The passionate man behind the all-new Toyota Supra

Monday, 21 January 2019

Everyone has had one car in their life that holds a special place in their heart. For Akio Toyoda, grandson of Toyota founder Kiichiro Toyoda, that car is the Toyota Supra, a model last seen in 2002.

'Back in the day, my Supra and I spent countless hours together as I learned to become a master driver,' Toyoda told the world's media at a press conference during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Monday. His fondness for the car remained, even as the car's manufacturing ended in 2002.

But in 2012, designers at Toyota's Calty Design Research Centre in Newport Beach, California initiated a skunk works project that resulted in a concept car called the FT-1, one that looked like it could be the next Supra. It soon had a starring role in the Gran Turismo video game, and the next time Toyoda visited Calty, designers placed him in a simulator piloting the concept car, albeit virtually.

'I recommend this approach to any designer out there trying to get his boss to sign off on a concept car, because for me it was game over,' he recalled. 'At the end of the day, is there anything better than a tight rear-wheel-drive sports car?'

**READ MORE:

* The Toyota Supra is finally back!

* New Toyota 'Supra' and BMW Z5 set for 2018

* BMW, Toyota midsize sports car joint venture moves ahead**

The result? The Supra returns for 2020 with a turbocharged double-overhead-cam inline six-cylinder engine generating 250kW, enough to run 0-60 mph (96km/h) in 4.1-seconds through its standard eight-speed automatic transmission.

This doesn't typically happen with company CEOs, admits Bob Carter, executive vice president of sales for Toyota Motor North America. 'We're a little unusual for a car company. We have a president and CEO of this company who has gasoline running through his veins.'

But there's an asterisk, and it's this: BMW developed the platform, powertrain and suspension; Toyota tweaked it all, adding its own settings, software and exterior styling, which owes much to the FT-1 and to a lesser extent Toyota's classic 2000 GT. Some longtime Supra fans have objected, saying the car isn't truly a Supra due to its BMW genetics.

Carter defended the company's sharing platforms when engineering new sports cars, a practice Toyota started with the rear-wheel-drive 86 sports coupe, a vehicle initially engineered by Subaru. 'The market has shifted to SUVs,' he said. 'As much as we like to have these iconic vehicles, it's very difficult to do these if you don't have sharing for amortisation.'

He added that the use of key Supra ingredients, such as an inline six-cylinder engine, keeps the car true to its roots, even if it uses BMW components and is built by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria.

'Even though it was a cooperative effort with BMW, he was the one behind the wheel all of that time at the Nurburgring and a lot of test tracks to make sure that it was that car that he wanted to bring back to life,' said racecar driver Scott Pruett about Akio Toyoda. Pruett is advising Toyota on the new model.

But Toyoda had some help: the company's in-house Gazoo Racing team, which didn't start out like other teams, according to Toyoda. 'We were more like a bunch of friends who thought it would be cool to hang out together with the big boys and eat bratwurst,' Toyoda said. 'Little by little, year by year, we got better and better and became a real team. In fact, in 2018, Toyota's Gazoo Racing Division won the World Endurance Championship and the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. So the new Supra was born out of this hands-on testing at the Nurburgring.'

As you'd expect, the Supra has a low centre of gravity and 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution for optimal handling. But Toyota also specified the spring and shock absorber tuning for the strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension, which makes extensive use of aluminum to save weight. An active differential that controls torque distribution between the rear wheels when cornering under acceleration and braking to reduce understeer and oversteer. The Supra's 275/35R19 rear wheels are wider than the front 255/35R19 wheels for enhanced grip while an adjustable suspension system offers Normal and Sport settings to fine-tune the car to road conditions.

Company officials expect buyers will be slightly older than their mid-30s, the age of a typical 86 buyer. 'There is a large population of youth that does have money to afford these cars,' said Carter. 'Where I think the opportunity exists is with European intenders.'

Carter says that the Supra's interest among younger buyers is a sign that Toyota's aim of producing vehicles that are more fun to drive is resonating with consumers.

'That's a real unique thing with this brand and with Akio,' said Pruett. 'Having that guy at the head of Toyota and Lexus, and having that amount of passion in cars and for the brand, is an exciting thing that's unique.'

Certainly it was hard to miss Toyoda's enthusiasm earlier this week.

'Today, the legend has returned,' he said, beaming like a proud parent just before the new model's unveiling. 'Supra is back, better than ever.'