Interviews with Chief Engineer Tetsuya Tada

[supraboi]

And another poorly translated article via Google.

https://gqjapan.jp/car/story/20180405/toyota-all-new-supras-tada/page/3

Toyota All-New Supra's Development Confidential Story

I do not plan to make a reprint version! ── The next Toyota SUPRA development project started in the past

Supra is revived from Toyota. Such a rumor became reality one time and the countdown until the debut finally came close. How did the project of the next SUPRA begin? I asked Mr. Tetsuya Tada of Chief Engineer the birth privacy story.

Go to BMW Headquarters tomorrow
The next generation Toyota Supra counted as the fifth generation aims to be released in 2019 and the joint development with BMW is approaching the final stage. Toyota's commander Tetsuya Tada, who leads this project , told the days from the start of development until the time when the " GR SUPRA RACING CONCEPT " was released at the Geneva Motor Show .

"When I was doing a test ride for Toyota 86 in Europe in May 2012, when Mr. Uchiyamada got a call from me (who was a deputy chairman at that time)," Call me Omie, a secret to anyone BMW headquarters in Munich Please go there, where Mr. ○ ○ is waiting, so I asked if you can make a car with BMW "

"At that time, I thought" What on earth are you talking about? ", But after a while trying to go as instructed, a very friendly person came out," It might be possible to do this " It was all the beginning that I felt. "

Eight months later, Toyota officially announced collaboration with BMW. "Sports car development" was listed as one of the four areas revealed here. That was the most proof of what Mr. Tada's negotiations had officially announced.

Based on the sports car joint development plan announced at this time, BMW decides to produce the next Z4 , and Toyota to produce the next SUPRA.

Of these, it is clear that Z4 will be a two-door model combining BMW-like luxury sports coupe, that is, not only for running but also comfort and luxury, but what sort of Toyota wanted to make Toyota? I asked Mr. Tada.

Two features common to successive supra
"Since it was not originally determined as SUPRA, we studied various possibilities in the first 1-2 years, for example, the idea of making a high-tech sports car by Midship, and like the SUPRA under development There was a way of thinking to make it a car. "

"However, immediately after releasing 86 at that time, Toyota fans around the world who had been asleep half as much as that received a lot of feedback, among which the strongest was the revival of Supra, A lot of hot messages arrived from the market. "

Nonetheless, Mr. Tada did not intend to make a reprint of the former Supra.

"Although it seems that making a revival version of an old model is now booming, I did not plan to make such a car.On the other hand, there are two features common to successive Supra, one is straight 6 that the engine is loaded and the other is adopting the FR layout of the front engine and the rear drive (rear wheel drive) "

"The model that has kept these two stubbornly is really rare, and there is another personal feeling in Supra, and the development director of the prestige SUPRA strictly told me Iloha making a car strictly It was a teacher who taught.When I remember a lot about that time, I came to the conclusion that I can not do anything to sell a car that is not FR, as Supra. "

Besides, Mr. Tada was not just a FR layout sporty coupe, but was trying to realize a pure sports car pursuing pure running with the next-generation Supra.

I have not given up anything
"This point was a bit different in direction from BMW aiming to distribute luxury and sports in a well-balanced manner, so first of all bring together the best shapes each other thinks and use places that can be used together, not so Where the direction of developing separately is solid, this discussion was also very fresh for me. "

Although it is easy to make individually if it is equipments and designs, compromise is not allowed on the relationship between the wheelbase and the tread which can be said to dominate the nature of running. How did you reach this point?

"Initially the position was different but as BMW side showed us more understanding as we discussed each other a lot,

BMW once used to make pure sports car like M1. However, as competition among premium brands has intensified, in terms of sportiness, it is not necessarily true that BMW's position is consistent just as it once was.

With such thought also, the BMW side gradually changed in the direction that "If you really want to make pure sports, I will cooperate seriously also here" .... Regarding the background, Tada explained about such a purpose.

"There is nothing I gave up on the part about what to do with a wheelbase or suspension thanks to the engine, thanks to the engine, thanks to"

Intention to bring a racing car
By the way, what was announced at the Geneva show is the racing concept developed based on the next-generation SUPRA. This is an LM GTE specification, which has advanced racing specifications that can participate in the Le Mans 24-hour GT class etc.

What was the intention of bringing the racing car to the first announcement of the next SUPRA?

"The concept car we announced this time has been developed totally with the wind tunnel of TMG (a German technical group that develops Toyota's Le Mans cars etc.), and it is highly complete."

"Considering the specifications required by the racing car before completing the mass-produced car, if you incorporate this into the mass production car in advance, you can considerably reduce the cost of making the racing car. It is the most reason for announcing the next-generation SUPRA as the racing concept this time. "

Pure sports car that was strongly conscious of participating in the race from debut ... I can hardly wait for the birth of the next-generation Supra that is expected to be 2019.

