Global Toyota Supra Convoy to Local HQ

[Mo Reviews]

From its recent actions, and on occasions, the lack thereof, it is clear that Toyota is not really interested or committed to the Supra marque, specifically the MKIV.

 

If we want to continue to drive and enjoy our beloved cars for many years to come, the burden of waving this flag falls on us, as sadly, it would appear that Toyota has abandoned ship and would rather relegate the MKIV to the history books.

 

I will not let that happen, certainly not without a proverbial fight. If Toyota maintains its current position, our cars will, over time, become unroadworthy, it's as simple as that. So I feel that as proud owners of this wonderful beast from the east, it is down to us to show Toyota the light.

 

All major manufacturers have some form of heritage program for their most prized contributions to the world of motoring, here is a short non-exhaustive list of some examples:

1. Audi

2. Porsche

3. Mercedes

4. Ferrari

5. Lamborghini

6. Nissan

7. Honda

8. Mazda

9. Ford

10. Hell, even GM!

 

The Supra along with a handful of others, the likes of; the Nissan Skyline and the Honda NSX were all at the very pinnacle of the Japanese sports car market in the 90s. It would therefore be an absolute shame to simply lie idle whilst Toyota wilfully writes our cars off the road and into history.

 

Providing the owners of this club, and the owners of any other Supra club around the world, are happy to fly their banners and wave their flags, my proposal is a simple yet powerful way to deliver our message and demonstrate that we are not just a bunch of 'internet warriors' who can be brushed under the carpet. My proposal is as follows:

 

1. A mutual convoy date is agreed with as many Supra clubs from around the world as feasibly possible, but I would suggest getting the US and Japan clubs on board, at the very least

 

2. A unanimous message setting out our demands is agreed amongst all the participating clubs

 

3. Ahead of the mutual date, these demands are set out in an open letter/email to the President of Toyota, copying in all the respective CEO's/MD's from all the other applicable jurisdictions, providing a deadline for response within 21 days

 

4. If Toyota reasonably accedes to our demands and sets an actionable plan in motion, the convoy is called off, or we simply have an alternative venue arranged

 

5. If Toyota fails to take the necessary action or fails to respond at all, the convoy goes ahead

 

6. If a convoy proves necessary, a selection of the finest MKIVs from each jurisdiction will drive to their local Toyota HQ with banners and signs with the agreed wording setting out our demands

 

7. It is paramount that everyone is onboard with the overriding notion that this is a 'peaceful protest' and we cannot force Toyota to comply with our demands, anyone found to be causing a breach of the peace will be ejected from the convoy and banned from the respective forum.

Edited March 2, 2020 by Mo Reviews (see edit history)

[tayr]

I thought they were starting a heritage programme ? What did I miss?

[Mo Reviews]

I thought they were starting a heritage programme ? What did I miss?

 

There is a fundamental difference between paying lip service and actually taking action. As they say, actions speak louder than words. How long has this been outstanding for?

[Mike2JZ]

https://blog.toyota.co.uk/gr-heritage-parts

[j_jza80]

, a selection of the finest MKIVs from each jurisdiction will drive to their local Toyota HQ with banners and signs with the agreed wording setting out our demands

.

 

Last time I checked, Toyota were a business. They have no obligation to produce parts for their past models. If you can convince them that there is a profitable business case for producing spares, they will.

 

They will also have many other constraints when it comes to producing spares - cost and infrastructure being two big ones.

 

Maybe if you make a list of the parts you actually require, that Toyota either dont make or are going to discontinue, maybe alternatives can he suggested?

 

We are quite fortunate as there are still a lot of parts available for these cars. Lots of other desirable cars from this era have very little spares availability.

 

Also bear in mind that any spares which they have to commission from scratch (due to previous suppliers closing, the tooling being disposed of etc), will come at significant cost.

[Mo Reviews]

Last time I checked, Toyota were a business. They have no obligation to produce parts for their past models. If you can convince them that there is a profitable business case for producing spares, they will.

 

Correct, but I'm pretty sure the other manufacturers on my list are also commercial businesses? Yet they can find the budget to set up generous heritage programs.

 

They will also have many other constraints when it comes to producing spares - cost and infrastructure being two big ones.

 

As aforementioned, those "constraints" also apply to the other manufacturers with heritage programs. Yet they can find the budget to still support their heritage models because they, unlike Toyota, appreciate that existing customers are as important as new customers.

 

Maybe if you make a list of the parts you actually require, that Toyota either dont make or are going to discontinue, maybe alternatives can he suggested?

