gavriil

The most exciting Japanese supercar ever to be developed is under starter's orders, Auto Express can reveal. Toyota's eagerly anticipated road car - to mark its current involvement in Formula One - has been given the green light, and is expected to make its public debut at October's Tokyo Motor Show.

The rear-wheel-drive machine will be powered by a 4.5-litre V8 and wear a Lexus badge. It heralds the arrival of the prestige brand in the maker's home market, where it has never been sold. Taking inspiration from the stylised red coupé that appeared in last year's Steven Spielberg film, Minority Report, the two-seater is likely to be built in the US to get round Japan's 280bhp limit on performance cars. That means it could offer as much as 400bhp.

Despite the sudden decision to debut the vehicle at Tokyo, there's still no word on when it will appear in showrooms. Our source claimed it wouldn't go on sale until the Toyota team was faring better on the track.

gavriil

Lexus really needs something like that. It's a must.

chef chris

wow

Python2121

there are so many problems with that concept, i wonder what it will actually look like

farberstyle

it reminds me of the cars in minority report. those were lexus tooo.

farberstyle

wait my bad. that IS the car from minority report.....

http://www.concept/folder/ve...&autoShowID=13

mantis23

fahoumh

I'm very interested to see what the production version will look like.

jimcol711

morons, thats a frickin MOVIE PROP!!! thats not a real car, nor will it ever be.

fahoumh

that is uncalled for...grow up

ApocalypseCL

actually buddy yeah it is gonna be a real car

1SICKLEX

I am so for it. But I doubt it is built in the US, no plant for it at all here. I can't wait.

SilverCL225hp

The big three Japanese carmakers really need at least one supercar in their lineup.

Honda has NSX, Nissan has GTR, it is just a matter of time when the new NSX and GTR come. But what about Toyota?

ApocalypseCL

Toyota hs the new Supra thats putting out 315 horse i think. but it should come out with better

aaron1017

I am confused as to which is the front and the rear.

Moog-Type-S

My guess is that it's gonna have to change some to be street/USA legal....but who knows

gavriil

Toyota is also rumored to be exploring possibilities for an exotic. Something that looks like the Saleen S7 and the MT900 from Mossler.

SilverCL225hp

Supra is supposed to be the 350Z level of sports car or GT, not good enough to be a supercar/exotics.

1SICKLEX

IS 430 coming. Oh my, then the supercar!

gavriil

Toyota's secret supercar - - - Source: Autocar



There’s a revolution underway at Toyota, borne of a single purpose: to make Toyota’s line-up more attractive to more people in more countries around the world. Autocar can exclusively reveal that this revolution will be crowned by the launch a flagship supercar, which will look like this.

Codenamed TXS, the new V10-powered supercar is being developed in Japan and is a clear signal that Toyota is readying itself for a major shift in philosophy on its performance cars.

This is no pie-in-the-sky project like the Toyota-badged, but Italdesign-Giugiaro penned, hybrid MTRC concept car revealed at this week’s Geneva Motor Show and first shown in our news pages last week.

Instead, this is a proper Toyota-developed machine, a striking rear-wheel-drive mid-engined supercar in the classic mould. Autocar’s sources say the TXS has already been granted provisional production car status to take on rivals like the Honda NSX and Nissan Skyline, as well as the Lamborghini Gallardo and Ferrari 360 Modena. Toyota bosses are waiting for the F1 programme to provide success before commencing production.

Details about the new two-seater remain scarce, but it’s likely to receive a new, naturally aspirated V10 engine from the company’s production car division. Using the same cylinder bore spacing as the 4.3-litre V8 used in the Lexus LS430, the modular alloy-block unit displaces 5.4 litres and is thought to run the VVT-i variable valve timing system used on a variety of Toyota engines to allow a red line over 8000rpm. Given Toyota’s reputation for delivering engines with high specific outputs, it’s entirely probable the TXS will end up with a Lamborghini Gallardo-challenging 500bhp.

This would make it the most powerful roadgoing Toyota ever and, along with an estimated 370lb ft of torque from the new V10, help provide the basis for similar levels of performance to Sant’Agata’s mid-engined star. With a weight of ‘under 1350kg’ and a manual six-speed ’box, expect spectacular performance – as in 0-60mph in sub-4.0sec and a 190mph-plus top speed.

Good news for British enthusiasts is that the Toyota supercar’s Japanese origins mean right-hand drive production is assured. Obviously, it is too early to talk prices, but, unlike most Toyota models, affordability won’t be among the TXS’s strong points. Predictions range anywhere from £70,000 all the way up to £120,000.

Source: Autocar Mag.

pimpscls

thats a nice looking car

einsatz

Isn't "autocar" a bit reduntant?
Looks cool, sounds hot.

kansaiwalker1

It will be great if Toyota really really really intends to build it!!!

gavriil

I think they will. Not so much for that car per se, but for the direction it will give for mainstream cars. The key intend it that "they want to give a new sporty design theme to their cars" That's what warrants money spent on a supercar like that. It all makes sense.

chef chris

WOW

Collective27

V10 huuu....

Hello Honda, you alive, your bigest competetor toyota is making a V10 supercar with over 500 hp and the HSC which will be the new NSX has a V6 making "over 300 hp"....this thing will prob smack the new nsx around if this is all true...

ItalianStallion

looks like the lexus from minority report. could be a beast. what about the hybrid supercar concept from toyota? anyone think the two are related? not by engine obviously but by general design direction and maybe a future itteration of the same car?

Chaptorial

Its got a stretched out Celica hood type of look. Very nice.

1SICKLEX

This engine will find it's way in the new Lexus to be above the LS 430 by 2007.....

gavriil

I was wondering about that. It was my first thought when I saw this report. Then I thought, this is probably a separate project. The volta is probably a project which is trying to prove that hybrid and exotic can go together. In a few years time though. This car shown here is probably a lot closer to reality/production.

gavriil

Dont forget. Toyota has presence in F1 for 2 years now and they build the engine and the chasis. Honda has been an engine provider for the past several years to sub-par chasis makers.

Which reminds me. I was watching the Australia F1 qualifiers and they showed the tachometer of a Bar Honda car! I was blown away. I thought rpm range is one of the top secrets with F1 engines. The driver was changing gears at around 18300 rpm. Which proves rumors of a year ago of 19000 rpm engines from Ferrari.

gavriil

I doubt that. A V12 will be more likely for that car. And Toyota has been a V12 producer for several years now (worn by their limo car in Japan).

thatguy

maybe this is the new toyota GT... One

SilverCL225hp

I like the idea of having a V10 engine above LS430 instead of a V12.

nandowong

I would love to hear that engine from the drivers seat.

astro

tuned down f1 engine anyone?

3.0L v10?

GreenMonster

Toyota really needs to make something like this. Everyone else has a "flagship", but there's not one (at least that I can recongise) in Toyotas lineup.

You got the Viper, NSX, etc. for the other companies, so I think it would be a good move for toyota to come out with something special.

goldmember

I guess their flagship is the critically acclaimed LS430 & SC430, but I do get your drift.

gavriil

You could. Through the in-car camera used during qualifying and racing.

gavriil

The closest we have today is the engine in the Enzo. Soon we'll get BMW's offering with the engine in the M5 and M6 cars.