2020 Toyota Supra production to begin 2018, by Magna Steyr, Austrian manufacturer

[JT]

Unexpected, but exciting news. According to a German paper (Kleine Zeitung), via Automotive News, Toyota and BMW have chosen Magna Steyr, an Austrian manufacturer, to produce their joint sports car. Toyota's Supra MKV and the BMW Z5 will begin production in 2018 and annual production of 60,000 is planned for the two models.

MUNICH -- 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, a unit of Magna International Inc., 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 Europewhether 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 unnamed Jaguar 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.

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[FRS-Man]

Never heard of Magna Steyr so looked up their wiki and this is what they produce or produced. The Rapide is probably most impressive.

Current:

• Mercedes-Benz G-Class – since 1979
• Mini Countryman – since 2010[3]
• Mini Paceman – since 2012[4]

Past:

• Voiturette (1904)
• Alpenwagen (1919)
• Puch 500/650/700c/126 (1957-1975)
• Haflinger (1959-1974)
• Pinzgauer (1971–2000)
• Volkswagen Transporter T3 4x4 (1984–1992)
• Volkswagen Golf Country (1990–1991)
• Audi V8L (1990–1994)
• Jeep Grand Cherokee ZG, WG, WJ (1994–2004)
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class W210 (1996–2002) (all-wheel-drive)
• Mercedes-Benz M-Class W163 (1999–2002)
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class W211 (2003–2006) (all-wheel-drive)
• Saab 9-3 Convertible (2003–2009)
• BMW X3 (2003–2010)
• Chrysler 300C (2005–2010)
• Jeep Grand Cherokee WH (2005–2010)
• Jeep Commander (2006–2010)
• Chrysler Voyager (July 2007–December 2007)[citation needed]
• Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (painted aluminium body) (2009-2014)
• Aston Martin Rapide (2010–2012)[5]

 

[TorqueRules]

About time we got some actual production news! This news makes this years concept update reveal even more exciting then.

Surprised both companies are outsourcing the build though. They each have huge manufacturing abilities and should have the capacity to absorb that amount of units.

 

[910ps]

About time we got some actual production news! This news makes this years concept update reveal even more exciting then.

Surprised both companies are outsourcing the build though. They each have huge manufacturing abilities and should have the capacity to absorb that amount of units.

But they wouldn't have split up the manufacturing and each produce some. The cars will probably need to be made on the same plant I assume, like how Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru) manufactures both the FR-S and BRZ. Maybe 60k units is too much for either company to take on by themself.

 

[Sabreson]

Really did not expect the Z5 and Supra to have THAT much in common much less being built by a joint third party manufacturer. Interesting choice by both and I guess that guarantees these will pretty much be bespoke platforms for each company.

 

[Craigy]

But they wouldn't have split up the manufacturing and each produce some. The cars will probably need to be made on the same plant I assume, like how Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru) manufactures both the FR-S and BRZ. Maybe 60k units is too much for either company to take on by themself.

Too few is more appropriate.

Toyota manufactures about ten million cars every year.

Using a niche subcontractor probably makes more sense for a low-volume joint venture than adding additional lines and shifts at their own plants.

 

[gymratter]

I don't think Toyota has any open factories if you will. I think even the one used for the LFA has been converted to build the new LC500 and LC500h.

Agreed with Craigy's post above.

 

[Yoyoma]

Too few is more appropriate.

Toyota manufactures about ten million cars every year.

Using a niche subcontractor probably makes more sense for a low-volume joint venture than adding additional lines and shifts at their own plants.

Makes sense. But I worry about the quality that the Supra will have. Is Magna Steyr known to make high quality cars with good long term reliability? Big draw for most people (and me) to Toyota is the reliability of their cars which no doubt has something to do with their manufacturing quality. What happens to that reliability and quality if production is contracted out to another manufacturer.

 

[adprokid]

It will have a BMW reliability If it's built in BMW factory using BMW parts.

 

[Yoyoma]

It will have a BMW reliability If it's built in BMW factory using BMW parts.

But it's not being built in a BMW factory, it's being built at Magna Steyr which is an independent company. That's why I'm wondering how the reliability of the Supra will be since it's not a Toyota plant.

 

[Craigy]

Makes sense. But I worry about the quality that the Supra will have. Is Magna Steyr known to make high quality cars with good long term reliability? Big draw for most people (and me) to Toyota is the reliability of their cars which no doubt has something to do with their manufacturing quality. What happens to that reliability and quality if production is contracted out to another manufacturer.

Good question. Cars they supposedly manufacture now are the Mercedes Gwagen, Mini Countryman and the Mini Paceman, at least according to Wikipedia. Recently before that, an Aston Martin and a myriad of Chrysler, Jeep and Mercedes products... not exactly the pinnacle of quality and reliability.

 

[JohnnyTX]

But it's not being built in a BMW factory, it's being built at Magna Steyr which is an independent company. That's why I'm wondering how the reliability of the Supra will be since it's not a Toyota plant.

Toyota stakes its name on reliability and dependability so I'd bet they've properly vetted Magna Steyr to produce the new Supra to a high level of quality. That, or they don't care about Supra reliability as much (hope not) since it'll be a low volume sports car.

 

[FRS-Man]

Toyota stakes its name on reliability and dependability...

Reliable is for sure a must for Toyota but the next iteration also has to live up to the Supra name and deliver us an engine as easily modded for big power as the 2JZ. Tall order for sure.

 

[AZ Wildcat]

Looks like BMW has enough trust in Magna Steyr to have them help build a huge volume seller of theirs, the BMW 5 Series. According to this Magna Steyr will be responsible for building additional next generation BMW 5 Series that BMW themselves can't handle.

http://www.autonews.com/article/201...ew-car-plants-after-getting-bmw-5-series-deal

Magna is also considering new plants after getting this deal, so sounds like they're going big time.

 

[supraboi]

Automotive News is now saying there will be less than 10k units a year.

Sales will be relatively small at fewer than 10,000 a year.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20180312/OEM03/180319991/toyota-supra-racing-geneva-show

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