The New Supra Come out In 2018, Hybrid, AWD

Toyota’s sports car fans can finally celebrate, as the new Toyota Supra is said to come out in 2018. Autocar suggest that the new Japanese sports car will be out soon after the BMW Z5 – another car that was a result of the collaboration between the world’s biggest automaker and Munich. The partnership was set back in 2012, but the companies have decided to now go separate ways, which had to do a lot with their dissimilar development processes.

The new Toyota will replace the MkIV Supra that last came out in 2002 and is inspired by the one-of-a-kind FT-1 concept shown that astonished us during the Detroit Auto Show back in 2014. And in case you wonder why the upcoming model is positioned above the 86 in the company’s lineup – it’s because it carries that Supra name, whose place was always above the Celica and the AE86 Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno, which inspired the 86.

Based on that the car will also cost more than the 86 - which the company will hopefully justify with a complex powertrain and supercar-style construction. Rumour has it that both Toyota Supra and BMW Z5 will be a four-wheel drive with hybrid system, and a BMW engine (supposedly a petrol straight-six) with electric motors attached to supercapacitors. The carbon fiber construction is also likely to appear – BMW’s specialty – based on the great success that the use of material had in the BMW i3, i8 and G12 7 Series.
Despite the plenty under-the-hood similarities you can find between the Supra and the Z5, both companies have decided to make the cars popular within different segments of the sports car market.

New BMW Z5-Spy Shot

When asked if the platform was scalable having in mind the potential differences in the wheelbase of both cars, Robertson responded, “Gone are the days when one platform was one platform. Most of our platforms are scalable these days.” He further added that it’s more likely that both models will be produced in the same factory either in the US or Europe, rather than in Japan.

“One part of the next phase will be deciding who builds the car – which company and in which country. We need to find out where the markets are and whether the biggest markets are the same for both companies.”
What about Lexus – will it take part in the sports car joint venture? For now that’s not really an option.