I debated about making this thread, because somebody out there is going to say nasty things about this car; and I like it alot!













One thing I've learned is to not get too excited about all the "this is the next Supra" rumors. They just break my heart. But, this concept at least made the cover of AutoWeek. They think it will be a 400 hp, RWD hybrid! The AutoWeek article said maybe we would see this around 2009 or 2010. If Toyota builds it, I'll buy it. However, it does have the look of a concept car that would be extremely different than any production version (particularly the interior).

more info at....
http://www.roadandtrack.com/default.asp?section_id=15

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'90 Miata original owner
120 horsepower, no waiting
Loved and lost:
'84 944 and a '76 912E

Interesting from a design perspective, but you can see a lot of elements that won't make it into the final production if they do build it, some of the lines on the car just aren't practical and probably not all that easy to manufacture cheaply either. I'm all for more space-age style cars though, keeps the designers on their toes and just maybe a few less Chevy Lumina designs running around...

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K-Man S

The AutoWeek article goes into detail about the J-Factor and vibrant clarity design concepts used on the project.

The media has been playing this game a long time. This was one of the earlier pictures of the future Supra. I think that was published in Road & Track a while back.



It is nice to know that Toyota hasn't forgotten the sports car niche. After all, they will complete their world domination in ten years... and they could force us to all drive Camrys if they wanted. I was always a big fan of their sporty/sports cars (2000GT, Supra, MR2 and the Celica), and was pretty bummed when they ditched all of them. My Scion tC is one of the very few cars they make with any mildly sporty characteristics. I also believe that hybrid technology is the way of the future. So, it's comforting to know that we all aren't going to have to buzz around in sterile pods.

All your base are belong to us.

__________________
'90 Miata original owner
120 horsepower, no waiting
Loved and lost:
'84 944 and a '76 912E

I like it but its a bit too much "Star Wars" for me. I take it they raid Lexus 450 Hybrid for the parts?
Mike/Liverpool

Having owned both the Supercharged MR2 and the MR2 Turbo ... going from mid-engined to mid-engined was a no-brainer.

Any idea WHY Toyota stopped making MR2 Turbos in the mid-90s? I was told and read that once production dropped to below 50K units/year, it was no longer profitable to make them Porsche must to a tremendous job on their profit margins.

There is an interesting looking article about a (rare) '93 hardtop turbo MR2 in the recent issue of Sport Compact Car (Feb '07). I haven't read it yet, I'm about three craps away from it.

I'm sure it's all about the money. Toyota makes damn good cars. But, the one thing they do better than making cars is making money. I think last year, they made something like $12+ billion in profits (meanwhile, GM was posting $10.6 billion in losses).

I think it dates back to the first car they tried to sell in North America (the Crown, 1955 to 1962). They got burned so bad on that attempt that all their business decisions since then have been ultra conservative. It's very unfortunate. With their quality, market strength and financial capability, they could be producing a full line of sports cars... competing with everything from the Miata, to the 350Z, to (dare I say it) the 997.

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'90 Miata original owner
120 horsepower, no waiting
Loved and lost:
'84 944 and a '76 912E

And I do believe I have read elsewhere they have intentions of building Supra supercar ... a Z06 killer ... time will tell.

Interesting how sharp edges keep coming in and out of style. Very cyclic.

I have a friend who's a huge Supra fan. I'll have to point this out to him.

Cool looking car, but not my style.

I remember when in the early 90's Our friends in Japan decieded to build REAL fast/Sports cars. Honda for example, their R+D team where a little worried that they were going to struggle with the likes of Lotus/Ferrari/Lambo and Porsche................They shipped in a cross section of said cars and began to test them.............

By the end of the 1ST day after they pissed themselves at the piss poor build q and differcult handling they knew that it was going to be a cake walk! The NSX simply BLEW them away!

Toyota was next up with the Surpa, Autocar had it at a track day shoot out and it arrived late. Not run in and with an Autobox...........it can with in tenths of a sec of winner (Lotus Espirt S4S) Which blew up on the way home.

Autocar were shocked, the car producers were as well..........Porsche began work on the Boxster/next 911.............Ferrari the 355.........and Lotus went bust! (as usal)

The ONLY problem that our friends from Japan can't suss is this............You are not going to part with more than £50,000 for a car that doesn't have a "Name"................no matter HOW good it is!

Honda should have bought into Rover and got the MG.............Toyota should have lifted Lotus (its said that they were about to when GM mussled in)

So, i have no doult that the next gen of fast cars from the rising Sun will be brill, never break down etc..............but YOU won't buy one!

Mike

I'm not on the boat with this. Mercedes-Benz would have said something very similar about the luxury car market until 1989... and then Lexus showed up out of nowhere.

I'm not sure why the emphasis on ME. In fact, I'd bet that I would even be more willing to spend big bucks on a Toyota supercar than the average Cayman clubster.

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'90 Miata original owner
120 horsepower, no waiting
Loved and lost:
'84 944 and a '76 912E

Having owned many Toyotas, I guess I'd have to have one of each in my dreams

I buy a Toyota.....................but i would NOT pay more than £50K even if it had warp drive and could fly me to moom and back.
Mike

Bloody Hell the Lexus 450 weights in @ 1.9 Tons!!!!!
I wonder what this would weigh?
Mega