 

There was another thread posted not long ago with a seemingly exhaustive list of all the parts which could not be replicated and are currently discontinued. Sadly, not only did Toyota appear to ignore this, they proposed to produce parts that no one has actually asked for!

 

Lots of other desirable cars from this era have very little spares availability.

 

Most the cars that I would deem desirable from that era have heritage programs... perhaps it would be easier if could give me an example of one which does not?

 

Also bear in mind that any spares which they have to commission from scratch (due to previous suppliers closing, the tooling being disposed of etc), will come at significant cost.

 

Again, please see my responses above. If the likes of Honda and Nissan can do it, surely the largest car manufacturer can too.

[Mo Reviews]

https://blog.toyota.co.uk/gr-heritage-parts

 

This comment requires no further explanation, a blind person could see what they have planned next!

 

The random parts they proposed to reproduce, to everyone's surprise, don't seem so random now...

 

"Hi there,

 

Thanks for getting in touch and for your interest for the Heritage Parts Project. The popularity for A70 and A80 parts will be monitored to help make a decision on other models at a later date.

 

Thanks".

Edited March 2, 2020 by Mo Reviews
Spelling. (see edit history)

[JasonR24]

You’ll get nothing from Toyota. They made 23 BILLION dollars in PROFIT last year and they still couldn’t be bothered to make their own flagship vehicle.

 

You think they’re going to care about what fans want?

 

The heritage parts will be easy parts, made by the lowest bidder. You’ll get nothing more.

 

You’re better off supporting businesses who will fabricate aftermarket parts to keep these cars going, because Toyota doesn’t care at all. In the future Toyota won’t want to be associated with fuel driven vehicles at all and promote its electric range so you’ll get no support at all

[Mo Reviews]

You’ll get nothing from Toyota. They made 23 BILLION dollars in PROFIT last year and they still couldn’t be bothered to make their own flagship vehicle.

 

You think they’re going to care about what fans want?

 

The heritage parts will be easy parts, made by the lowest bidder. You’ll get nothing more.

 

You’re better off supporting businesses who will fabricate aftermarket parts to keep these cars going, because Toyota doesn’t care at all. In the future Toyota won’t want to be associated with fuel driven vehicles at all and promote its electric range so you’ll get no support at all

 

Do you have a crystal ball? Have you tried? Or have you given up before trying?

[squiffy]

Can we not just agree NA owners should strip their cars and sell the parts to the more worthy cause?

 

 

[Mo Reviews]

Can we not just agree NA owners should strip their cars and sell the parts to the more worthy cause?

 

/QUOTE]

 

All Supras matter!!

[Noz]

Can we not just agree NA owners should strip their cars and sell the parts to the more worthy cause?

 

/QUOTE]

 

Dont you own one of those sluggish twin turbo engines? Want to throw those old sequential things out. Get yourself some real boost

[Guest Rsb]

I’ve restored my UK car with OEM parts recently including full 4 corner suspension rebuild and had no issues getting parts if I was prepared to pay for them. Decent parts catalogs online giving equivalent OEM part numbers etc as Supra production worldwide went to 2002. I owned an E31 840 previously and BMW make even less parts for that car as an observation.

[Dnk]

Why invest in old tech when they are being told no more new petrol diesel cars to be sold by 2035

[Mo Reviews]

I’ve restored my UK car with OEM parts recently including full 4 corner suspension rebuild and had no issues getting parts if I was prepared to pay for them. Decent parts catalogs online giving equivalent OEM part numbers etc as Supra production worldwide went to 2002. I owned an E31 840 previously and BMW make even less parts for that car as an observation.

 

There is an entire thread somewhere (hopefully someone will be kind enough to provide the link) with quite an exhaustive list of the parts that cannot be replicated and are currently discontinued. I don't think the BMW 840 was the flagship at the time nor do I think it is an iconic car as some of the others mentioned in this thread. I'm sure others may disagree but I don't see why BMW should pay too much attention to non-"M" models. Now had the M8 concept gone in to production, I'm pretty sure it would have turned out differently...

[Guest Rsb]

Honda make less NSX parts than Toyota do for Supras. E31 is iconic / desirable by most people’s reference whatever the engine grade. Using that reference, Toyota need only to serve twin turbo UK manuals then? No manufacturer makes all the parts for all cars indefinitely

Edited March 3, 2020 by Rsb (see edit history)

[Mo Reviews]

Why invest in old tech when they are being told no more new petrol diesel cars to be sold by 2035

 

That doesn't necessarily mean there will be no more ICE cars on the road far beyond 2035... I simply don't see the vast majority of the world following suit, the likes of; Africa, South America, Asia and Russia are unlikely to adopt electric vehicles this side of the century, let alone by 2035. Manufacturers understand this and will adapt to maximise profits in any eventuality. Don't let their "woke" front fool you though, they must appear in touch with the likes of Greta and her fellow tree hugging brethren because that is clearly the latest trend.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Mo Reviews (see edit history)

