REPORT: Toyota's hybrid Supra successor on track for 2011
Toyota FT-HS Concept - Click above for a high-res image gallery
With all the rumors and anticipation surrounding Toyota's joint venture with Subaru to produce a front-engine, rear-wheel drive coupe, the automaker's Supra successor has been put on the news cycle's back-burner. However, according to a report by Best Car, development has continued in earnest since the FT-HS Hybrid Sports Car Concept debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in 2007 and a prototype will supposedly begin making the rounds later this year.
Although the FT-HS was originally due to arrive in 2009, the Toyobaru's parallel development and market conditions have pushed back the introduction of a Supra-successor until 2011. When it hits, expect two versions to be available: a traditional gas-powered model, likely fitted with a 3.5-liter V6, and a hybrid "Sports" variant packing the GS450h's 2GR-VSE 3.5-liter V6 mated to the JDM Crown Hybrid's electric drive system and cranking out around 400 hp to the rear wheels. If Best Car's report is to be believed, we could see the next iteration of the FT-HS concept at the Tokyo Motor Show this November, with the production model debuting sometime in 2010 before its on-sale date the following year.
Gallery: Toyota FT-HS Concept
[Source: Best Car via 7Tune]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg "2011 Audi A8: Live from Miami")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
LesPaul1 1:34PM (6/22/2009)
sweeeet
Reply
tankd0g 1:34PM (6/22/2009)
I wonder if all the excitement about Hyundai lately is starting to get to them. Maybe we can shame Toyota into a new Celica too!
Reply
BoxerFanatic 1:36PM (6/22/2009)
The Toyota/Subaru joint project is not the same as the new Supra project.
The Toyota/Subaru coupe is supposedly going to be the new Celica. Name included, although perhaps only in Japan, if it gets marketed through Scion in the US...
Sea Urchin 1:49PM (6/22/2009)
Celica? Honda is comingout with CR-Z, it will be way more fun.
tankd0g 2:02PM (6/22/2009)
The Celica/STi project was dead last I heard. It will exist as a high end Subaru model only if at all.
As for the CRZ, if I wanted FWD car with no botom end torque that needs ball joints every 2 years I'd probably own an Si...
Red 2:27PM (6/22/2009)
@tankd0g,
Last I checked, hybrids have plenty of bottom end torque.
Also, last I checked (here, about a week ago, via 7Tune) the Subaru/Toyota project is still moving along in development. Toyota stated the car would not be sold in Japan as a Toyota but Subaru's would be sold to outside markets. As BoxerFanatic points out, reading between the lines, the Toyota version is likely to be sold as a Scion outside of Japan.
On another note, I can honestly say this is probably the first Toyota vehicle I've been excited about in a long time (Supra hybrid), if nothing more than the whole concept of its powertrain. Sounds very similar to the Accord hybrid. Honda was a bit ahead of its time with that one, being the first "performance hybrid" (all Lexus hybrids are "performance hybrids" now). I think the problem with that vehicle was its cost. It was significantly more expensive and people, connecting "hybrid" with "fuel efficiency" didn't see the point. They were willing to pay for a more expensive Accord, but the Supra name plate has some an enthusiast cache the Accord didn't. Had Honda put the same powertrain in the S2000 or NSX, I think people would've been more accepting.
tankd0g 3:08PM (6/22/2009)
Having been stuck with the civic hybrid as a loaner I can say that it's definitly not always true that hybrids have low end torque.
I expect this Supra will be well beyond the price of an Accord, more like the Lexus, but that's nothing new, the 1993+ TT wasn't exactly cheap either.
I haven't seen any evidence at all that the Toyota variant of the boxer engined STi coup is actually going to happen. No test mule shots, no definite announcement, just a lot of rendered speculation. It would be awfully expensive to be a Scion, unless Toyota is going to totally toss the affordable-for-young-people Scion image right out the window.
MC959 4:39AM (6/23/2009)
@ Sea Urchin
Can you explain me, how a Fwd car can be more fun then a Rwd car???
Also the Toyobaru will have power between 200hp and 300hp, as for the
Honda will probably maxed out at around 200hp or 250hp.
Sorry for me, 300hp at the rear wheels is way much fun...
EXP Jawa 1:38PM (6/22/2009)
Neat. I wonder how much more the hybrid version will weigh...
Reply
Level 1:50PM (6/22/2009)
I don't know why Subaru is getting the coupe you know they will do the same thing Mitsu does with the ecplise. Make it into a chic car because they already have a high performance car which is the STi but on Toyota's side. Since the days of the over engineered Supra I don't think they will make a good car...It will prob be half ass...
Reply
Concerned Citizen 1:57PM (6/22/2009)
In other news, years of Toyota Supra rumors officially surpasses years of Toyota Supra production.
Dear Toyota; Mazda has the RX8, Nissan has the 350/370z, Honda has the S2000. BUILD IT ALREADY!
Reply
Motor_Yakuza 2:06PM (6/22/2009)
The S2000 is dead, it will probably be replaced with an S3000 coupe, but it's nothing sure, I guess that we will find more about that this year at Tokyo.
J Who 4:18PM (6/22/2009)
I know, right! with all of this "on again/off again" b.s., I won't beleive JACK until I see it for myself...
Motor_Yakuza 2:02PM (6/22/2009)
Oh Yeah, give us a Supra that will make us proud.
Reply
Miss Jane 2:06PM (6/22/2009)
Still waiting...
Reply
pirate 11:26AM (7/07/2009)
turbo version?
Reply
P.V. 2:27PM (6/22/2009)
[pray style="rantish"]
pleasemakeitrwdpleasemakeitrwdPLEASEMAKEITRWDALREADY!
[/pray]
Reply
paul34 5:05PM (6/22/2009)
Broken space bar?
GatorLCA 2:29PM (6/22/2009)
Just make a new 2JZ with Direct Injection and we'll be happy
Reply
alfietcr 2:43PM (6/22/2009)
A hybrid supra?? hmm thatll be interesting, but i doupt itll have the appeal and cult status as the last Supra, its apeal was the iconic 2jz engine. A bullet proof engine with twin sequential turbos. Being bulletproof it could handle the turbo upgrades necesary for huge power increases, thus making it iconic. What auto companies fail to realize is that adequate power sells and bullet proof TURBO engines become iconic because of that tunability. Give us a good car with RWD and a bulletproof turbo engine and you will have the iconic status that will sell future cars. The NSX was iconic but too pricey, the 300 ZX was good but its engine was not bulletproof, the 3000gt VR-4 was good but it was a POS, none retained their value like the Supra, even the NSX is now cheaper than the Supra, given its inicial cost of 46 grand for the supra and 80 for the NSX or something like that, dont quote me on the numbers cuz thats was in 94 and i was in 9th grade. Good virgin Supras with Twin turbo and the 6speed can fetch 40 grand to 50 grand. Good NSXs can fetch 30 to 40 of course that depents on year mileage and whatnot. So hybrid powerstains on a sports car, hmm the jury is still out on that one. Anyways, if the Celica aka toyobaru will go for 20 grand to 26 grand when the turbo model comes out, mmy guess the Supra wil be 35 to 40 and the hybrid will be 45 to 50, thats a whole nother ball park...
Reply