Toyota turns to forum for input on new sports car
02-20-08, 12:21 PM
#1
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
Toyota turns to forum for input on new sports car
Toyota turns to forum for input on new sports car
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/20/t...ew-sports-car/
If you're an automaker and want to tap into the knowledge base of your most fervent fans, what better place to go for input than one of the many model-specific forums on the 'Net. Supposedly, that's exactly what happened over at Club4AG.
The site's founder, Moto Miwa, has been in contact with one of the chief engineers tasked by Toyota to begin developing the oft-rumored sports car that's been making the rounds on the Web. The unnamed engineer worked on the original AE86 Corolla, along with a host of other projects including the 2nd generation Prius. While Toyota's ubiquitous hybrid isn't what anyone would consider sporty, the man behind its development, who's now working on the coupe, is apparently quite the petrolhead.
In preparation for a meeting with Toyota's engineer, Miwa asked the Club4AG crew with what they want the new coupe to come equipped. Naturally, the consensus involved repeated pleas for something lightweight, rear-wheel-drive, a DOHC four-cylinder that trades big power for responsiveness, and a chassis and engine that's designed for modification.
Here's hoping that Miwa's Man on the Inside heeds the advice and brings an entertaining whip to those of us with shallow pockets and a penchant for wrenching.
The site's founder, Moto Miwa, has been in contact with one of the chief engineers tasked by Toyota to begin developing the oft-rumored sports car that's been making the rounds on the Web. The unnamed engineer worked on the original AE86 Corolla, along with a host of other projects including the 2nd generation Prius. While Toyota's ubiquitous hybrid isn't what anyone would consider sporty, the man behind its development, who's now working on the coupe, is apparently quite the petrolhead.
In preparation for a meeting with Toyota's engineer, Miwa asked the Club4AG crew with what they want the new coupe to come equipped. Naturally, the consensus involved repeated pleas for something lightweight, rear-wheel-drive, a DOHC four-cylinder that trades big power for responsiveness, and a chassis and engine that's designed for modification.
Here's hoping that Miwa's Man on the Inside heeds the advice and brings an entertaining whip to those of us with shallow pockets and a penchant for wrenching.
02-20-08, 12:30 PM
#2
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
Link to forum
http://forums.club4ag.com/zerothread?id=20897
http://forums.club4ag.com/zerothread?id=20897
Originally Posted by Moto-P
Hello everyone,
I am blessed with an opportunity to meet with one of the chief design engineers at Toyota's Design Facilities in Japan, responsible for the realization and return of a new Compact Sports car to carry the flag dropped by AE86's, Celica and MR2...and many before it.
This was suggested by a senior official at Toyota's R&D (name withheld) who I have met on a few occasions, and the principal designer, that once had overseen the development of the original AE86, AW11...
His latest products were in a different channel, most notably the 2nd gen Prius. His passion and understanding of cars in all genres is a blessing as he is now the lead product manager, who is currently training and educating the future designers at Toyota in Japan.
He himself has a very broad understanding of car culture as a middle-aged fanatic…an owner of various cars and motorcycle, from Beetles to Ducati in his private collection outside of the duties of Toyota.
These younger talents, who he is responsible to educate, are on visits to various places now, looking for clues. Their project, whether it will become a product or not, is to recreate something of a passion for the common man, a compact sports car.
This is not a request for a specific design or exercise in the actual blueprinting and performance capability. Toyota feels they are very adept at that already, and I agree.
Still they'd like to know what kind of cars we want, and what drives us to maintain our cars from the past.
What this mission now entails is the education of the young engineers about the "culture" of cars. Exactly, in words...it is a study to understand what makes a cultural phenomenon.
AE86's and MR2's have a very unique following, as does GT-R's and Lancers FTO's...
We need to educate them as well as ourselves, of what makes a Mustang so unique in our culture? What makes Club4AG a 20,000 strong website? What makes Porsche sell every single one of their $120,000 Model 911’s and get back-ordered when others have trouble selling similar cars at half that price? Many of us know that this isn’t about specifications or numbers, but a cultural phenomenon and various forms of intrinsic value.
Anyway, I will start this thread so that you, as Club4AG members and also as automotive enthusiasts, can voice your opinions. Wishes you have for the Compact Sports car of Toyota. What can drive them and their creations to something of a cultural icon.
These responses here, will likely go a long way in shaping what is to come for us. So please DO reply to this thread…
I will print out and distribute to them at the meeting, copy of this thread and that will also help me express my thoughts collectively with views of all of us at Club4AG.
PS: Please keep these polite and concise. Check spelling and grammar to the best of your abilities. Also, I will delete or omit, edit any insults, anger or otherwise inappropriate wording without notice. But I'd rather not as much as possible so please do your part.
This will reflect who WE are, and HOW Toyota’s officials and engineers will receive us, today and in the future.
I’m having a meeting discreetly with them at their request, on a date soon after the 20th of February 2008. (so this is all due by 20th of February)
Thank you for your help…
I am blessed with an opportunity to meet with one of the chief design engineers at Toyota's Design Facilities in Japan, responsible for the realization and return of a new Compact Sports car to carry the flag dropped by AE86's, Celica and MR2...and many before it.
