Toyota partners BMW on new sports car

Japanese auto giant, Toyota, is working with BMW to develop its long-awaited successor to its iconic sports car, Toyota Supra, which will spawn a Z5 for the German car maker.

The project was first announced in 2012. The Supra name was used from 1978 to 2002, and rumuors have be on for years that Toyota will bring it back for its next sports car. However, Toyota has not confirmed the Supra name yet.

Looking exactly like the Toyota Supra, the new sports car has a long hood, doors with concave panels, and what appear to be fake headlights. The sides and back fenders channel the look of the FT-1 concept revealed in 2014 at the Detroit auto show.

Based on a rear-wheel-drive chassis, the new Supra car will be Toyota’s signature sports car. It is expected to arrive for the 2019 model year, which is in line with the Z5’s arrival. The powertrain lineup will likely include four- and six-cylinder engines, and perhaps employ some electrification (likely from Toyota’s side of the development). Lexus is rumuored to also be supplying a twin-turbo V6 for the car.

Experts believe that this partnership is positive as auto giants like Toyota and BMW are finding it better to work together on low-volume models like the Supra and Z5, which independently they would have struggle to fund and muster the needed resources.

Fiat and Mazda used a similar approach and worked together on the MX-5 Miata and the 124 Spider.

The Toyota Supra is a sports car/grand tourer that was produced by Toyota Motor Corporation from 1978 to 2002.

In 1998, Toyota ceased sales of the Supra in the United Statesand in 2002 Toyota officially stopped production of the Supra in Japan.