Here's more rumors about future Toyota sports cars.
Toyota Supra
Rumors are now begining to swirl madly about a 2004 (actual late-2003 release) model year Supra. Preliminary specs include either a 3.5L V-6 with 325HP in the high trim, and a 2.5 L V-6 in the lower trim. News of a 2004MY Supra release also "suspiciously" appeared in both "Automobile" magazine and "Road and Track" July/August '02 issues. Other sources have the 2004 Supra coming with a 4.5L V-8 in the upper trim and the 3.5L V-6 in the base trim. Expect the Supra to arrive as a direct competitor to the 350Z. Pricing and power should be very similar so it should hopefully be a little more affordable than the past Supra.
Toyota 5000GT
This car has been rumored to appear for the last few years. Originally leaked to magazines, perhaps to gauge interest in a Toyota supercar, the purple concept was release (by Toyota?) and was presented as a super car somewhere around the US$100,000 price range. Judged as too retro the later drawings (orange/white) represent a more modern looking super car. Please note that the latter drawings are just Japanese car magazines speculation on the design, and may be completely out of the blue. The name suggest heritage along the lines of the 1967 2000GT a car who's design was well before its time. Hopefully this suggest that the car will have technology well ahead of the curve.
Earlier rumors had the GT car having well over 400 HP from a V12 engine. This would blow away any current designs from Japanese automakers allowing Toyota to enter the supercar/exotic market. More current rumors suggest that rather than using a V12 Toyota is developing a V10 engine based on their F1 racecar. Power is expected to be around 450ps (~433HP). Whether or not this car will actually be built remains to be seen...as Toyota is notoriously tight-lipped about future models.
bto wrote:Supra's Succesor will most likely will be called the 5000GT and will feature a 5.0-liter, DOHC, 32-valve VVTLi V8 for power. And the Styling is supposedly retro. Think of it as a revamped 2000GT.
I think the styling bto was talking about is probably that of the Toyota FSX below. It looks very similar to the old 2000GT.
Toyota FSX
Debut was at the 2001 Tokyo Motor show the Toyota FSX is rumored to possibly fill the gap that will be left by the Supra. With the Lexus SC430 filling the luxury sports car and the possible upcoming 4500GT/5000GT in the super car category Toyota may use this car as a more "affordable" sports car along Supra lines to compete with the upcoming 350Z and RX-8. The concept car has the 4.3L DOHC 32 valve V8 from the Soarer/LS430 under the hood mounted in a position to provide a 50:50 weight balance. The V8 is mated a 6-speed sequential manual transmission.
Toyota has suggested that this concept is simply "experiment in styling" at this point; however if it is produced (as many sources are suggesting), expect to see it as soon as 2-3 years from now. Expect much more conservative styling, as Toyota concepts can be quite changed from the production product (XYR Concept excluded).
It is doubtful that this car would appear at least in the US. This car is likely to be priced well above most cars in the Toyota lineup suggesting that it would be likely be placed under the Lexus nameplate. Lexus however already has a convertible "sports car" for sale in the SC430. A convertible that priced to compete with the forthcoming 350Z and RX-8, and with more power than the SC430 would hurt already slow SC430 sales.
by BuddhaTB on Mon Feb 10, 2003 3:06 am 
with another car, separate from the Supra.....in my opinion, they are getting ahead of themselves. First they should finish the Supra and then start thinking of what to do next.
