In a rather surprising development, a scoop from Japan revealed that Toyota, as part of their “Making better cars” campaign, will be developing a new compact midship sports car in collaboration with Daihatsu and Suzuki. Said model is slated for a 2025 launch.
Taking charge is Toyota, with Daihatsu and Suzuki will bring their respective expertise to the table.
Toyota's TNGA-B architecture
Toyota will be applying its TNGA know-how, adopting the front suspension of the Yaris-based TNGA-B platform, while everything after the A-pillar is new.
Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ
Similar to the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ duo, this upcoming midship sports car will get a different design for each manufacturer.
In an effort to keep weight low, this is where Daihatsu and Suzuki’s expertise comes in. Suzuki is an expert when it comes to weight reduction (the current-gen Swift Sport tips the scales at less than 1 tonne) and Daihatsu has extensive experience in resin-casted body panels, as demonstrated with the Copen and Rocky.
But Suzuki’s contribution isn’t just limited to weight reduction; they will also take charge in engine development. It is said that the upcoming midship sports car will be fitted with a 1.0-litre mild-hybrid system (MHEV), and yes, the MHEV system is said to be developed by Suzuki.
Elsewhere, the source added that Toyota is considering to offer a sportier GR version of this sports car. Instead of the 1-litre hybrid powertrain, said GR version could get a turbocharged 1.4-litre three-cylinder engine. Power aside, the purported GR version will also benefit from a retuned suspension and bespoke exterior design.
Rewind the clock back to 2015 when Toyota showcased the adorable Toyota SF-R Concept at that year's Tokyo Auto Show. For what is supposed to be a concept car, it was intriguingly close to production-ready, down to its cockpit.
But things were never meant to be and the SF-R never came to fruition, as Toyota realized that profitability is going to be an issue, especially if they have to foot all the development costs on their own.
However, with this new midship sports car project, Toyota has roped in Daihatsu and Suzuki, as a way to reduce development costs by utilizing each respective company's expertise and development resources; the very same way Toyota approached BMW for the Supra and Subaru for the GR86.
Started from the IT industry but somehow managed to find his way into the automotive industry. If he’s not gaming, he’s constantly tinkering with his daily/weekend car.
