…
[quote=“txsupra11"”]
Could have a plug-in hybrid powertrain
There have been countless rumors about a new Toyota Supra but a recent report is indicating the model won’t be jointly developed with BMW.
According to one of Motoring’s sources, “BMW is not involved in the new Supra” but “Toyota is involved in the development of the all-new BMW Z4.”
The source went on to say the model will have a front-engine, rear-drive layout and will use the same lightweight construction techniques as the i3 and i8. This means we can expect a number of carbon fiber and aluminum components which will make the model relatively lightweight.
Little else is known about the car but it could have a 2.0-liter engine that is backed up by a Toyota-sourced plug-in hybrid system.
Despite the advanced technology, the source suggested the car would cost roughly the same price as the current model.
http://www.worldcarfans.com/114011768913/toyota-to-develop-the-supra-alone-joint-sports-car-will
[/quote]
[quote=“txsupra11"”]
Toyota to develop new Supra alone, but will work with BMW on next-gen Z4
Toyota has been in the headlines since the Detroit Auto Show thanks to its gorgeously styled “Vision Gran Turismo” car, the FT-1 concept. This is a car that made the leap from virtual to real world, but will “stay as is,” according to one Toyota executive, “just a concept.”While many US-based publications are referring to this coupe as the next generation Supra, one source close to Toyota tells us that the FT-1 has nothing to do with the Toyota-BMW relationship.
“BMW is not involved in the new Supra. I just wanted to make that clear,” confirms our insider.
“What I can say is that Toyota is involved in the development of the all-new BMW Z4.”
In 2013, both companies conducted a feasibility study into the mid-sized coupe’s potential and discussed topics including the type of materials to use and even what powertrain.
The exterior design has not been finalised yet, but our source filled us in on one design direction taken by Toyota.
The coupe you see in this image is an artist’s impression of what Toyota’s version of the Z4 will look like. And while it’s edgy and not that pretty, we can expect some strategic touch-ups by the time the car is due for launch in 2017.
The new coupe will employ a front-engine, rear-drive layout following on from the current Z4. But what is surprising says our insider, is the car’s lightweight focus: “This car will use the same lightweight body construction as the i3 and i8.”
That means lots of carbon-fibre and aluminium in a car which will incorporate basic body and chassis design by BMW.
“And even with that type of construction, you can expect a sticker price around the same as that of the current Z4. No more than $70,000,” adds our source.
This sounds incredible given the cost of carbon-fibre up until recently. But as our insider explains, BMW has teamed up with Germany’s SGL to co-develop innovative carbon fiber technology that is seeing the cost of such materials fall significantly – to less than one-fifth of its current value.
The design and construction of the body will be done by BMW incorporating the latest lightweight technologies used in the i3 and i8. So what is Toyota bringing to the party? One guess: its next generation plug-in hybrid technology.
An advanced interpretation of the current THS II system, the new version will incorporate a capacitor. Like a battery, a capacitor can store electrical energy. But unlike a battery, which can produce electrons through chemical reactions, the capacitor is much simpler as it can’t produce electrons.
We have already seen one form of Toyota’s next-generation capacitor-using plug-in hybrid system inside the THS-R units fitted to the TS030 Le Mans racing car as well as the Yaris Hybrid R Concept revealed at last year’s Frankfurt motor show.
These two early versions point the way to such hybrids being employed in future road cars as the energy density is lower in capacitors (used in conjunction with Lithium-ion batteries) which allows for quicker acceleration. In terms of power storage and delivery, our source suggested we think of the KERS units being used in today’s F1 championship.
"It’s power storage and acceleration response is very similar to that in the F1 KERS technology.
“We cannot expect to see a Toyota engine fitted here,” says our source. “The chances are not zero, but very low. We can however, expect to see Toyota’s new hybrid system used.”
In fact BMW’s engine supply has already begun in earnest. From January 2014 at its plant in Turkey, Toyota has started production of the new Verso, a small Euro-spec MPV powered by a BMW diesel engine.
Toyota is calling the 1.6-litre four-cylinder diesel the “D-4D,” in line with its internal naming system but in fact, this 82kW (112hp) engine was supplied by the German carmaker.
“For the new Z4 and its Toyota cousin, the potential for an engine no bigger than a 2.0-litre is very high,” says our source. “Add the new Toyota hybrid unit to that 2.0-litre and you have a potent powertrain with superb mileage and clean emissions.”
Although the two cars, the next-gen Z4 and the as yet unnamed Toyota variant will employ identical powertrains and plug-in hybrids (with capacitors), the body designs will be quite different.
And the introduction of these cars will herald a new era of markedly cheaper carbon fiber construction that will become widely used in the car industry.
[/quote]
[quote=“txsupra11"”]
Joint project to spawn next Toyota sports car and BMW Z4.
Toyota’s FT-1 concept was arguably the star of the 2014 Detroit motor show – prompting considerable comment about whether or not it points to a successor for the iconic Supra – with an outright performance focus to tackle the Nissan GT-R head-on.
But there’s perhaps even stronger interest in the next sports car project, for which the Japanese company is teaming with German luxury brand BMW, with the two brands inking a deal as the year closed.
A new report by Japan’s Holiday Auto magazine has explored what the result of that union could look like – and what could be under the skin.
Holiday Auto has rendered what it believes the Toyota model will look like, with classic open roof and long-nose short tail proportions, and Toyota-influenced details and speedster-style rear end with twin headrest fairings. The rendering’s pronounced wheel-arches and arcing rear quarters are also reminiscent of the Audi TT.
Speaking with an anonymous insider, the report suggests that the BMW half of the project will result in the next-generation Z4 roadster, using a similar aluminium and carbon fibre structure to the new BMW i3 and i8 to reduce weight.
“At least the drive system must be front-engined/rear-drive as BMW wants to focus mainly on the next generation Z4. Therefore, BMW will design the main body basics and probably manufacture it as well,” the report cites the insider as saying.
The report suggests that despite the shift to more exotic materials, the next BMW Z4 will cost no more than the $77,500-$120,000 steel-based chassis current model, thanks to the production-friendly resin-transfer moulding (RTM) composite technology pioneered by the i3 and i8.
The memorandum of understanding between the two brands has highlighted that Toyota’s hybrid drivetrain prowess will be the Japanese giant’s key contribution to the project, and the article elaborates that a new system using capacitor energy storage similar to Toyota’s TS030 LeMans racer and the Yaris Hybrid R concept from last year’s Frankfurt show will reportedly feature.
However, the BMW/Toyota sports car’s system is likely to be significantly scaled down from the racer and concept, as Toyota 86 chief engineer Tetsuya Tada suggested to Carsguide last year that their supercapacitor-based setup would be cost prohibitive for road-going models.
Generating sufficient charge for capacitors is also a challenge under typical road-driving conditions, and the report suggests a road-friendly and cheaper nickel-metal hydride or lithium-ion battery – as used by existing Prius models – is likely to be paired with capacitors.
As for the combustion element of the hybrid setup, it’s tipped that BMW will to contribute a petrol-fuelled engine from its catalog of powerplants. “It is unlikely that a Toyota engine will be used, because BMW will not accept to use Toyota’s components for all principal components,” Holiday Auto’s source says.
Toyota has demonstrated a willingness to use power sources from other brands of late, with the Subaru-based 2.0-litre boxer from the 86 sports coupe, and the use of BMW-designed 1.6-litre diesel engines for the Corolla-based Verso people mover in Europe.
[/quote]