This will confuse petrolheads somewhat. Toyota has announced that they are jointly developing with BMW a twin performance hybrid cars. What he did with Subaru, where the Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ was developed ( Toyobaru), it will do the same with BMW. Just on a slightly more... scary scale.
Although the two companies are keeping the information away from the public, little has been leaked about the joint project of the two automakers. Η BMW, has taken over the chassis and the Engine, "blessing" the resulting model with the -known for the company- top holdings and a inline six-cylinder petrol engine. Η Toyota, on the other hand, is responsible for the electrical components of the car and, most importantly, the manufacture of the electric motors and fuel cells (fuel cells) using the experience it has (e.g. Prius).
The information so far indicates that the platform will be based on that of BMW i8 and it is speculated that the common model will have fully aluminium chassis with a "body" made of carbon fibre. And, while there will be the common platform, unlike Toyobaru, the... ToyoBMW will be two completely different cars in design.
Consider that Toyota sent to Munich engineers to help with the placement of the batteries and electric motors to ensure proper weight distribution and they state "indignant", because their German colleagues won't let them see the model under development (even if it is under... joint development).
In any case, the information wants the joint project to be completed in 2018 and, for Toyota, to be (finally!) the successor to the legendary Supra, while for BMW, the creation of a model to be called Ζ5 and will be the successor to Ζ4.
The Australian magazine Motoring reports that the dimensions of the two cars resulting from the collaboration will be "about the size of a 911", with a length of less than 4,500 mm, a width of less than 1,840 mm, a height of less than 1,340 mm and a wheelbase of less than 2,500 mm. Thus, the resulting model is smaller than the FT-1 concept and the latest generation Supra, but slightly larger than the existing Z4.
But hang on, petrolhead, because now we're getting down to brass tacks. The successor to the BMW Z4 will offer a range of engine options from a 241bhp turbo 2-litre four-cylinder, to the turbocharged 3-litre six-cylinder with 335 hp. Combined with Toyota's hybrid power, the Z5's total horsepower will exceed 473 horsepower!!!!
For Toyota, it's a given that only BMW's six-cylinder will be used in the new Supra, with the plug-in/fuel cell/electric goodies bringing power up to the same levels as the top-spec Z5 (presumably called the Z5M). Weight, in all cases, has been dropped below 1,500 kg.
We expect a common concept car early next year.
The photos, we took from here
