Would you be interested in a hybrid Supra?

  • Yes

    Votes: 15 34.1%
  • No

    Votes: 19 43.2%
  • Maybe, depends on the price

    Votes: 10 22.7%

  • Total voters
    44

910ps

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http://www.autoblog.com/2014/03/24/toyota-bmw-sports-car-to-gain-all-wheel-drive-supercapacitors/

Toyota-BMW sports car to gain all-wheel drive, supercapacitors?

Sales of salt are skyrocketing following the latest rumor of the planned joint-venture sports car from Toyota and BMW. The whisperings indicate that project will spawn both a replacement for the BMW Z4 and a long-awaited Toyota Suprasuccessor based on the FT-1 Concept shown above. Word is that the new cars will feature front-engine, all-wheel-drive layouts with plug-in hybrid technology. This news would appear to run somewhat counter to earlier reports that BMW and Toyota are teaming for a six-figure hybrid supercar.

According to Autocar, the project will benefit from the experience Toyota gained with the TS030, its hybridized Le Mans prototype. The evidence for this is, of all things, a Toyota Yaris – in particular, the Yaris Hybrid R that was shown at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show last September. That car used a 300-horsepower, 1.6-liter gas engine, while a pair of 60-horsepower electric motors provided all-wheel-drive push (an additional motor also sent additional juice to the front axle). The 414-system-horsepower drivetrain used supercapacitors in place of the traditional lithium-ion batteries of traditional hybrids.

For the production sports cars, Autocar claims that the Yaris Hybrid R's setup will serve as the basis for the new powertrain, although it won't be a direct carryover. Instead, a 2.0-liter BMW engine will be paired with Toyota-designed, BMW-built motors.

While Toyota will be responsible for making the new car go, BMW will handle the car's structure and body. Carbon-fiber reinforced plastic, high-strength steel and aluminum will all play major roles in the construction, according to AC, with a low curb weight being a high priority.

This all sounds rather far-fetched to us, largely because of the existence of the BMW i8. That car already generates 362 system horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque from a plug-in drivetrain, and it also benefits from extensive use of CFRP and aluminum. Finally, the i8 retails for six figures. Building the Z4 replacement that Autocar describes and keeping it around the current car's price simply doesn't seem possible. Besides that, the idea of an all-wheel-drive Z4 kind of runs counter to what the Z4 is, an old-school, cab-backwards rear-drive roadster.

Then again, this crazy industry has surprised us before. What do you think? Does any of Autocar's theory on the BMW-Toyota partnership make sense to you? What sort of car do you expect from the two companies? What would you hope to see in a Z4 replacement?
I had to post this if no other reason for a laugh :D

On my way to pick up more salt!
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TorqueRules

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http://www.motoring.com.au/news/201...ra-successor-to-remain-rear-wheel-drive-38128

Toyota Supra successor to remain rear-wheel drive

Toyota has announced that its long awaited successor to the iconic Supra will be rear-wheel drive, though the nameplate is yet to be locked-in.

The top-tier sports model, which will sit above the 86 in Toyota’s line-up, will share its development with the BMW i8and may even boast a carbon fibreframe. Though just which nameplate the upcoming sports car will wear is still a bone of contention.

Speaking at a media event in Canberra last week, chief engineer of the 86, Tetsuya Tada, told motoring.com.au that ‘Supra’ was just one of the names considered for the upcoming performance flagship.

“The Supra successor is an upper-crust sportscar, and the Supra name is just one candidate for that successor,” said Tada-san.

Tada-san said the nameplate was before a committee and he could not yet say what others badges were being considered. He did, however, confirm that the model would remain rear-wheel drive and that Toyota was not seeking to chase Nurburgring lap times, a la Nissan GT-R.

“The GT-R is a car that is clearly focussed on speed, on lap times. We don’t want to chase the same direction,” explained Tada-san.
I believe this article debunks this AWD nonsense.
 

divinesteer

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Front engine/rear wheel drive is a formula that works 99% of the time. I can't see what the benefit is of going AWD and not sure why the media keeps harping on it. Just because of the 100+K GT-R?

