Could BMW Supra Pave Way for BMW Lexus?
Did you hear that? That was the sound of millions of Supra enthusiasts crying out in terror.
Don’t worry Supra fans, the sun will come out tomorrow, and likely the day after that, but at some point in 2017, it may just go away forever, because that’s when BMW is planning on rolling out the new 2018 Supra.
Wait, did I say BMW? Yep, and sorry to say, but I meant to.
Though we pretty much already knew BMW would be partnering with Toyota a bit on the Supra comeback, we didn’t realize just how much they’d be involved. Well, now we do, since word has leaked out to Car and Driver about how Toyota and BMW are divvying up the RWD performance coupe.
According to the magazine, Toyota will provide the new Supra’s body, but the Bavarians will be contributing the turbocharged, inline 6-cylinder engine and the rear-drive chassis. Gasp.
It stings, don’t it?
If you want an idea of what the car will look like, take a peak at Toyota’s FT-1 concept car, pictured here, which made its debut at the 2014 Detroit auto show. The new Supra should be similar, though about 10 percent smaller.
The Toyota/BMW partnership, dubbed “Silk Road,” does get a bit more complicated, as both companies will also collaborate on the BMW Z4. And Toyota will share some of its luxury hybrid know-how as well. And cash. Don’t forget the cash.
There’s also potential Lexus news here. Since Toyota/BMW are going ahead with the Supra, they likely won’t team up on an FR-S replacement, as some had speculated. But, according to Car and Driver:
The platform should have enough powertrain and dimensional flexibility to be used for other BMW variations and possibly a Lexus model.
So what, like a BMW / Lexus? That sounds painful, right? Well, perhaps you can understand the pain of millions of Supra fans.
Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>
via [Car and Driver]
