Supra MkV launch and updates thread

[trevorc]

at the event we did joke / hope that if 2jz engine was used it would mean more spare parts for the mkiv into the future

 

 

[supra_1993]

[JasonR24]

Liked the video! Glad some good questions got asked

[Bobbeh]

Thats a cool vid - the expression on his face when asked about Hybrid version... its got to be coming.. hopefully it'll be more performant like the Le Mans cars as opposed for economy like on a Yaris!

Edited July 19, 2018 by Bobbeh (see edit history)

[Dnk]

Full electric like a Tesla would be the way to go, the videos good and gets some nice close up shots of

the body, especially the rear which i'm liking more, i think it should have the FT-1 wing on it though

[el_bandido]

Absolutely should have the active rear wing.

[TuneR]

There must be something missing from this, I'm not sure I get it yet... I mean these engine options you can get in a BMW saloon... something other than body shape must make it stand out.

Ditto, i don't want to see a Supra with a 2.0/2.5 BMW cause I'd just buy the BMW as it will be surely cheaper, something different to set it apart will appear....hopefully.

[supra_1993]

http://blog.toyota.co.uk/new-toyota-supra-interview-with-chief-engineer-tetsuya-tada

 

 

The first Supra model was produced in 1978, and 40 years later the hotly anticipated, all-new fifth-generation model has been revealed in prototype form. It’s been experienced dynamically at the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed hill course and showcased statically at a special invite-only event for Supra enthusiasts.

 

At all times, chief engineer Tetsuya Tada has proudly accompanied his ‘new baby’ and been eager to reveal tantalising glimpses into its development and specifications. The following is a transcript of our discussion together.

 

How long have you been working on the Supra project?

Tada: “Since 2012, so nearly seven years… a long time. The normal cycle for car development is around three years but with this project we wanted to make absolutely sure it was right.”

 

How does it feel to finally reveal the prototype after such an extended development programme?

Tada: “All I can say is that I’m just so happy that we’ve made it to this point. I’ve finally been able to reveal the car to the UK; it’s the happiest day of my life. And to drive it up the hill at Goodwood was a really exciting experience.”

 

You introduced the GT86 as your ‘passion project.’ Did the Supra project arouse similar feelings?

Tada: “Of course. It was imbued with a lot passion. Before the GT86 arrived, Toyota had not produced a sports car for a while, so there was a lot of ground to catch up. But for the Supra project we already had the experience from developing the GT86 and were able to start from a much higher level. This meant we were aiming for a much higher level in the finished car.”

 

Were you trying to create a big brother for the GT86?

Tada: “Akio [Toyoda] has always said that as a company he would like to have Three Brothers, with the GT86 in the middle and Supra as the big brother. So we’ve tried to aim for the Supra to offer an overwhelming superiority in all attributes. For example, people were happy that the GT86 had a very low centre of gravity… but the Supra has an even lower centre of gravity, and its body rigidity is twice that of the GT86.

 

“It’s actually the same level of rigidity as the Lexus LFA supercar, and it has been achieved without using carbon fibre so we could keep the price point at an affordable level. That was the most difficult thing to achieve. But I’m pleased we were successful because when I was sitting in the queue to go up the hill at Goodwood, I was surrounded by all these amazing supercars and thinking: ‘This is the cheapest car in the line by a long way – probably about a tenth of the price – but we got the biggest cheer!’

 

“The track width is also wider, of course. But it may surprise people to know that the new Supra has a shorter wheelbase than the GT86. The car was developed with a specific ratio of wheelbase and track in mind, and I think we’ve been able to achieve the balance that we were looking for.”

 

How do you think the new A90 will be received by hardcore Supra fans?

Tada: “I’m really looking forward to hearing from them, actually. Thinking back to the introduction of the GT86, some owners of classic AE86 models were quite hard to please and were very critical of the new car. So it may be similar with this car. I know there are hardcore owners of the previous generations out there and it may be hard to convince them just by introducing a new car.

 

“But I have an open stance and want to offer my respect for the older Supra models. In turn, I hope the owners will be open enough to see what the new model is all about, even if it takes them some time to fully accept it.”

 

As this is the fifth-generation Supra, can you give us five things that you would like Supra fans to know about the car?

