Last week was a big week of details regarding the reborn Toyota Supra. First there was Toyota's own teaser image previewing something Geneva-bound. Then came the kicker: scanned images from a Japanese car magazine showing not only the Supra GRMN Racing Concept but also what's likely the production version. Word has it a New York Auto Show premiere is planned for the latter. For today we have some fresh images of a barely camouflaged Supra prototype taken by our spy photographers.
Aside from the black and white squiggly line foil covering the car, this is the real deal. Look closely at its front end compared to the scanned image of the red Supra and you'll see they're identical, from the front spoiler's winglets, side sills and the overall exterior design, to the double bubble roof. Even the 18- or 19-inch wheels are production ready. Earlier reports indicate the new Supra will have very similar dimensions to the last Supra. Expect curb weight to be roughly 3,284 pounds. Under the hood, however, is still a bit of a mystery. Chances are, the high-spec Supra will be powered by a BMW-sourced turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 335 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque.
Power will be sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic, the sole transmission offered. A previously rumored 0-62 mph time of 3.8 seconds sounds about right. The base engine, though still unconfirmed, could wind up being a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder rated at 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. It's no secret the new Supra rides on the same newly developed sports car platform that'll also underpin the new BMW Z4. Earlier in their development, we were led to believe the Z4 and Supra, despite the platform, would have different engine offerings. Now, however, it's been said the Supra is little more than a "Toyota in name and body design only."
Even the interior for both cars is supposedly strikingly similar. The pair's biggest difference, it seems, boils down to body style; the Supra is a coupe only while the Z4 is a roadster. In any case, we'll start getting some answers in just a couple of weeks' time at Geneva.
