Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda “wants to see the next Supra tested in the near future.” But the reality of his company’s current circumstances means it’s unlikely to happen.
During a discussion with U.S. journalists on Friday in Japan, Toyoda was asked about the possibility of building a car like a Supra that would appeal to enthusiasts. As such a huge company, Toyoda said,“even if one president says that we want to have a Supra again, the whole company is not going to be responding to that request.”
Toyoda explained that he did much of his development as a driver behind the wheel of a Supra and has fond memories of flinging that model around the Nürburgring. Speaking through an interpreter, Toyoda told the group that “would like to create a car that is better than the Supra, and just for your information, I am not against this idea.”
However, this discussion came against the backdrop of a week where Toyota officials acknowledged that the company had grown too quickly in the past decade and would need slow down and re-prioritize. Between ensuring that upcoming models are trouble free, meeting new fuel and emissions requirement and delivering the FT-86 by 2013, a new Supra is likely to remain just a dream for the foreseeable future.