This was suggested by a senior official at Toyota's R&D (name withheld) who I have met on a few occasions, and the principal designer, that once had overseen the development of the original AE86, AW11...
His latest products were in a different channel, most notably the 2nd gen Prius. His passion and understanding of cars in all genres is a blessing as he is now the lead product manager, who is currently training and educating the future designers at Toyota in Japan.
He himself has a very broad understanding of car culture as a middle-aged fanatic…an owner of various cars and motorcycle, from Beetles to Ducati in his private collection outside of the duties of Toyota.
These younger talents, who he is responsible to educate, are on visits to various places now, looking for clues. Their project, whether it will become a product or not, is to recreate something of a passion for the common man, a compact sports car.
This is not a request for a specific design or exercise in the actual blueprinting and performance capability. Toyota feels they are very adept at that already, and I agree.
Still they'd like to know what kind of cars we want, and what drives us to maintain our cars from the past.
What this mission now entails is the education of the young engineers about the "culture" of cars. Exactly, in words...it is a study to understand what makes a cultural phenomenon.
AE86's and MR2's have a very unique following, as does GT-R's and Lancers FTO's...
We need to educate them as well as ourselves, of what makes a Mustang so unique in our culture? What makes Club4AG a 20,000 strong website? What makes Porsche sell every single one of their $120,000 Model 911’s and get back-ordered when others have trouble selling similar cars at half that price? Many of us know that this isn’t about specifications or numbers, but a cultural phenomenon and various forms of intrinsic value.
Anyway, I will start this thread so that you, as Club4AG members and also as automotive enthusiasts, can voice your opinions. Wishes you have for the Compact Sports car of Toyota. What can drive them and their creations to something of a cultural icon.
These responses here, will likely go a long way in shaping what is to come for us. So please DO reply to this thread…
I will print out and distribute to them at the meeting, copy of this thread and that will also help me express my thoughts collectively with views of all of us at Club4AG.
PS: Please keep these polite and concise. Check spelling and grammar to the best of your abilities. Also, I will delete or omit, edit any insults, anger or otherwise inappropriate wording without notice. But I'd rather not as much as possible so please do your part.
This will reflect who WE are, and HOW Toyota’s officials and engineers will receive us, today and in the future.
I’m having a meeting discreetly with them at their request, on a date soon after the 20th of February 2008. (so this is all due by 20th of February)
Thank you for your help…
02-20-08, 12:31 PM
#3
i was just thinking about this today as i checked out a new smart car. there's so much input that us clublexus members post that if the CL forum database were downloaded and compiled into a book, it would be a car manufacturer's DREAM.
when I was a product manager for a well known dot-com company, I always perused the forums that pertained to my products to see what people wanted and to "hear" first hand complaints. it's good to hear that the auto manufacturers are doing the same now.
when I was a product manager for a well known dot-com company, I always perused the forums that pertained to my products to see what people wanted and to "hear" first hand complaints. it's good to hear that the auto manufacturers are doing the same now.
02-20-08, 01:09 PM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
About damn time!! Thank you for waking up Toyota!! Now bring us a car that's both affordable AND fun!!...namely, yes, a tunable RWD Corolla and the MR2!!
A less affordable but a more serious car, say, the Supra, will be HUGE too.
A less affordable but a more serious car, say, the Supra, will be HUGE too.
Last edited by XeroK00L; 02-20-08 at 01:12 PM.
02-20-08, 01:25 PM
#5
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I would be very happy if they actually produce a small, light-weight, nimble car with good power and relatively inexpensive.
However, from what Toyota did with the second-gen Scion XB, and first-gen TC, I am skeptical.
Platform sharing means that producing a light-weight car is not easy (since the platform is designed to support the heaviest vehicle that will use it and also it has to pass crash tests). Does Toyota have any RWD platform that is light enough to be the basis for AE86 successor? (May be outside US?)
However, from what Toyota did with the second-gen Scion XB, and first-gen TC, I am skeptical.
Platform sharing means that producing a light-weight car is not easy (since the platform is designed to support the heaviest vehicle that will use it and also it has to pass crash tests). Does Toyota have any RWD platform that is light enough to be the basis for AE86 successor? (May be outside US?)
02-20-08, 04:20 PM
#6
I would be very happy if they actually produce a small, light-weight, nimble car with good power and relatively inexpensive.
However, from what Toyota did with the second-gen Scion XB, and first-gen TC, I am skeptical.
Platform sharing means that producing a light-weight car is not easy (since the platform is designed to support the heaviest vehicle that will use it and also it has to pass crash tests). Does Toyota have any RWD platform that is light enough to be the basis for AE86 successor? (May be outside US?)
However, from what Toyota did with the second-gen Scion XB, and first-gen TC, I am skeptical.
Platform sharing means that producing a light-weight car is not easy (since the platform is designed to support the heaviest vehicle that will use it and also it has to pass crash tests). Does Toyota have any RWD platform that is light enough to be the basis for AE86 successor? (May be outside US?)
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