit detuned and using more plastic inside to keep it affordable. Some said it might cost $16,000 and “sport” a 100 hp 1.5-liter engine, which seem a bit unrealistic. But you know, Japanese have a special gift of making good-looking cars with tiny engines.
The “news”
If everything seemed somehow sorted out so far, the guys over at Autozeitung came with the idea that the BMW product of the joint project will be using a 400hp 3-liter turbocharged 6-cylinder engine, while most of its body will be made out of CFRP and aluminum, aiming at a 50:50 weight distribution. This sounds like an i8 with a gasoline engine if you ask us.Our opinion
According to what Toyota hinted at so far, Autozeitung’s speculation seems like pure fantasy. A car like that wouldn’t fit as an affordable sportscar bellow the GT 86 even without the six-cylinder engine.Indeed, it sounds good for a next-generation Supra, but then the idea is opposing the statement that BMW had nothing to do with the FT-1 concept. But who knows, since the FT-1 was said to be just a concept that will dictate the automaker’s future design, maybe BMW and Toyota are actually working on a high performance sportscar.
In the end, all we can do is wait and see what the two automakers were doing behind the curtains once the sister cars will finally be revealed.
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