[Mo Reviews]

Honda make less NSX parts than Toyota do for Supras. E31 is iconic / desirable by most people’s reference whatever the engine grade. Using that reference, Toyota need only to serve twin turbo UK manuals then? No manufacturer makes all the parts for all cars indefinitely

 

I think you will find that Honda in fact has a heritage parts program for the NSX, which continues to produce most of its parts, with the exception of some interior bits of trim... I don't see your argument regarding the 8 series, perhaps if the twin turbo Supra didn't exist, Toyota would have a case for not creating a heritage program because the Supra would perhaps not have reached the heights it did.

[Guest Rsb]

I think you will they don’t for the NSX, have you owned one? They have just announced a programme for the S2000 which is a much newer car so they have even stopped making parts for that. If they don’t make 840 parts then they don’t make 850csi parts either which iconic in any language.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Rsb (see edit history)

[Mo Reviews]

I think you will they don’t for the NSX, have you owned one? They have just announced one for the S2000 which is a much newer car so they have even stopped making parts for that. If they don’t make 840 parts then they don’t make 850csi parts either which iconic in any language.

 

No I haven't owned one, have you?

 

I have a close friend who is a collector and he has boasted about Honda's support for the NSX (at every bloody given opportunity); further, having personally seen him restore various NSXs since 2010, I'm pretty sure he's right.

 

As I said, if a E31 M8 existed, it would have been a completely different story and somewhat more comparable to this issue.

[Guest Rsb]

I own one and lots of parts they don’t make but that’s not to say things aren’t available but there is no special parts programme by Honda for them. I had no issues with my UK Supra so far. If you think 850csi is less iconic than a Supra because it’s not called an ‘M8’ then that’s your view but the market and prices would suggest otherwise.

[Mo Reviews]

I own one and lots of parts they don’t make but that’s not to say things aren’t available but there is no special parts programme by Honda for them. I had no issues with my UK Supra so far. If you think 850csi is less iconic than a Supra because it’s not called an ‘M8’ then that’s your view but the market and prices would suggest otherwise.

 

Who said anything about the 850csi? I thought we were talking about the 840? In any event, granted the 850csi is a collectable car, sadly however it doesn't matter to BMW like something like a CSL or a classic "M" car would. I.e. traditional flagships.

 

The fact of the matter is, this thread is about Toyota and their broken promises... I don't see how or why BMW has been dragged in to this conversation? I'm certainly not debating the new Z4 coupe.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Mo Reviews (see edit history)

[Guest Rsb]

850csi is the most iconic BMW of modern times, an M badge doesn’t make a car flagship or mean BMW care about it more - so it matters but they don’t make all M1 or E36 M3

parts either. Porsche don’t make everything for the 959, 964 whale tail or 993 turbo. I know someone who had to battle with Ferrari HQ to get new fuel tanks made for their F40 that took 18 months but the cost was more than a Supra and there were other parts Ferrari refused to remake - maybe there should be co-ordinated protests on all manufacturers.

Anyway, good luck with the convoy, I’ll look out for it on the news.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Rsb (see edit history)

[Mo Reviews]

850csi is the most iconic BMW of modern times, an M badge doesn’t make a car flagship or mean BMW care about it more - so it matters but they don’t make all M1 or E36 M3

parts either. Porsche don’t make everything for the 959, 964 whale tail or 993 turbo. I know someone who had to battle with Ferrari HQ to get new fuel tanks made for their F40 that took 18 months but the cost was more than a Supra and there were other parts Ferrari refused to remake - maybe there should be co-ordinated protests on all manufacturers.

Anyway, good luck with the convoy, I’ll look out for it on the news.

 

I accept that anomalies and exceptions to the 'usual' exist.

 

However, the fact of the matter is very simple; not a single one of the manufacturers you have quoted in your post made any promise of a heritage program, then later appeared to renege on the same.

 

If any other manufacturer were to act in a similarly callous manner as Toyota, I would not be surprised to see similar action, as proposed here, being taken by the respective owners' clubs.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Mo Reviews
Addendum to respond to edit. (see edit history)

[Stephen88]

I do agree a proper stand should be made, Toyota has been taking a very laid back approach with the heritage parts program. Is night and day compare to what Nissan is doing for the skyline. Even nismo parts are available.

 

I’m pretty sure discontinued TRD parts for the MK 4 will ever come back but an extensive parts list for the a80 supra should be a given.