Tada: “First of all, the Supra has always had an inline six-cylinder engine, and of course we have that with the new car, too. Secondly, all generations had a front-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive; that is also the same here.

 

“I think for number three I would like to point out its design. We’ve taken cues from the A80 [fourth-generation Supra] and, although the design is not the same, we carried elements over so that when people look at the new car they can tell immediately that it is a Supra.

 

“Number four is that if you look across the previous generations, each of them have been exciting in their own right and in their own era. We wanted to achieve the same thing with this new-generation car, and I believe that when it goes on sale next year it will be the most fun-to-drive car in its class.

 

“Looking at the current automotive industry, the talk is all about autonomous driving, electrification and artificial intelligence. What that’s doing is giving rise to a lot of strict regulations, and that limits our capacity to make emotional sports cars; it’s getting much more difficult to do that. So for the fifth point, I think the new Supra will be the last present from Toyota to those who enjoy hearing the pleasing sound of a pure petrol engine at high revs.

[Scooter]

The last bit is telling, re regulations. I wonder how different the Mkiv would have to have been under the new guidelines (pedestrian protection etc), so handcuffed by accountants AND regulations these days.

[Wonga Spar]

I've kinda thought for a while it seemed fairly likely we'd get a B58 engine, followed by an S58 variant perhaps in the following year post 2019 M3 release?

 

The Z4 will have the B48 and B58, as BMW made it clear they wanted a 4 cylinder option. Gotta admit I didn't think we'd see that in the Supra, as others mentioned an I6 NA seemed more likely, now seems it will have the same (albeit tweaked/fiddled with). Gotta admit I'm slighttttly disappointed to hear about this, why even bother with a 4 cylinder? I truly don't understand who would buy that car, it seems almost counterproductive given the GT86 is in a similar space!

 

Toyota have mentioned a few times there will be higher power versions still to come, kinda makes sense as the 470~hp S58 is still being finalised and BMW wouldn't allow the first iteration of it to sit in a Toyota.

 

I mean there's no way in hell BMW, kings of "use this engine in all of our models for 5 years" are gunna develop a fresh engine just for the collaboration. What else is gunna be in it if not the B58?

Edited July 20, 2018 by Wonga Spar (see edit history)

[Bobbeh]

The comparison with the LFA is interesting. It'll probably be an amazing drivers car. I dont think its going to please the MKIV tuner base with what comes out in comparison with what they could do with the MKIV.. but it'll have its own tuning options.

 

Im quite sure it'll probably tear the MKIV to pieces around a track, and in a straight line.

 

Gotta remember too, when he talks about the class the car fits in to.. whats what people want to know, what is it up against? The MKIV jumped out of its class massively by the virtue of its tuneability. That's what make it such a legendary car (despite it being good in its class already back in the day).

[Scooter]

Cut from a supraforums post I made when I guy was going on about 'tuneability' of the new Supra.

 

I think the Mkiv was designed in a unique time of fairly good technical advances in materials, corrosion resistance understanding and electronics but no massive computing processing power, certainly a world away from today.

 

So if you wanted to create a reliable strong engine/car that wouldn't tarnish your brand then I presume they had to allow extra material here and there, up the material specs etc to cope with possibly unexpected stresses as you couldn't computer model everything and basically it turned out well over engineered. No car company now will make something to take double it's power because it can make a reliable (enough) engine to much closer tolerances, when building a new car. Over engineering massively will impact cost and also possibly the cars dynamics as a stock car. Ie a Mkiv designed with whats available today to the designers/engineers would have resulted in a better car stock for stock (more powerful lighter, more free reving etc) but almost certainly would have far less tuning potential before parts were pushed beyond their limits. What we are seeing today is the manufacturers are better able to maximise the power/torque versus reliability/longevity equation leaving less headroom for people to modify into, it makes no sense for any manufacturer to make a car massively more capable of the level it's sold at.

 

 

For me it'll be interesting what the inline 4 will be like at the 250bhp mark can't see that toasting a Mkiv in straight line performance!? Still probably a nice drive......anyone have experience of the BMW engine?

