Toyota’s plans to produce a sports car to sit above the Toyota 86 is likely to see the resurrection of the Supra badge, with the Japanese company’s boss personally fond of the nameplate.

Speaking to CarAdvice at the one-year anniversary event of the Toyota 86 in Canberra, Tatsuya Tada, the chief engineer of the sports car project admitted that Akio Toyoda, the president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation, has strong feelings towards the Supra name.

“Akio has very strong feelings about Supra and all the engineers [have] strong feelings about Supra.” Tada told CarAdvice.

“Mr Toyoda said to me that if you want to call it Supra it has to be superior, it has to be super great sports car. Unless it’s a great sports car it wouldn’t be called Supra.” He said.

Despite the preference towards the Supra nameplate, the decision on the name will not take place until six or seven month’s before the car’s release – as was the case with the Toyota 86.

CarAdvice believes that a concept of the new Toyota Supra will be unveiled at this year’s Frankfurt motor show, which will begin the official timeline for the car’s release in the next few years.

The bigger brother to the Toyota 86 is likely to take on the likes of the Nissan 370Z and fill a hole in Toyota’s three-part sports car saga. Orders from Mr Toyoda have been to create a stable of three sports cars.

“Akio Toyoda always says to me, Toyota sports car [family] should be three sports car brothers. 86 is in the middle.”

Asked if the company is favouring one size car over the other, Tada said the company is working on both projects concurrently without prejudice.

Toyota has utilised its relationship with Subaru for the 86 and is extensively committed to its partnership with German manufacturer BMW for the Supra-size sports car, with Tada hinting that his company is very much interested in transmission and engine technology from BMW.

Earlier this year Tada told Toyota UK’s official blog that the collaboration between the two brands is leading to something very special.

“I am hoping for a synergy effect with BMW that will result in a product that none of us could have imagined; something more than anyone expects. I would even go so far as to say that for the collaboration to work we have to bring a product which exceeds all these expectations.”

Should Toyota resurrect the Supra name?

Toyota has announced that its long awaited successor to the iconic Supra will be rear-wheel drive, though the nameplate is yet to be locked-in.

The top-tier sports model, which will sit above the 86 in Toyota’s line-up, will share its development with the BMW i8 and may even boast a carbon fibre frame. Though just which nameplate the upcoming sports car will wear is still a bone of contention.

Speaking at a media event in Canberra last week, chief engineer of the 86, Tetsuya Tada, told motoring.com.au that ‘Supra’ was just one of the names considered for the upcoming performance flagship.

“The Supra successor is an upper-crust sportscar, and the Supra name is just one candidate for that successor,” said Tada-san.

Tada-san said the nameplate was before a committee and he could not yet say what others badges were being considered. He did, however, confirm that the model would remain rear-wheel drive and that Toyota was not seeking to chase Nurburgring lap times, a la Nissan GT-R.

“The GT-R is a car that is clearly focussed on speed, on lap times. We don’t want to chase the same direction,” explained Tada-san.

“Toyota’s philosophy is always [one of] fun. Fun is more important to the driver, and I’d prefer the driver sense that enjoyment than [focus on] lap time.”

Driver enjoyment appears to be paramount in the decision to adhere to a rear-wheel drive layout too. Tada-san, the man behind the development of the rear-wheel drive 86 said it was his belief that to enjoy the car to its fullest, that one powertrain layout was only ever under consideration.

“The idea has always been to have rear-wheel drive. It’s the most fun layout,” he laughed.

Picture shows Toyota FT-HS (hybrid) concept with 3.5-litre V6

Toyota has released a shady teaser showing off a tiny bit of the Hybrid-R Concept, a car that is set for debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The car is based on a production vehicle, which appears to be a Yaris, and it will use a powertrain similar to that found in the brand’s TS030 hybrid Le Mans race car. That means that the Hybrid-R Concept will pack around 400 hp thanks to an internal combustion engine and a pair of electric motors.
Regenerative braking will also be equipped on the concept, along with specific drivetrain settings for either the road or track.

It appears as though the Yaris, which could also be an Auris, is outfitted with an aggressive body kit and new wheels as well.

Check back for more info on the car when it debuts on September 10 at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.

oyota is planning to bring a 400bhp hybrid racing concept to the Frankfurt Motor Show. And if this Toyota hybrid racing concept sounds even half as terrifyingly cosmic as the company's Le Mans racer, consider TG.com very, very interested.

It's called the Hybrid-R, and it's landing at Frankfurt very soon. Obviously, Toyota's being very cheeky with the details - including that shady teaser pic - but the essence of it sounds very exciting. We're told it's based on a "current Toyota production model", featuring a powertrain setup similar to the TS030 hybrid racer used at La Sarthe.

24 hours on from the 24 Hours: some thoughts
As such, it's got over 400bhp from a "high-power internal combustion engine" connected to a pair of electric motors with a super-capacitor that stores energy from braking. There are also two different driving modes available for this Hybrid-R concept - road and track.

It's that last little nugget that gives us hope; hope that Toyota will do the decent thing and base it on the GT86, make it sound like a one-tonne light-sabre being switched on, and put it into production very soon. Unfortunately, the front of this teaser pic doesn't look anything like a GT86. It looks like a Yaris. Or an Auris.

Naturally, we'll have full details when it's revealed on 10 September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, so you'll have to keep the guessing games going until then. For now, have another listen to that astonishing hybrid racer engaging warp speed, below...