When the Toyota news rains, it pours. Yesterday, we shared a story on the prospect of Toyota stopping Subaru cooperation, and perhaps co-developing the next GT86/FR-S with BMW. Today, Australia’s Drive reports that the next Supra (the sports car rumored to be at the center of the Toyota/BMW partnership) is more likely to receive a convertible variant than the GT86/FR-S.
As is always the case with sports cars, cost is at the heart of this decision. The Supra is still being developed, so it can be engineered to easily accommodate an open-roof variant. Furthermore, the Supra will be more expensive as a production car, have wealthier buyers, and is less likely to be used as a daily driver – all of which favor a droptop.
Chief Engineer of both sports cars, Tetsuya Tada, says, “There are many articles regarding another sports model from Toyota up higher from 86. I’m thinking convertible model will be on higher model … maybe.” Tada also says the FT-1 is not necessarily the production car’s design, and that, while front-engine is most likely, they have not ruled out a mid-engine layout.
Regarding a GT86/FR-S convertible, he explains “there are many business case study going on, [but] as we speak it is very hard to realize.” He has not “given up” on a production version of the FT-86 Open concept, but Europe’s weak economy and lethargic Scion FR-S sales in the U.S. make the investment necessary for new variants unjustifiable.
“Our final goal [is that] we want to do three sports models from Toyota and at least one convertible model will be realistic,” Tada says. In particular, Toyota’s U.S. brand Scion was said to desire more FR-S variants to breathe life into their showrooms. Scion allegedly wanted convertible and sedan spin-offs.
Regarding a sedan, Tada says, “I think this is okay from a philosophy point of view, but always the business case is the most difficult point to bring this to the market. We are studying this, but [more likely] this is pure concept.”
Which would you prefer – a GT86/FR-S convertible or a Supra convertible? Sound off in the comments section.
By Nico Grant
Render credits: X-Tomi !
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