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Toyota has confirmed a reveal date for its all-new Toyota Supra. One of the most keenly anticipated cars of next year – and one with one of the most drawn-out gestation periods – will be shown to the public for the first time at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, which runs from 14 to 27 January.
In addition to the confirmation of the car’s public debut, Toyota added that it expects the Supra to go on sale worldwide in the first half of 2019 priced at roughly £50,000. To mark the news, Toyota released a teaser image looking out over the new coupe’s bonnet.
• Toyota Supra prototype review
We’ve driven the Supra already – albeit in prototype form – in Spain back in September 2018, which means that we already have a good idea of what to expect from the Porsche 718 Cayman rival. It is being developed by Toyota’s Gazoo Racing performance division, but in partnership with BMW, which has based the new Z4 on the same platform.
Toyota Supra engine and specs
Speaking at the Geneva show, Supra Chief Engineer Tetsuya Tada said a front-mounted six-cylinder turbocharged engine powering the rear wheels was the configuration favoured by owners and aficionados of previous versions of the Supra. The engine is expected to produce approximately 300bhp and 470nm of torque, enough for a 0-62mph time around the five second mark.
• Best sports cars on sale 2018
The Supra promises to be an uncompromising road car. Tada described the Supra, which has been benchmarked against the Porsche 718 Cayman and 911, as a “pure sports car”. He believes it will be “quite different” from the forthcoming BMW Z4, with which it is related. Both cars’ original concepts were visualised separately, before the common parts were defined. Very few parts will actually be shared between the two cars – among them are the engine and eight-speed automatic gearboxes. Both cars will also offer a 50:50 weight distribution.
While the prototype we tried featured an automatic transmission, he revealed that a manual gearbox is still the subject of internal discussions. He continued: “We are aware there is a huge fanbase for the previous models around the world, so we made sure to interview them to hear their expectations and opinions before we started the project.”
As a darling of the tuner scene, Tada expects the Supra to be modified by owners to their own liking – even if those modifications aren’t sourced from Toyota, Gazoo Racing or their official partners. He went as far to say that Toyota “wouldn’t interfere” where modifications are concerned as previous experience points to the kinds “appropriate” modifications owners make to their GT86s.
Toyota’s new Gazoo Racing team will play a big role in the development of the new model. Tada said: “It’s not our intention to change the brand of Supra, but we’ve created a new Gazoo Racing brand as part of the sports car offering. So from now on all the sports cars we’ll be developing and producing would be under this new brand.”
• All the latest from the 2018 Geneva Motor Show
GR Supra Racing Concept reveals new Supra details
The Racing Concept from Geneva showed how a competition Supra could look, and competed in the VLN racing series at the Nurburgring Nordschleife earlier in the year.
It uses composites for the extended front and rear bumpers, front splitter, rear diffuser, wing and bonnet, while the windows are plastic. The suspension uses original equipment components, but has a reduced ride height over the road car. BBS racing wheels with a centre-nut attachment hide Brembo Racing callipers and are wrapped in Michelin race tyres.
Toyota Supra specs
While the production version of the forthcoming Toyota Supra is still to be revealed, some of its powertrain details have already been leaked.
A scanned copy of Japan’s Best Car magazine, posted on the VW Vortex forum, suggests that the new Supra is 4.38m long, 1.86m wide and 1.29m tall, with a 2.47m wheelbase. The six-cylinder variant is said to weigh just under 1,500kg. Previous reports have suggested that a 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylinder motor would also be offered, and shared with the next BMW Z4.
Insiders claim that the new Supra will come in four different states of tune; as the basic Supra, a Supra GR, Supra GR Sport and finally the Supra GRMN. Expect a significant gap in performance and price between the base Supra and the GRMN, with variations in suspension tune also likely.
Do you think the Gazoo Racing Supra will be a success without Toyota badges? Let us know below…
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