We reported in detail when BMW and Toyota confirmed getting into a four-part joint venture earlier this year. This joint venture is largely focussed on improving efficiency of the vehicles using fuel cells, lightweight materials and better battery technology. However, also a part of the JV was a “feasibility study” for development of a shared platform that will underpin an upcoming midsize “sports vehicle.”
The upcoming “sports vehicle” project is running smoothly and it has now emerged that the BMW-Toyota coupe could be the next Supra. The sources of this info are some high-ranking Toyota executive, particularly, the brand’s incoming chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada. Uchiyamada said he wants the BMW co-developed sports car to be midsize vehicle “comparable” to the legendary Supra.
“That’s what I want but it’s not me who makes the decision,” said Uchiyamada. “It’s futile if we make something similar to the GT 86”, he added.
So far, neither Toyota nor BMW have provided any official details about the project that will lead to the birth of two separate coupe models for the respective brands, though, we’ve heard that the Japanese company may introduce a concept car previewing the production coupe at the Tokyo Auto Show later this year.
Specific details about the two upcoming cars aren’t available as of now but what we do know is that there are good chances that at least one of the two cars would be an all-wheel drive hybrid.
Via Bloomberg News