Toyota To Focus On Excitement And Roots - Hints At Future Sports Car

In his first public presentation outside Japan since becoming president, Toyoda emphasized the company's core principles, including the need to produce clean vehicles for the benefit of society. But, he said, "we must do it in a way that's affordable to today's customers."

That is the key challenge for the industry, which is "at a point where we must re-invent the automobile."

But Toyoda, a racing enthusiast, said one of his objectives as head of the company was to inject excitement into the lineup. He said Toyota planned to develop an affordable, fun-to-drive sports car in the next few years but did not elaborate.


2009 Frankfurt Auto Show Photo Gallery
 

rxh8me9000 - 8/5/2009 1:09:56 PM

+2 Boost

Just by seeing his picture i can tell excitement to him is pressing the scan button on the radio and seeing which station it lands on. Seriously though,come on Toyota,i mean the Supra was good,real real good,bring something like that back.

AE86 - 8/5/2009 11:42:41 PM

+1 Boost

Akio is hardcore. He drove the Lexus LFA in the 24 hour race at the Nurburgring this year.

http://lexusenthusiast.com/2009/04/24/akio-toyoda-will-drive-lexus-lfa-in-nurburgring-24h-race/

DinamoR - 8/6/2009 3:26:25 AM

+2 Boost

by looking at him? Akio will whoop your ass at a race track.

but i agree about the supra. it was real real good, and they should bring it back. why let nissan have all the glory with the GT-R?

1dott8 - 8/5/2009 2:02:47 PM

+11 Boost

oh yeah, all enthusiasts want the "sport version of the Yaris". how exciting.

pennfootball - 8/5/2009 2:04:17 PM

-5 Boost

Make a Toyota Supra turbocharged Lexus v6 2+2 to compete with the Ford Mustang with everything including Navigation, active rear differential, Sirius sat radio, and heated and cooled seats for 33 grand.

DinamoR - 8/6/2009 3:29:58 AM

+2 Boost

if there is a supra it will be a Nissan GT-R competitor, like it has always been.

dlin - 8/5/2009 3:13:00 PM

+1 Boost

I want a NA V6 Supra @ 3000 lb.

theoptimisticpessimist - 8/5/2009 3:43:48 PM

+1 Boost

Toyota on excitement = over promise, under deliver.

TheDepressingTruth - 8/5/2009 7:51:08 PM

+1 Boost

Call Subaru (Toyota owns part of Subaru,ya know)

Mid-engine all wheel drive using the Subaru flat 6

It will never happen

dlin - 8/5/2009 8:39:59 PM

+2 Boost

Mid engine don't need all wheel drive.
Even Lambo is ditching that.

DinamoR - 8/6/2009 3:28:45 AM

+1 Boost

i agree. it would be friggin awesome if they brought back the supra. a 1993 twin turbo supra still costs at least $25,000. People love those cars.

I don't know why Toyota is letting nissan get all the attention with the GT-R. Supra used to kill the GT-R. tuned supras still eat ferraris and lamborghinis for breakfast. stock engine can handle 800 horsepower.

they need to bring it back

Obliv - 8/6/2009 7:30:17 PM

-2 Boost

The Supra was a good car, but nothing extraordinary by todays standards. Hell, an 03 cobras block can handle just as much power while costing 35k new (can get them now used for 17-20k). The Supra was 10k more than that.

I think alot of people would be very disapointed if they release a new Supra. I doubt theyd put anything more than the camry's v6 in it.

Joe_Limon - 8/7/2009 1:56:50 AM

0 Boost

The reason why they killed the supra was so they could get their reliability numbers up. If they did reinvent it they would still be paranoid about things breaking so they would end up making a naturally aspirated 3.0L pushing 250hp in a car that weighs in at 3300lbs. Nothing amazing, just cashing in.