Tada Tetsuya | Tetsuya Tada
Next Generation Toyota Supra Chief Engineer
Born in Ehime Prefecture in 1957. After graduating from university, I started up a venture company for computer system development, and then joined in 1987. After joining the company, he was in charge of developing a new system such as ABS electrical evaluation and sports ABS, and in 1993 he was involved in the development of chassis control system for WRC rally in Germany. In 2007 he was 86 chief engineer.

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[Captain_Kirk]

2019 Toyota Supra preview

As comebacks go, it’s a big one.

However, even the most enthusiastic of Toyota top brass admit they were underprepared for the song and dance that is being made about the return of the Supra – a car that has managed to retain its hard-earned reputation for style and performance despite having not been in production since 2002.

“The reaction up to now has been quite incredible,” says the man in charge of the new-for-2019 model, Supra engineering boss, Tetsuya Tada.

“It is a car a lot of people have been waiting a long time for us to return to the lineup, and the expectations are naturally quite high. I don’t think it will disappoint. Front engine and rear drive. With such a concept, you can have the greatest amount of fun.”

Tada-san’s words bring promise to the car that is set to share its mechanical package with the upcoming fourth-generation BMW Z4. It’s also good news that Toyota is not simply settling for a standard version of the new coupe, but has also engaged its Gazoo Racing performance car division to engineer a 300kW-plus variant of the new Supra.

The fact the company suggests the program acts as a spearhead for an extended range of hot new GR (Gazoo Racing) badged performance models definitely places it on the ‘one to watch’ list.

The range-topping version of the new rear-wheel drive Supra, which a senior Gazoo Racing manager has revealed to MOTOR is referred to by insiders as the Raijin – the mythological Japanese god of thunder – is set to run a powered-up version of its partner BMW’s turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine.

That engine will be paired with a specially developed version of ZF’s eight-speed automatic gearbox featuring software mapping similar to that employed by the latest M5. It’s a combination aimed at placing the Supra GR – as the new car is tipped to be called – in competition with the likes of the Nissan 370Z Nismo.

In the new two-door Toyota, the BMW engine is reported to use a number of technical solutions already employed on BMW M division’s S55 unit – as used by the M3, M4 and the M2 Competition. It’s a move that sources reveal sees it develop in the region of 300kW while possessing the capability to rev to 7800rpm.

Despite its high-revving nature, though, the front, longitudinally-mounted inline six-cylinder is said to develop a similar 550Nm of torque to the S55 engine at little more than 1500rpm. They’re figures that hint it will not only be extremely flexible in nature, but promise to provide the hardcore Supra model with the sort of performance credentials to blow the lighter, four-cylinder-powered 86 out of the water.

The targeting of the Nissan 370Z Nismo by Gazoo Racing officials suggests the upcoming Supra GR, which is largely being developed by a European based team of engineers from a base at the Nurburgring, will boast a 0-100km/h time less than 5.0sec together with a top speed limited to 250km/h.

Among the features MOTOR has been told will appear on the new car is an electronically-controlled locking rear differential to vary the apportioning of drive to the individual rear wheels for added traction.

Toyota’s plans to get Gazoo Racing more heavily involved in the development of future performance models was echoed at the recent Geneva Motor Show, where it revealed an aggressively styled racing version of the Supra dubbed the GR Supra Racing Concept (the red road car is our own exclusive illustration).

Planned to be pressed into action at the Nurburgring 24 Hour in 2019, it provides the first tacit clues to the top-of-the-line road-going Supra.

At Geneva, the new concept featured a new interpretation of Gazoo Racing’s red, white and black racing livery together with the number 90, which Toyota says is a historical reference to the new Supra’s codename. The original Supra, launched in 1978, was codenamed A40. It was succeeded by the A60 in 1981, the A70 in 1986 and the A80 in 1993.

Before the Supra GR arrives in Australian showrooms in 2020, however, Toyota will have its hands full establishing the standard version of its new two-door, which like its predecessor features an expansive fastback style tailgate for added practicality.

Set to debut at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2019 – some five years after the unveiling of the FT-1 concept heralded its return – the new two-seat Toyota coupe, which goes under the official codename J29, has been developed in a joint engineering program with the fourth-generation BMW Z4. The Z4 should hit showrooms just before the Supra.

Unlike the new fixed-roof Supra, though, the upcoming Z4 is planned to be offered exclusively in roadster guise with a folding fabric roof, as hinted to by the Concept Z4 revealed at last year’s Pebble Beach Concourse in Monterey, USA, in August.

