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Sad that it's come to this. Supra/NSX are both classics. Compare the hype buildup between the FT-1 and NSX. The NSX thread gets a LOT more action, but skepticism is rampant.
Yah it was also never advertised with a released date. As of right now it is just a concept car and that is all it is.
Whut? You saying the FT-1 was not talked about and talked about and talked about and teased and prototyped for years? Whut? I thought what Hondard is doing is what ALL car companies do!
Buzz, but no real confirmation, I'd say... who knows, they could very well be working on this, but unlike Acura, they don't keep saying "hey, guess what everyone! we designed the cup holders!" and then 2 months later "hey, guess what everyone! we decided on the air vent placement!" and then 3 months later "hey, guess what everyone..."
I mean, it feels like this car has fallen off everyone's radar, which I'd say is a good thing, because when it is finally announced or showcased, it'll be a pleasant surprise
The FT-1 Concept from years ago is getting closer than ever to reality.
BMW Z4 and Toyota Supra successors to roll off the Austrian assembly line in 2018[/h]BMW and Toyota have picked Magna Steyr to build their upcoming roadster developed from a joint platform, according to a report. The next generation BMW Z4, likely to be called the Z5, and the Toyota Supra successor will run off the assembly line in the contract manufacturer's plant in Graz, Austria, starting 2018, the Kleine Zeitung local newspaper reported. It said annual production of 60,000 cars is planned for the two models.
BMW has said it will contract Magna Steyr to build a new model next year after it decided to end production of the Mini Paceman and Countryman in Graz this year but has not named the model. The Countryman likely will be built at the VDL Nedcar factory in the Netherlands that already produces the Mini hatchback, although BMW has not yet disclosed the new production location. The Paceman is being axed.
A Magna Steyr spokesman said the company was not yet permitted to say which BMW model would replace production of the Paceman and Countryman.
Spokespeople at BMW and Toyota Europe declined comment on the Kleine Zeitung report.
The current Z4 has been on the market since May 2009 and BMW executives said early this year that no final approval had been given for a replacement despite the completion of feasibility studies. Demand for two-seaters is largely dormant, which prompted BMW to ax the Mini Coupe and Roadster, along with the Paceman. Z4 sales fell 47 percent in the first quarter and the model accounts for just three-tenths of 1 percent of BMW brand’s volume.
When asked then by Automotive News Europe whether it was still financially worth competing in the roadster segment, BMW CEO Harald Krueger said the company's cooperation with Toyota would help. "BMW has a long roadster tradition," he said. "We will occupy the segment once more. It's not big, but it's important for the strength of the brand."
Magna Steyr is a unit of Canada's Magna International and its specialty is building low volume cars, ideal for a niche model like a roadster. The Graz factory currently builds the Mercedes G class SUV and will add an as yet unnamedJaguar Land Rover model in 2017. Production of the Peugeot RCZ coupe at the plant ended last year.
Earlier this month Magna Steyr said retooling works at the Graz plant are on schedule and will be completed next year. It forecast that annual production at Graz will surpass 200,000 vehicles in 2018. Last year Graz built 103,904 cars.
Toyota still won’t confirm that a successor to the Supra is in development, but we know better.
The Japanese automaker has been teasing a new Supra ever since the brilliant FT-1 Concept debuted, and now rumor has it that Toyota is developing an all-new, twin-turbo V6 engine for its sports car. The powerplant will reportedly have more than 400 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque and will also be used to power the new Lexus GS and LS models. Car Keys cites Japanese publication Mag-X, which received the information from Toyota insiders. Internally, the engine code is 943F.
On paper, it all makes sense, especially since the Toyota Supra’s successor is expected to be the result of a collaboration with BMW and Toyota. BMW is expected to use the platform for the new Z5, which will likely have turbocharged four- and six-cylinder engines under the hood. It’s unlikely that Toyota will want to use a BMW engine, which means it has to develop a new powerplant that will work with the co-developed platform.
Various automakers, especially luxury ones, are turning to smaller turbocharged engines to increase performance and fuel efficiency. The last Toyota Supra used a twin-turbocharged inline-six engine, but even the recent GT-R has moved to a V6 powerplant, so don’t be surprised if Toyota pursues a new engine to make its Supra a contender. It has also been rumored that the next Supra will be a hybrid, but we have a suspicion this V6 might be more fun.
optimistic reaction: we can't tell much from this camo'ed prototype, if it is even the next Supra. The body shape could be completely arbitrary and only meant for confusion.
They haven't exactly been producing vehicles with "that kind of thrill" for a while.
true, but what was the point of teasing with the FT-1 then? I mean I didn't EXPECT it to look just like the FT-1, but at least bring some of that emotion into the final? Some lines and grooves, themes, etc.
Anyways, I will optimistically assume that the camo'ed vehicle is intentionally meant to confuse and draw exactly these kinds of discussions.
08-17-2015, 10:37 AM
