Toyota confirmed 3 sports car lineup: Toyota exec wants to bring back Celica, MR2

[2JZ-No-Sh*t]

According to this, something else is also in the works.

New Toyota Sports Car Platform Confirmed By Head Of Gazoo Racing

The GRMN family will grow, availability of GR models will extend beyond Japan, and there’s a lot more coming from Toyota’s newfound love for driving enjoyment-oriented vehicles. Shigeki Tomoyama, president of Gazoo Racing, confirmed to Automotive News that there’s an all-new, dedicated sports car platform currently in the works, although he didn’t go into specific details.

On the sidelines of the GR launch event, Tomoyama said: "In its next phase, we will get a designated sports car platform and eventually — finally — we want to introduce a pure, genuine sports car, which can compete against top-class world competitors." There’s no denying the purists will applaud this development, which was made possible by Gazoo Racing going independent.

Toyota took its hands off the motorsport division earlier this year, thus giving Gazoo Racing more leeway to do what it knows best. Some 200 people are tasked with every stage of product development, including engineering of the all-new platform. According to Toyota head honcho Akio Toyoda, “we have to show to the world that Toyota can actually make cars that are interesting."

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...confirmed-by-head-of-gazoo-racing-120604.html

Sponsored

 

[DevonK]

..think about it, they had to share costs for the supra with bmw...they aren't going to start funding yet another project when we don't even know when the supra will finalize and actually get a sale. and ya gotta be fair, concept cars which use the 86 platform like the recent gr hv, do showcase the future of what toyota has in store..

Toyota's a huge company with very deep pockets, it's not Mazda or Subaru - several new models will be in development at any one time. Plus any new development costs would be shared with Subaru. But those weird concepts Toyota did seemed to be nothing more than amuse-bouches, PR stunts intended to get Toyota in the spotlight and seen as "cool" and "relevant".

I think their decision to abandon the 86, or at the very least hold off on any new development, is driven not by the costs of developing a new generation so much as the tiny (and falling) market share the 86 has shown exists for this type of vehicle, although of course both are factors in determining profitability.

 

[DevonK]

According to this, something else is also in the works.

"Compete against top-class world competitors" - translation: "it's going to cost you a fortune".

(Isn't the Supra being built on a "designated sports car platform" as a "pure, genuine sports car"?)

 

[HKz]

Toyota's a huge company with very deep pockets, it's not Mazda or Subaru - several new models will be in development at any one time. Plus any new development costs would be shared with Subaru. But those weird concepts Toyota did seemed to be nothing more than amuse-bouches, PR stunts intended to get Toyota in the spotlight and seen as "cool" and "relevant".

I think their decision to abandon the 86, or at the very least hold off on any new development, is driven not by the costs of developing a new generation so much as the tiny (and falling) market share the 86 has shown exists for this type of vehicle, although of course both are factors in determining profitability.

yes the jdm brands should blow money for the sake of it like the 90s again toyota is in this economic position largely because they have been conservative with offering enthusiast models, they didn't need a bailout when the crap hit the fan...after the demise of the mk4 supra, they waited until they finished the IS F & LFA before they moved onto the measly GT86 project in 2009/2010.. regardless, toyota is still investing in the 86 with the facelifted model, special variants, they got performance packages this year, yet in your eyes you see them abandoning it and this while their main focus is on the bmw project..

 

[2JZ-No-Sh*t]

"Compete against top-class world competitors" - translation: "it's going to cost you a fortune".

(Isn't the Supra being built on a "designated sports car platform" as a "pure, genuine sports car"?)

Some people do think that they are talking about the new BMW/Toyota sport car, other think it could be a new platform for something like a new MR-2 or Celica GT-Four.

 

[clanky17]

We have GT86 on the way but Toyota has 2 sports cars left to make a new sports lineup like the 90's. So which lineup you think that maybe will be a reality at the end of the decade?

 

[tfoxyr]

i think in the place of a mr2 we will have the sfr concept from 2015 . I believe it will enter the market maybe at the end of the decade , certainly not sooner. Also that should push the 86 upmarket or push it out of production .

 

[HKz]

I only see the Supra, GT86 and potentially the high performance Yaris variant being the 3 sporty models. The SFR was a cool concept but it makes zero sense especially in the US market and there is absolutely no point in chasing after the Miata when the 86/BRZ have filled their own niche for the better.

 

[2JZ-No-Sh*t]

I recall some people speculating that the SF-R could replace the 86.

 

[johnny_10196]

Tada san said all 3 sports cars will be RWD. My ideal line up would be something like the SFR, a new MR2, and lastly the Celica/Supra replacement.

 

[HKz]

I recall some people speculating that the SF-R could replace the 86.

why? an even more cramped interior and even more niche than the 86 The pre-facelifted FRS + BRZ outsold the first full year of the ND Miata in 2016 for the US market, 11,598 units vs 9,465.

edit: i made a mistake and forgot to include 124 Spider sales which then makes the total 11,940 vs 11,598 - pretty much even but my point still stands that a 3 year old model sells as much as a new generation model.

 

[2JZ-No-Sh*t]

why? an even more cramped interior and even more niche than the 86 The pre-facelifted FRS + BRZ outsold the first full year of the ND Miata in 2016 for the US market, 11,598 units vs 9,465.

Because people liked the hinted starting price point of $16k-$18k. I remember when they unveiled the production 86; tons of people over at FT86Club were whining about how big the car got and how much more the price tag was. This could be the answer to both of those complaints.

 

[jm6k]

I like the 86, but the SFR price point would be no contest. I'd be in.

 

[HKz]

Because people liked the hinted starting price point of $16k-$18k. I remember when they unveiled the production 86; tons of people over at FT86Club were whining about how big the car got and how much more the price tag was. This could be the answer to both of those complaints.

the price point was interesting but it was still a bit of a pipe dream....not sure how those folks thought the 86 would be smaller, the FT-HS, FT86 and every single GT86/BRZ concept that followed were all within a couple inches of the production 86. The SFR is reaching nearly kei car size and with a proportionally longer hood due to the inline 4, its packaging is not great. Admittedly though, I look at the SFR as showcasing the direction the twins would potentially follow, becoming lighter instead of gaining more power for the next generation.

 

[2JZ-No-Sh*t]

the price point was interesting but it was still a bit of a pipe dream....not sure how those folks thought the 86 would be smaller, the FT-HS, FT86 and every single GT86/BRZ concept that followed were all within a couple inches of the production 86. The SFR is reaching nearly kei car size and with a proportionally longer hood due to the inline 4, its packaging is not great. Admittedly though, I look at the SFR as showcasing the direction the twins would potentially follow, becoming lighter instead of gaining more power for the next generation.

Even if it was slightly higher, lets say $20k. I think people would still be interested. Yes the car only grow 3.1 inches from concept to production. I think it was also more about the weight as well. If I recall correctly the FT-86's GT5 specs were like 2,200lbs with 221hp. The SF-R isn't that small. It has an overall length of 157 inches; roughly 3 inches longer than the ND Miata. I think something like the SF-R would be a great idea. Tetsuya Tada said something about wanting a more affordable/accessible sports car for more people to get into, and the 86's MSRP is pretty high in some markets.

Sponsored