It will be called the Supra and it will be “by Gazoo”, which means straight from the horse’s mouth.
When the next generation Toyota Supra goes on sale at end of 2019, it will be badged as a Gazoo racing model and sold with that tag. This is according to Shigeki Toyama, president and CEO of Gazoo Racing. Tomoya told Motor1.com that the Supra would be made by Gazoo.
Gazoo, Toyota’s performance arm, manages the Japanese carmaker’s motorsport activities, including the World Rally Championship (WRC) and World Endurance Championship (WEC). It also oversees its most powerful road cars. The production model folio for the Toyota Yaris GRMN ($34,000) has been the only one available. However, this is set to change as a series of models will highlight the brand’s sporting intentions.
The flagship Toyota Supra will be unveiled officially in spring 2018. Although both cars will have distinct designs, the chassis and drivetrain were developed in collaboration with BMW. The Supra has a fixed roof, which is a departure from the Z4’s roadster body style. It also targets the BMW M3, BMW M4 or Porsche 911 to set a new benchmark for performance.
Tomoya stated that the Supra would be a pure sports car. To begin, we have to meet the expectations of our long-term supporters. The Supra’s previous model had a straight six-cylinder engine with twin turbochargers, rear-wheel drive, and rear-wheel steering. These were essential elements. These were important elements.
Tomoya confirmed that the Supra’s camouflaged version has been seen in Germany. He also confirmed that Toyota engineers were working alongside BMW colleagues in Munich. He also revealed to Motor1.com, that Toyota president AkioToyoda was a keen driver and huge gearhead. He gave feedback on the suspension and explained that the rear axle needed more mobility, but it should be easier to control.
Tomoya confirmed that the new Supra will have a 50/50 weight distribution, but he would not discuss a weight target for 3,306 pounds (1.500 kilograms), or any hybrid applications. He did however say that hybrid technology would be required for the future sports car. It’s more than about efficiency. It’s also about speed. Controlling the energy flow, regeneration and weight is the key challenge.
Gazoo Racing has gained knowledge of the growing aftermarket for Supra performance parts and will now prepare an aftermarket business. This will be based on its racing activities. We were all desperate to have five minutes with Mr. Toyoda so he said this: “I can’t tell you more except that it’s going to really cool!”
We are happy to accept the word of a man who drives to work on a carbon-clad 97 Supra with 600 hp (447 kW)