Possible new Supra or Celica in the works! Toyota-BMW joint project

[Guest MrLolololXD]

It's not exactly new news straight off the steaming hot press, but I thought I'd post it up for anyone that hasn't already heard. I hope the whole thing goes ahead and doesn't eventually die off. And it better not be a hybrid...

 

With similarities to the successful 86/BRZ project, German and Japanese giants announce a partnership to build a new sports car that could revive the Celica or Supra.

 

The revival of Toyota’s Supra sports car could be closer following an announcement that the Japanese giant that has recently revived the affordable sports car with the new 86 coupe will jointly develop a car with BMW.

 

BMW and Toyota confirmed plans that will see the two car makers jointly conceive, engineer and produce a new sports car as part of a broad reaching technical partnership that is also set to centre around lightweight constructions, fuel cell development and hybrid powertrains.

 

The announcement of the partnership, which builds on an existing agreement for the supply of BMW diesel engines for various Toyota models from 2014 onwards, follows the signing of a memorandum by BMW boss Norbert Reithofer and Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda in Munich, Germany.

 

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No official details to the new joint BMW and Toyota sports car project were revealed.

 

However, European automotive industry observers suggest the collaboration may provide the basis for the return of the Toyota Supra possibly on a future architecture to be used by the BMW 6-Series – itself heavily related to the German car maker’s popular 5-Series.

 

The Supra, once the performance spearhead of the Toyota line-up, was last produced in 2002.

 

A hybrid powered concept car by the name of FT-HS revealed by Toyota at the 2007 Detroit motor show was considered as the first step in the development of a new Supra model. However, the Japanese car maker abandoned plans for a new performance coupe during the worldwide economic downturn in 2009 before reigniting development of its stillborn Lexus LF-A supercar.

 

Alternatively, Toyota may seek to return the iconic Celica to its line-up using a structure provided by the BMW 3-Series.

 

The Celica was produced between 1971 and 2006 before being unceremoniously dumped from the Toyota line-up as part of a round of cost cutting measures.

 

Early Celicas drove the rear wheels before the once popular coupe switched to front-wheel-drive in the 1980s.

 

Toyota has recent experience in joint venture sports car projects, having conceived and developed its popular new 86 sports coupe to production maturity in partnership with Subaru, whose new BRZ is the same car.

 

The arrival of the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ twins prompted enthusiasts to refer to them as the Toyobaru.

 

No doubt the blogosphere will be rushing to name the yet-to-be-revealed Toyota and BMW sports cars – the Beemertoy, perhaps? Or maybe the Toybeemer?

 

Subaru is set to launch the new BRZ in Australia in mid-July.

 

With Reithofer and Toyoda to emphasis the depth of the agreement, the new sports car would likely draw on Toyota’s expertise in the field of hybrid drive.

 

It is also likely that it would use certain aspects of BMW’s lightweight construction technology being developed for its upcoming BMW i3 an i8 models.

 

“Toyota is strong in hybrids and fuel cells. I believe BMW’s strength is developing sports cars. They know how to make a car perform. I get excited thinking about the cars that will result from this relationship,” said Toyoda.

 

I can't wait for more details! :)

 

I hope it's not hybrid, that would really suck. Some kind of twin charged engine would be pretty cool, maybe a converted 2UR or something. :D Although knowing that the partner this time is BMW, that brings some slight assurance that it might end up not being a hybrid (that is if both manufacturers use the same basic engine like in the BRZ and 86...).

 

Also makes me wonder, has Toyota forgotten how to make a sports car? For their first 2 sports cars since the Celica's demise in 2006, they've enlisted help of other manufacturers...

 

 

Also, it bloody well better not be a Supra if it's hybrid...

[Ryzza5]

BMW were trying to save time by getting hybrid tech info out of Toyota from other articles I've read from quite a while ago. I guess Toyota has to get something out of the deal, but they wouldn't want to shoot themselves in the foot after just releasing the 86, which is great, if not slightly underpowered in the minds of some.