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Toyota Supra is DOA, FJ Cruiser won't be refreshed, more hybrids on the way
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Toyota FT-HS concept.
A report by Automotive News detailing Toyota's future products reveals that the automaker's focus will be realigned to meet new fuel efficiency standards and limiting high-powered and niche offerings.
On the hybrid side, the new Prius will debut in Detroit, with sales beginning in the spring of 2009 as a 2010 model. The nickel-metal hydride battery will remain, and because of that, the plug-in model will be delayed until a lithium ion battery is offered. The new Prius will be packing the Corolla's 1.8-liter four cylinder and the car will be an inch wider and a half-inch longer. The second hybrid model might not come to Detroit, but development is currently under way and sales will be limited to Japan.
The Supra revival has been shelved due to high mpg requirements, allowing Toyota to focus on its RWD coupe, jointly developed by Subaru. Also, there's only room for one body-on-frame SUV from the automaker, so the 4Runner will be re-engineered for the 2010 model year, will debut in either New York or Chicago, and the FJ Cruiser will complete its lifecycle and be dropped in the next few years.
The Sienna and Venza will be equipped with hybrid drivetrains in 2012, with the Sienna receiving a facelift late next year, along with more cargo space and room for third-row occupants.
The report goes on to state that the Corolla will be redesigned in 2013, along with the Matrix, the next Camry will receive a facelift in 2010, with the new model debuting in 2012, and the new Avalon will debut in 2011 as a 2012 model.
Gallery: Toyota FT-HS Concept
[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
TJ 11:41AM (8/15/2008)
Shame about the FJ. It really should have been made as a direct competitor to the Wrangler. They had the concept (revive the FJ) correct, but the execution was just painful.
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mike 11:44AM (8/15/2008)
"The report goes on to state that the Corolla will be redesigned in 2013"-----Are you kidding me? That car is ugly, cheap,.....i can not compete with Civic.
Shame about that Supra concept, because it is simply gourgeous.
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Majarvis 11:46AM (8/15/2008)
Yeah, that's a pretty short shelf life for the current Corolla which was just redesigned for 2009. If a new model is out for the 2013 model year, that will mean this Corolla will only be out for four model years.
Jj 11:56AM (8/15/2008)
4 years is on the short side but it's not all that uncommom. Honda used to be religeous about 4 year model cycles, although lately they have been longer.
jgp 12:07PM (8/15/2008)
I guess it's to make up for the six-year cycle of the previous Corolla.
EVan 11:44AM (8/15/2008)
Oh yea, well GM has the Volt.
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Shipey 11:45AM (8/15/2008)
*tears for FJ*
Besides the Prius, the FJ is the only thing they have going with an ounce of style. It should just be downsized to match the Wrangler... which is the size iit should have been in the first place. The original LandCruisers were awesome in their own right, despite being knock-offs of the American Jeeps.
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Cornholio 1:23PM (8/15/2008)
+1.
I was somewhat interested in an FJ 'til I saw how overly large the damn thing was. No thanks. Too bulky and heavy, drinks premium fuel, and gets craptastic mileage.
Toyota really does need to focus on building more exiting cars. The FJ is as close as it gets right now, and that does nothing for the "car guys" out there.
why not the LS2LS7? 1:56PM (8/15/2008)
It also was too pricey. Extra doors too gimmicky.
Honestly, it was just too much. The original Land Cruisers made their name based upon reliability, toughness, capability and simplicity. Toyota took a lot of this, replacing it with gimmickry and fancy stuff that wasn't really useful or worth paying for on an offroad vehicle. It just failed to be a real FJ.
anti-believer 1:03PM (8/15/2008)
I thought a good week ago the Avalon was cancelled.
????
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Jobu37 1:43PM (8/15/2008)
It wasn't canceled it is just going to be a version of the Camry moving forward. They are not willing to spend big bucks redesigning it due to the lack of demand for D cars.
JZeke 11:49AM (8/15/2008)
Toyota should at least consider a few sporting derivations of the Prius, such as a convertible and a two-seat coupe. Eco mindedness shouldn't be the exclusive domain of yuppie couples and cab drivers after all.
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Jrejre 4:56PM (8/15/2008)
They need to make an MR2 hybrid on the prius platform or something. There are a lot of people who want a hybrid but don't want a vehicle that looks like a dust buster.
I don't understand the philosophy of if it looks sporty or has 2 seats it has to go super fast and get crappy gas mileage. Whatever happened to "cruising cars". . .
Todd 11:51AM (8/15/2008)
I say good on that supra deal! Just means my mkiv supra will retain it's value better.
Besides it wouldn't have been I6 nor twin turbo so no loss. Especially if it was to look like that.
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2007RC46SP2 11:58AM (8/15/2008)
your right, it might of had a really kick ass V8 this time.
Frylock350 12:03PM (8/15/2008)
With a V8 it would fail to be a Supra. The Supra was cool because it had a mean, screaming I6 that had incredible stock internals. No 2JZ-GTE or similar powerplant, no Supra. That'd be like a Corvette without a Chevy small block or a BMW without the inflated price tagl.
Jimbo 12:16PM (8/15/2008)
Does Toyota even make an I6 anymore? Even the Lexus IS switched to a V6 in the last redesign. I don't see how they couldn't make a new Supra out of the upcoming IS Coupe. It would be like how Nissan makes the Z out of the Infiniti G Coupe. And given that the Supra would be a niche vehicle, I doubt it would make a dent in their CAFE scores.
Dang3Rz0n3 12:39PM (8/15/2008)
"No 2JZ-GTE or similar powerplant, no Supra. "
Ok, fanboy...because prior Skylines had the RB26 and now everyone hates the v6 in the R35...and because previous BMWs were all motor and now the TT in the 330 just sucks.
Cars evolve, get over it. Everything is a compromise. A v6 may not be as inherently, balanced as a I6, but it's shorter and it is easier to achieve optimal weight distribution in a chassis. Think you could tell without looking under the hood whether any car was running a straight or v6? Congratulations, you get the cliché comment of the day award.
Suggestion to autoblog, delete the following posts:
1) This isn't a real [insert car] because [insert tired fanboy reasoning]
2) This car looks like ...
3) Make this car weigh [ridiculous weight that ignores modern rigidity and safety standards] and make it cost [unprofitably low amount of $ completely inconsistent with the market] and I'd buy it.
Dang3rR_z_0_n_3 1:04PM (8/15/2008)
Oh, wait. How could I forget:
4) "I'd buy it if it was a wagon/diesel/RWD." Yeah, you and
why not the LS2LS7? 2:00PM (8/15/2008)
The C4 ZR-1 Corvette didn't have a Chevy small block and it was bad ass.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette_C4#ZR-1
The originals had blue flame sixes too.
Cars change, and although I am distressed at what Nissan did with the GT-R now (made it huge and dropped the RB26), I wouldn't try to say it isn't a GT-R.