The powertrain used under the hood of the Toyota Supra continues to be a mystery and latest updates claim that the company is going for a hybrid powertrain inspired by the LeMan’s.
Auto critics are highly confident that the company will go for an inline-six engine which was already used by the fourth generation model. Toyota has a strong collaboration with BMW and it might make it easier for them to go for the said powertrain. A recent statement made by the CEO of the brand has confirmed that the team is interested in going for a hybrid car.
When questioned about the possibility of a Toyota sports car with a hybrid power, Johan Van, CEO of Toyota Europe said, “I would like to imagine that it should happen in the near future. There are similar models available with hybrid powertrains in the Lexus but there are no such for Toyota. We would love to see it available on a road car.”
Despite his positive statement, Van didn’t reveal much about the upcoming Toyota Supra and there is no fixed timeline for the car to get upgraded to a hybrid engine. He did confirm that there will be future models that are electrified and help the brand expand its stronghold in the particular segment.
If confirmed, the Supra could be the flagship sports car with a hybrid powertrain. Going by some of the statements made by inside sources, it looks like the electrified version of the car could use motors mounted on both axles and there will be a gas engine to compensate themile range. The setup will be mated to a dual clutch automatic transmission system.
Apart from upgrading the powertrain, Toyota has also planned to revamp the chassis with all-new carbon fiber material. The construction component is a popular choice for multiple BMW cars. It allows the designers to keep the overall weight of the next generation Supra under 3,000 pounds.
In association with BMW, Toyota will develop the new sports car Supra which will be the direct replacement for the Z4. The upcoming model will be a convertible roadster. Two different models are scheduled to get launched by the first half of 2017. Details regarding the powertrain used in these cars remain sparse at the moment. Toyota could be evaluating the market to ensure they are on par with what their competitors are going for. If there are more electric models, a hybrid is an obvious choice to go for.