To those paying attention to the world of sports cars, particularly the re-emergence of BMW’s Z-series roadsters and Toyota’s Supra will already be well aware of the agreement signed between those two automakers to swap engineering know-how and technology.
The next Supra that Toyota is heavily rumoured to be developing, likely based on the FT-1 concept shown in 2014, stands to benefit the most from said deal with BMW. Last month we reported on Toyota filing papers to trademark the Supra name in Europe and the United States, further hinting at a possible timeline for the unveil.
Both automakers have dabbled in petrol-electric hybrids to contrasting results (Toyota Prius vs BMW i8, for example) as well as cars with fuel cell technology. While neither jointly-developed sports cars are believed to incorporate hydrogen power, the hybrid portion of BMW’s tech portfolio, and particularly where it applies to sports cars, is where the Supra story gets more interesting.
It could be that the next BMW Z4 will feature a mad straight-six turbocharged engine to be able to belted up a winding country road while putting an enormous grin on the driver’s face, it can be able to return decent fuel economy and low carbon emissions thanks to hybrid technology provided by Toyota.
The inverse could apply for to the next Supra, where is petrol engine will be refined and smooth and probably quite frugal with its petrol reserves, the bulk of its instant power and torque will come from powerful electric motors either driving the front wheels or all four. Perhaps the next Supra will be a plug-in hybrid, too?
While the designs of both the next Z4 (Z5?) and Supra are likely to not involve any collaboration in the interest of keeping their distinct brand identities, Toyota could also make use of BMW multi-material expertise to construct their next sports coupe to both improve weight distribution, centre of gravity, and reduce kerb weight.
Some have reported that the Japanese automaker is targeting a figure lighter than 1,400kg, which could give it one of the best power-to-weight ratios for a hybrid sports car. The Z4, however, should be lighter still with its lack of roof, overall smaller size, and reported less dependence on electric power which translates into fewer lithium-ion cells.
There’s still no word on when exactly BMW or Toyota plan to reveal their work on either car, but judging by the swirl of rumours a full unveil could be expected within the year.
For more on Toyota and BMW vehicles, including pricing and specifications, check out our Showroom.
