spwolf

hello

mmarshall

No. The car wasn't supposed to come from the factory as a high-powered sports car. Its main function, at least in the last-generation model, was to be a mid-engine competitor to the Mazda Miata, power-wise and price-wise, though the Miata did have slightly more HP and torque.

jhenty

the miata had more hp and tq and looked better but was much slower, mostly because of weight. The mr-s wasnt meant to be a performance vehicle, just a weekend back road fun car that was affordable. Its not a car thats for everyone.

Initial B

iTrader: (2)

Obviously, or else it would have. Nobody prevented Toyota from executing, except themselves. Doesn't change the fact that the car was underwhelming to most everyone, and those that do own one most likely have done an engine swap, a power-adder, or at least wish for more power. Replacing a 200 hp RWD, mid engine model with a new one that has 60+ less horsepower is bizarre and is not the way to capture enthusiasts' hearts. The fact that it was Toyota's only 'sports car' offering made its anemic powertrain even less palateable.

rsantiago

I'm telling ya there's too many bean counters inside Toyota not enough passionate car nuts like us.

mmarshall

The second-generation, pre-1995 MR2's also included non-turbo models as well. In fact, the non-turbo model handily outsold the turbo one....at the time, many potential buyers thought, with some justification, that the Turbo was too expensive for what you got.

UDel

That may be true but at least buyers had the choice of a more powerful turbo car that could be very fun and outperform more competition. The last turbo MR2 outperformed the miata and could compare very well with the turbo eclipses, talons, and base boxsters as well as some others. It was also easier to modify to get very high performance. The Turbo gen was also a good looking car with a nice shape where the next generation just looked odd and downmarket and was pretty much outperformed by all competition like the miata and it could not even compare with higher powered cars like the S2000, Z3, boxsters, ecipses, 350Z, RX-8, etc. If they did a proper new generation that had the basic shape as the last which would be pretty good looking had more horsepower/performance with the less expensive NA model and the turbo model then it would outperform most of its competition and could be crossshopped with more models. It would also give Toyota at least one credible performance sports car to have in its lineup. The last MR-S was pretty much a totally different down market model from the previous car, the only thing the shared was a 4 cylinder engine behind the driver. Toyota could have done both cars, the MR-S to compete with miatas and a different more powerful more agressive looking hardtop MR2 replacement to compete with higher performing boxsters, Z3, S2000, 350Z, etc.

mmarshall

Don't lose any sleep over the lack of a Toyota-built turbo sports car......it looks like another Supra is on the way.

Koma

iTrader: (3)

Oh nos!
Marshall you can't be serious, you've jumped on the Supra rumor boat?
The only signs of any performance vehicle have been HT-FS, LF-A and IS-F.
None of those fit a turbo-charged coupe Supra replacement.

MR_F1

For me, IS coupe & IS-F coupe = Supra replacement.
And if its available with a GETRAG 6 speed option, the better

UDel

Well we have been hearing rumors for 8 years and seeing possible concepts that never bore out. I'll believe a new Supra is on the way when a high up from Toyota says they are doing another one and when it will be out. As for that v-6 hybrid concept thats been floating around recently I think it would make a very bad Supra replacement. Hybrids are unable to sustain high speed runs for any amount of time and they end up draining their batteries and having to tow a couple hundred pounds of dead weight with reduced horsepower. That is the worst thing to do with a sports car like a Supra and enthusiasts are going to pass on it. It has already been seen with the GS450h when put on a track that the batteries run out pretty quickly and it gets outperformed by its competition. Not to mention the unknown reliability of a high performance hybrid and it would be very difficult for owners to tune for more horsepower. Instead of just updating a great car like the last Supra Toyota is just stalling and trying to do something extremely different because their 50K high performance sports car did not set any records with sales and they want this car to sell very well which does not happen in that segment. People want an engine like the previous one or a powerful v-8. I don't think any Supra owners are wanting a hybrid green sports cars just like I don't think any NSX owners wanted a front engined awd model. If Toyota wants to do a hybrid sports car then do it but don't make it the Supra replacement and totally change what the Supra was. Toyota has enough success and money to have a hybrid performance car/coupe, a proper Supra replacement, and a proper MR2 replacment.

mmarshall

Well, granted, it is not cast in stone yet, but there are signs.
I haven't actually gotten to see it yet personally, but Toyota has shown a concept Supra...I believe one was at the Detroit show, but they didn't bring it down here to D.C.
Toyota is well aware of the criticism from people ( like you and replica) who are waiting for another real sports car....not just something like a Scion tC.
And I don't see any reason why the IS-F platform would not be a good starting point...it is RWD and engineered for 300-plus HP....Supra territory.

Koma

iTrader: (3)

Well the issue I find is that a Supra built on the IS-F would be bumping into IS-F territory. Both would essentially be the same car, one will be priced lower (probably Supra). The Supra would probably steal sales from IS-F. Only the die hard Lexus owners would buy the IS-F, otherwise everyone would just want the cheaper Supra. But than again rumors were going around about low production numbers on the IS-F, so maybe you're right. Low IS-F numbers for halo version of car and Supra for everyone else.

MR_F1

^^ what he said.

an IS/IS-F coupe with a 6 speed will do it for me. the badge really doesnt matter.
If you thing about it, the IS300/Altezza was basically a 4 door supra.

Koma

iTrader: (3)

SC300
The SCs were built off the same platform, we just lacked the TT engine option.