The FT-1/Supra clearly has very little to do with the GT-R in terms of shared architecture or common goal. As Tada san has repeated many times this is going to be an enthusiast car for the everyday man.
 
OP
OP

910ps

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I dont know what else they would call it if not Supra.. or rather, why they would do so.
 

S O B

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Anything "hybrid" is viewed negatively by enthusiasts but I actually think a hybrid Supra could be a chance for Toyota to make a huge splash with the car and also redefine sports cars in its segment and at its price level.

Gas engine improvements only happen in increments now so you're not going to impress anyone with just a standard turbo engine anymore. So far, the real impressive part of the FT-1 Supra is that it might get a lightweight body made from carbon fiber. But why stop there. Why not combine say a turbo v8 or v6 with a small electric motor and make not only really impressive power but a 'different' type of power.

A hybrid powerplant geared towards performance can generate huge power. Look at the Mclaren P1, Porsche 918 and even concepts like the Yaris Hybrid R Concept which has 420hp. It's hybrid setup is totally different from the Prius. Gas engine powers front wheels, and two electric motors power the rears. 60-hp motor power each rear wheel. The gasoline engine is a 300-hp, 1.6-liter turbocharged four. And I bet there's no turbo lag because the electric motor helps power the car while turbos spool. That's just an example of what Toyota is already capable of when it comes to engineering a hybrid drivetrain for performance purposes. Honestly, I'd be more excited by a unique forward thinking powerplant like which gives both great power and efficiency than just another standard turbocharged 4 cyl, 6 cyl or 8 cyl.
 

TorqueRules

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All of the performance hybrids are ultra expensive is the only real issue I have with it. It would be a huge investment by Toyota since none currently exists that they could use unless the BMW/Toyota venture involves some kind of hybrid powertrain development.
 

AZ Wildcat

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All of the performance hybrids are ultra expensive is the only real issue I have with it. It would be a huge investment by Toyota since none currently exists that they could use unless the BMW/Toyota venture involves some kind of hybrid powertrain development.
I think that's what OP is getting at. That the joint venture could produce some kind new age hybrid performance sports car at less than exotic prices.
 

S O B

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^^^ Exactly. Since the Toyota-BMW press release about their joint project talked about development of hybrid technologies, so maybe it's possible for the Supra.
 

Craigy

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No thanks. Too expensive, adds no value for me.

IMO biggest turnoff on the P1 is the hybrid setup. I would have loved a car more like the F1 with lighter weight.
 

FT1freddy

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Some good ponits but yep would cost too much. Even a regular gas powered Supra might cost 60 grand. I cringe at what a hybrid one might cost.

That Yaris powertrain sounds cool and all but if it was built as-is, it would be prohibitively expensive. It uses basically a WRC engine. Plus all those electric motors add weight and at a bad place too - the wheels.
 

Big George

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If it's a hybrid that performs as good or better than the competitors and is priced competitively then I wouldn't mind actually. It'll look better than any hybrid ever made (that's not a supercar) and have Toyota reliability after all. LF-LC concept was presented as a hybrid so really wouldn't be shock if Toyota went with hybrid with its new sports cars - hybrid LF-LC production model and also a hybrid supra?-
 

high roller

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If there's one thing Toyota knows better than anyone its hybrid power. They just won the World Endurance Championship with the TS040 hybrid and don't forget they started hybrid racing all the way back in 2007 with a hybrid Supra.


 

black-supra

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I'm a pretty diehard Supra nut and never knew there was a hybrid Supra racecar.
 

Mr. M

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The other thread says there'll be a gasoline and hybrid version of the LF-LC production model so maybe it's actually possible we see both versions too for the FT-1 Supra. It can even use similar engines as the LC for each version and probably wouldn't cost Toyota much to offer both versions then.
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