It seems the Toyota Supra’s traditional gasoline inline-six-powered days are on limited time as the next-gen model will apparently go for turbo-four hybrid power, according to a recent report from Japan’s BestCar. The new report suggests that the next-gen model will ditch its current six-cylinder engine in favor of a new gas-electric hybrid powertrain with a turbocharged four-cylinder as the main internal combustion engine. Should the report be accurate, it’ll end the Supra’s long-standing tradition for utilizing gasoline inline-six propulsion, which is one of the main draws and historically iconic aspects of the Supra’s tech roster.
It wouldn’t be the first time the Supra utilized four-cylinder power, as Toyota offers the current Supra with a BMW-sourced 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline four. That turbo-four Supra previously sold on North American shores for just a couple of years, but was dropped due to slow sales. The 2.0-liter Supra continues to sell in other markets. However, it would be the first time the Supra will get any sort of electrified powertrain.
This Supposed Hybrid Turbo-Four Model Will Share Powertrains With New MR2 And Celica
According to the report from one of Japan’s top automotive publications, Toyota has some big plans in store for the next-gen Supra, with the good news being that the Supra will continue to live on for another generation. That’s because sports cars like the Supra don’t tend to sell in large numbers and are often produced as a “halo” car to serve as a marketing icon for an automaker.
Because of this, sports cars generally have a limited shelf life due to volatility based on demand. If the demand isn’t there and the car doesn’t sell in enough quantities to make the company money or even make a marketing value statement for the brand, the automaker tends to pull the plug. But things are obviously different this time around, as Toyota still apparently believes in sports cars.
Not only will this supposed new Supra arrive for another generation with turbo-four hybrid , Toyota is also apparently working on new MR2 and Celica sports cars, which may share the same powertrain. Rumors have been floating around about new MR2 and Celica revivals and this new development further confirms that Toyota is still investing in sports cars.
A New Supra EV Also Expected To Sell Side-By-Side With Hybrid Turbo-Four Variant
In addition to the fact that a new next-gen Supra is on the way, this supposed new turbo-four hybrid model will be sold side-by-side with a new all-electric model as well, which is also apparently under development. That means the luscious BMW-sourced “B58” 3.0-liter turbocharged gasoline inline-six under the hood of the current Supra will no longer be once the current model ends production sometime around late 2025, according to the report. Toyota teased this new Supra EV with the FT-Se Concept back in 2023 at the Tokyo Motor Show.
Despite the supposed reduction in cylinder count, the new hybrid Supra will reportedly produce around 400 horsepower, which is slightly more than the current Supra inline-six’s 382 horses, and about as much as the Supra’s platform cousin, the BMW Z4.
Although nothing’s been officially confirmed, the report suggests that the next-gen Supra will spearhead Toyota’s new “multi-pathway” strategy, where the company offers a wide range of propulsion options for customers to give prospective buyers flexibility. In other words, instead of forcing potential Supra owners into an all-electric-only version, Toyota is looking to give buyers options by providing choices and offering the Supra and some of its future models with different ICE-based and all-electric powertrains.
Earlier this year, Toyota officially entered a partnership with Mazda and Subaru to cooperatively develop new internal combustion and hybrid engine tech and this new Supra, along with the supposed new Celica and MR2 revivals, will utilize these new powertrains. As part of its new engine strategy, Toyota is also developing a new range of next-generation standard and high-performance gasoline four-cylinders, and this new Supra, as well as the other two sports cars, will likely get these new engines in the later half of this decade.
Source: BestCar via Drive.com.au
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