[Bobbeh]

It'll probably do similar 1/4 mile times I'd have thought to a stock Supra, maybe quicker due to better traction and that gearbox. 260 isnt to be sniffed at.

[JasonR24]

If I remember correctly the engineers now are actually struggling with the same issues they had previously with the MKIV. As the management told the engineers you must use the same chassis as the soarer, which the engineers really really didn’t want to do.

 

I very much expect this is exactly the same issue happening now. I bet the Toyota engineers would much rather make everything themselves from scratch. Make a drivetrain from scratch and blow everyone away but they can’t. I still think there will be at least one good iteration of this car. It’s just how much it’ll be that will set it apart.

[monkey3]

[Scooter]

It'll probably do similar 1/4 mile times I'd have thought to a stock Supra, maybe quicker due to better traction and that gearbox. 260 isnt to be sniffed at.

 

I'm not sniffing really, always quite liked Mkiv NA's. I'm not realistically in the market for a new one even if I sold both TT's and used savings or financed etc as I'd then be stressing about it all the time!

 

However down the line I could perhaps see myself purchase one of the lower spec models used as they may suffer high depreciation if the others are so good? (sorry to talk about depreciation and used before it's even out new!!)

[uzzyuzzy]

So Tada Tetsuya wanted to see my supra so I took him there and next thing I know he made himself comfortable and asked for the keys.

 

 

[GRIN][/GRIN]

[el_bandido]

Praise doesn't get much higher than that

[Mike2JZ]

So Tada Tetsuya wanted to see my supra so I took him there and next thing I know he made himself comfortable and asked for the keys.

 

 

 

Car's value just went up 2k

[evinX]

So Tada Tetsuya wanted to see my supra so I took him there and next thing I know he made himself comfortable and asked for the keys.

 

 

[GRIN][/GRIN]

 

[Pete]

Why is everyone so obsessed with speed and power?

Tada San appears to want to make a car that drives really well at a pace. I couldn't care less if there's something 'faster' in the next lane, I just want it to be a great car.

[JasonR24]

Why is everyone so obsessed with speed and power?

Tada San appears to want to make a car that drives really well at a pace. I couldn't care less if there's something 'faster' in the next lane, I just want it to be a great car.

 

I agree to an extent but I can also see others point of view as their expectation is a GTR competitor. I know this isn’t the case but that’s the expectation of a lot of people. I want it to look good and handle well. If it looks like the GR concept but road going, it’ll get a thumbs up from me. If it looks like a fat MX5 then I won’t be impressed

[Bobbeh]

Why is everyone so obsessed with speed and power?

Tada San appears to want to make a car that drives really well at a pace. I couldn't care less if there's something 'faster' in the next lane, I just want it to be a great car.

 

I agree Pete, but you know why, as its the reputation the Supra has developed online since the late 90s, the super car killer, so therefore many expect the new one to be like that out of the box.

[Matt H]

I think the expectation was/is that a new supra would be quick(ish). There are plenty of cars that are quick and drive well. For the rumoured cost, I don't think being able to keep up with, or just about beat, a hot hatch will cut the mustard. Especially when one of the core aspects of the mkiv (how stunning it was) is seemingly not going to carried over. I'm disappointingly underwhelmed at present; but I hope I'm wrong and it is more than just a faster GT86.

Edited July 23, 2018 by Matt H (see edit history)

[jim_supra]

I think the expectation was/is that a new supra would be quick(ish). There are plenty of cars that are quick and drive well. For the rumoured cost, I don't think being able to keep up with, or just about beat, a hot hatch will cut the mustard. Especially when one of the core aspects of the mkiv (how stunning it was) is seemingly not going to carried over. I'm disappointingly underwhelmed at present; but I hope I'm wrong and it is more than just a faster GT86.

 

To be fair, the MKIV when released was a bit of a marmite car, certainly a stunning car to you and me, and everyone else on this forum, but it certainly wasn't for everyone. I can see the MKV being the same.

 

I'm confident that the MKV when released will be a fantastic drivers car regardless of power, though I would hope around 400bhp for the fast version (alongside the lower powered entry level model). This would show progression from the previous model and help to keep the cost down to a price point that would make it attainable to a larger number of people from new - unlike the MKIV was in the UK market from new.