Speaking to MOTOR, Tada-san refuted claims the new Supra is behind schedule, saying it is “steadily progressing in line with engineering targets”. He also insists it will be a very different car to the Z4.

“It is different in character and philosophy to the BMW, they are two different cars,” he says. “We developed our own individual ideas then we shared them to identify where we can share common components.”

The basis for the new Supra is the latest version of BMW’s rear-wheel drive platform, the CLAR (cluster architecture) platform as it is known internally. It uses a floorplan featuring a multi-metal matrix of hot-formed high strength steel and aluminium together with a suspension with double wishbones up front and a five-link arrangement at the rear.

The decision to link up with BMW has seen much of the engineering of the new Supra carried out in Germany. As well as sharing its platform and driveline with the upcoming Z4, MOTOR can reveal much of its body engineering was carried out at KET Karosserie Entwicklung Thurner, a Munich-based specialist that also provides know-how for much of the German car industry, including Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen.

Although it is yet to be made official, standard Supra models are understood to share the same engine as the upcoming Z4 sDrive40i. In the new coupe and roadster pairing, the front-mounted turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder is planned to deliver 265kW, with drive channelled through an eight-speed torque-converter-equipped automatic gearbox featuring steering wheel-mounted shift paddles.

Recent documents lodged with the Japanese motor registry department reveal the dimensions of the new Supra, which is claimed to measure 4380mm in length, 1860mm in width and 1295mm in height. By comparison, the fourth-generation Supra measured 4515mm in length, 1811mm in width and 1265mm in height.

Production of the new Supra is planned to take place alongside the Z4 at production specialist Magna in Graz, Austria, beginning late this year. But while the new Toyota is not due in Australian showrooms until 2019, fans will be able to get a chance to drive it, albeit virtually, as the GR Supra Racing Concept has been given a digital treatment in a recent update of Gran Turismo Sport.

The new Supra should play to the heartstrings of 2JZ fanatics the world over with a BMW 3.0-litre straight-six turbo (in various states of tune) finding its way into the engine bay. Although it’s yet to be confirmed, the B58 boosted six (with a bit of S55 know-how) seems to be the logical fit, harking back to the glory days with the likes of the 2JZ-GTE.

The recently updated B58 is used in models with a ‘40i’ designation and it predominately produces a healthy 250kW/500Nm; although the power figure is likely to reach 265kW as a base in the Supra.

What will be music to the ears of tuners is that the engine was designed with strength and durability in mind. So we’d say that there’s a bit of room to play with (something that’s been a Supra mainstay) in regards to gaining more than the 300kW figure.

The B58 uses a twin-scroll turbo, which has been moved closer to the manifold for better response, while the water-to-air intercooler is cleverly packaged within the inlet manifold. Plasma-coated cylinder sleeves and a ‘closed-deck’ design allow for more boost despite the high 11.0:1 compression ratio.

Four Things Toyota Did to Create the Supra Racing Concept

1 - A massive rear wing and diffuser will create much needed downforce, while the body is made of lightweight composite material. The windscreen and side windows are also made of plastic to keep the overall weight and centre of gravity low.

2 - Centre-lock BBS racing wheels are fitted with Michelin slicks while Brembo Racing calipers and discs have been used.

3 - The cabin is ready for competition with a racing dashboard, OMP driver’s seat harness and quick release steering with a paddle-shift system.

4 - It also already meets safety regulations thanks to a full roll cage, fire extinguisher as well as a host of competition-standard requirements.

Four Things That Will Make the Supra Special

1 - The overall design has been around for five years, but the final production car isn’t slated for debut until the Detroit Motor Show in 2019.

2 - Propulsion should come from a range of turbocharged inline sixes from BMW. Power is expected to peak at more than 300kW for the range-topping GR variant.

3 - The rear-wheel drive coupe is expected to use a specifically designed ZF eight-speed, torque converter automatic transmission. Sadly there’s been no word on a possible manual option.

4 - The Supra’s basic architecture is believed to be based off BMW’s CLAR rear-wheel drive platform. Double wishbone front suspension should accompany a five-link rear setup with a rumoured electronically-controlled locking rear diff.

https://www.whichcar.com.au/features/2019-toyota-supra-preview

 

[vb22]

It does look good after all the racing stuff is taken off.

 

[Guff]

A lot of specific stuff there! I do have a general mistrust of pretty much all Australian publications though, so who knows. It's pretty in line with what we've been thinking though.

 

[HKz]

yea...some contradictions or confirmations I guess like claiming most of the development being done in Germany vs Japan and claiming that the GR Supra would be in the same class as the Nismo 370Z. I get Australia has a different coupe market but still..

