Following news from Toyota Germany earlier this month, Toyota USA has confirmed that the long-awaited, fifth-generation Supra will be making its production debut at the 2019 Detroit Motor Show in January as a 2020 year-model. The company has also announced that the first production unit will be auctioned, with all resulting proceeds going to charity. No full-frontal of the car just yet, though like most of its details, it probably is among the worst-kept secrets of late.
Production of the sports car will commence in the first half of next year. The fifth-generation Supra has been over 10 years in the making, beginning with FT-HS concept of 2007 which was followed by the FT-1 concept in 2014, the latter offering a shape closer to what we now know the Supra to wear.
So far, we know that the A90 Supra will be powered by a BMW-sourced, 3.0 litre turbocharged inline-six set to produce in the region of 340 hp. Drive will be sent to the rear wheels as per Supra tradition, albeit this time via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. There will also be a four-cylinder model, which chief engineer Tetsuya Tada recommended for those who intend to do an engine swap.
Weight distribution will be the ideal 50:50 front to rear, said Toyota, whilst also featuring an active, electronically-controlled limited-slip differential and adaptive variable suspension. The chassis will be of a steel-and-aluminium composite construction, while its centre of gravity is lower than that of the Toyota 86, and is as rigid at the Lexus LFA.
The Detroit motor show will be a fitting place for the A90 Supra’s debut, as both the FT-HS and FT-1 concepts were revealed there. The fifth-generation car to bear the nameplate will be Toyota’s ‘last present’ to sports car enthusiasts as there may not be any more cars like it in a changing landscape, what with trending autonomous driving and electrification, said Tada.
“Perhaps in another 30 years we will be able to meet again and talk about how good it was,” the chief engineer said. Who knows – could there be more sports cars to love as enthusiasts have done in the coming years?
GALLERY: A90 Toyota Supra teaser
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