Toyota News

Below is included the latest in rumors and news of the latest Toyota Storts or Sporty cars. I welcome any and all submissions.

Toyota Supercar Spyshots/Lexus LF-A Official Photos 1/2005
No Celica or MR-S for 2005 9/2004
Toyota Alessandro Volta 9/2004
2005 Celica Drawings
Scion tC
Toyota Corolla XR-S
Redesigned Solara
TRD Supercharger for 2ZZ-GE
Toyota Announces new brand
Toyota 4500/5000 GT
2005 Toyota Supra

Toyota Concept Cars

Toyota Supercar Spy Shots

Above are pictures of a Toyota Supercar undergoing testing. Apparently, a premeire is possible at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show. Engine will be a 500HP V-10. More information on The Car Connection. It appears to be quite different then the Volta, with the rear looking somewhat like the MKIV Supra.

Above are pictures of the car shown a the 2005 Chicago Auto Show. Specs are still sketchy but the engine is supposed to put out 500HP out of 5 Liters. Top speed is in excess of 200MPH. It may either be a V8 or V10 depending on F1 rule changes. Price is in excess of $100kUS. Supposedly, the drivetrain is still top secret, as Toyota wont release whether its a front engine or rear engine car. Some auto show shots from the rear of the car show quite a bit of clearance in the rear hinting that its a front engined car...however there are large (visible?!) fans in the back hinting that the radiaters are located in the back. Maybe it will be a hybrid? Anyway Toyota is still saying its only a concept. If it is made as a Lexus supercar, the chassis may be the basis for future Supra (I'm hoping at least)?

No Celica or MR-S 2005

Toyota USA officially announced that the Celica & MR-S will no longer be imported to the US for the 2005 model year. Replacing the Celica in the Toyota lineup is the Scion Tc ("Toyota Celica"?). I guess, Toyota US feel that they have no room for sporty coupes anymore.

No word on overseas changes.

New Toyota Supercar Concept

Above is the Italdesign-styled Toyota Alessandro Volta. A hybrid sports car, the Alessandro Volta uses a drivetrain derived off of the RX400 using Toyota's 3.3L V-6 currently in use in toyotas lineup, tuned to 408 HP. The engine, mounted in the rear isnt connected in the usual manner to the to the wheels instead they are powered be electric motors....

Press Release (pdf)

2005 Toyota Celica

Above are a possible images of the next Celica. Possibly overseas, now that it has been discontinued in North America

Scion Tc

Above is a Toyota released photos for the Scion tC. The "C" standing for "Coupe," the tC is based of the Toyota Avensis (European-based car which fits between the Camry and Corolla) and will come with the 2.4L I4 out of the Camry. The tC is currently on sale replacing the Celica.

Toyota Corolla XRS

During the Tokyo Auto Show, Toyota announced a special model Corolla. the Corolla XR-S will be released with the Celica 2ZZGE and 6Spd. Power dropping to 170HP suggests a de-tuned engine, however it will once again give the Corolla a performance-oriented drivetrain. This is curently available.

2004 Toyota Camry Solara

The 2004 Toyota Camry Solara was unveiled at the 2003 New York Auto Show (and now available) The new model, styled by the toyota's US design center, it is an interesting mix of the Lexus SC430 and Camry styling. Unfortunately, Toyota doesnt seem to be targeting the enthusiast as only an automatic transmission will be available...

• SLE Trim V-6 225 hp @ 5,600 rpm, 240 lb.-ft. torque @ 3,600 rpm
• SE Trim I-4 157 hp @ 5,600 rpm 162 lb.-ft. torque @ 4,000 rpm
  

2003 TRD Supercharger

The Toyota Matrix / Pontiac Vibe twins have a supercharger coming out in 2003. A supercharger for the Celica has been a rumor ever since 1999, however Pontiac already has the supercharger on their site for the Toyota 1ZZFE powered Vibe (though it is not yet available). While the Matrix/Vibe supercharger wont work on the 1ZZFE Celicas (not enough hood clearance), TRD is possible reworking the intake to work to fit the Celica. The 1ZZFE + TRD supercharger may take place of the 2ZZGE in the upper trim Matrix XRS, probably around the 3 year makeover.

Toyota announces launch of Scion

Update: Roll out will starting in California June 2003, The South, Southeast, and East Coast will see Scion around Feb 2004, while the rest of the country gets Scion September 2004. The Xa, and Xb will be available the first year, while a car similar to the ccX Concept (2 door Matrix-look-a-like with full car sunroof) will be released in year 2 as the Xc.

2/28/02-Toyota officially announced the launch of a new brand named Scion (pronounced "sigh-on"). Targeted to appeal to the youth market Scion will produce cars which target younger buyers with presumably sportier designs. The new brand will be similar to Toyota using the name "Lexus" to sell its luxury line of cars. Unlike Lexus however, Scion cars will be sold within current Toyota dealers perhaps in a separate area of the showroom. The Scion Xa (Based off the Toyota Bb available in Japan) and the Scion Xb (Toyota Ist available in Japan) will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show (Jan 2004). Both are built off the same chassis and use the same engine as the Toyota Echo.

Scion xB ( BbX Concept Car )	Scion Xa ( ist Concept Car )

Toyota 4000GT/4300GT/4500GT/5000GT

(pictures: Top-Road and Track, Middle-Motor magazine, Bottom- unknown)

This car has been rumored to appear for the last few years. Originally leaked to magazines, perhaps to gauge interest in a Toyota supercar, the purple concept was release (by Toyota?) and was presented as a super car somewhere around the US$100,000 price range. Judged as too retro the later drawings (orange/white) represent a more modern looking super car. Please note that the latter drawings are just Japanese car magazines speculation on the design, and may be completely out of the blue. The name suggest heritage along the lines of the 1967 2000GT a car which had design was well before its time. Hopefully this suggests that the car will have technology well ahead of the curve.

Earlier rumors had the GT car having well over 400 HP from a V12 engine. This would blow away any current designs from Japanese automakers allowing Toyota to enter the supercar/exotic market. More current rumors suggest that rather than using a V12 Toyota is developing a V10 engine based on their F1 racecar. Power is expected to be around 450ps (~433HP). Whether or not this car will actually be built remains to be seen...as Toyota is notoriously tight-lipped about future models.

2005 Toyota Supra

-Automobile Magazine March 03 Issue

12/2003 Rumors supplied to visitors by Toyota reps either have the Supra being shelved due to its high cost and reletively low sales volume OR a possible Supra release due to the money invested so far in its development. If it will be released for the 2005 Model year expect a Detroit Auto show (Jan 04) debut.

3/2003 Artist rendition (red "supra" above) appeared in Automobile magazine along with the rumor of a 2005 MY reappearance of the Supra.

2/2003 Toyota also announces that it will use a new engine (5.2L 3UZ-FE-based V8) in the JGTC series. Possibly a foreshadowing of a new Supra? Toyota currently uses a 2.0L Turbo (3sgte based?) which was never for sale in a stock supra so who knows...it may mean nothing.

8/2002 News of a 2004MY Supra release also appeared in both "Automobile" magazine and "Road and Track" July/August '02 issues. Various sources seem to show the 2004 Supra coming with a 4.5L V-8 in the upper trim and the 3.5L V-6 in the base trim, though a V10 is also rumored. Expect the Supra to arrive as a direct competitor to the 350Z. If It ever makes it to production it will likely be based on the Altezza/IS300 platform.