 

[MA617M]

In Au the 370Z is almost as expensive as a BMW M2, for not even close to the performance wise. I was hugely disappointed in the zed, and felt the 86 was a superior car despite less power.

Correct me if wrong, but I assumed from insider hints that a GR Supra would be nudging towards GT-R competition?

Yeah, their sources have not been consistent so far, I believe the tidbits left by insiders here more than their info. But some of their logic is sound.

 

[Fort Saint Elmo]

In Au the 370Z is almost as expensive as a BMW M2, for not even close to the performance wise. I was hugely disappointed in the zed, and felt the 86 was a superior car despite less power.

Correct me if wrong, but I assumed from insider hints that a GR Supra would be nudging towards GT-R competition?

Yeah, their sources have not been consistent so far, I believe the tidbits left by insiders here more than their info. But some of their logic is sound.

You're almost certainly wrong. Nothing indicates toyota plans to produce a 600 hp car that costs over $100,000. It's co-produced with the Z4. It will have similar specs to the Z4. It will start at between $39k and $45k. Article after article has said around 320 hp for the base model, including this article. Articles have said the factory will produce 35,000 cars per year. You know how many GT-R's were sold last year? About 800. The GT-R, Corvette Z06, and Porsche 911 don't sell 20,000 units combined per year. There isn't a huge crowd of people waiting breathlessly for a $100,000 car with a 600hp engine, much less one with a 400hp engine, which is what the 300 kw in the above article translates to in hp.

 

[vb22]

You're almost certainly wrong. Nothing indicates toyota plans to produce a 600 hp car that costs over $100,000. It's co-produced with the Z4. It will have similar specs to the Z4. It will start at between $39k and $45k. Article after article has said around 320 hp for the base model, including this article. Articles have said the factory will produce 35,000 cars per year. You know how many GT-R's were sold last year? About 800. The GT-R, Corvette Z06, and Porsche 911 don't sell 20,000 units combined per year. There isn't a huge crowd of people waiting breathlessly for a $100,000 car with a 600hp engine, much less one with a 400hp engine, which is what the 300 kw in the above article translates to in hp.

This one actually says 265kw or 355hp for the base model.

 

[Fort Saint Elmo]

This one actually says 265kw or 355hp for the base model.

Yeah, I saw that, but it seems odd to have 265 kw for the base and 300kw for the top-of-the line. That's only a 45-hp difference. Plus the article says a jump to 265 kw is 'likely' without giving us any reason why it is likely. So I discounted that.
By the time the Supra actually goes on sale most people might shrug and say 'Self-driving electrics are a year away'.

 

[MA617M]

My point was not comparable to the GT-R in power, exclusivity or price, but ability/lap times. Given insiders hinted at Spa time and a current ring time of 7:40 (for the base-spec MULE) (330hp if you believe the power rumours) then a lighter, more powerful GR version could be closer to GT-R in terms of lap time. ref. early A70 and guff posts. plus the stuff i get in PM he did hint that a GR version would be significantly more expensive than the rumoured 50k A90 price

 

[MA617M]

Although admittedly, the forum insiders have admitted to hearing very little about a GR version, and that it would most likely not arrive until a few years into the model cycle anyway.

 

[Levi]

See how many say M2/M4 are best because I6, because RWD, because Turbo, because 'light', because fast DCT, because looks, because cool, because BMW? Supra is exactly that, but even lighter and even better. This car cannot fail. If the Supra fails, sportscars will have failed for ever.

 

[Lexusisf]

Would agree with most comments here, some conflicting and confusing comments...if the GR version comes with 400hp that would be of interest but when/where/cost will they build it and if yes bring it to NA...too many unknowns still...

 

[Prius_F_Sport]

See how many say M2/M4 are best because I6, because RWD, because Turbo, because 'light', because fast DCT, because looks, because cool, because BMW? Supra is exactly that, but even lighter and even better. This car cannot fail. If the Supra fails, sportscars will have failed for ever.

Really good points. FR setup for optimal sports car handling, cream-smooth BMW turbo I-6, M-sport weight savings, and twin-clutch Getrag. This new Supra will likely have all that, and as well as being designed by the same company that built the LFA...

Would agree with most comments here, some conflicting and confusing comments...if the GR version comes with 400hp that would be of interest but when/where/cost will they build it and if yes bring it to NA...too many unknowns still...

They've gotta bring it to the US. That's arguably the biggest market, what with super GTs like the LC500, DB11, M6, AMG C63S, F-Type R, Continental GT, CTS-V, Gran Turismo, Panamera, and perhaps the ZL1 and Portofino.

 

[Lexusisf]

I think so too, and hope it is available at first launch, we have waited long enough, and pretty sure that will be the model most of us want

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