Toyota 'Supra' name warms up

Update: The Toyota brochure is a fake. Toyota Australia's Product Public Relations Manager, Stephen Coughlan, told motoring.com.au "It's a non-official document" and didn't come from the Toyota Motor Corporation.

"There's obviously a lot of excitement around Toyota sports vehicles. There's a lot of passion and enthusiasm but to me this looks like the work of some creative third parties."

The last time we interviewed Toyota's sports car czar, Tetsuya Tada, he said he wanted Toyota's new halo model to be named Supra.

New evidence suggests he may have got his way.

A European website has published this photo of what appears to be a legitimate Toyota Supra brochure. It was allegedly a pull-out from Japanese magazine Holiday Auto.

The pic purportedly reveals that the most powerful 'Supra' will pump out 250kW and 450Nm via a BMW-sourced 3.0-litre inline six. We already know Toyota is considering using a sequential gearbox, and with a weight of 1430kg, the rear-drive sports car could rip to 100km/h in under 5.0 seconds.

If this brochure is the real deal it confirms Toyota is indeed going with the Supra name for its new sports car, which is being co-developed with BMW.

In 2016 Tada-san told motoring.com.au the thinking behind the Supra name was "exactly the same as the new [Toyota] 86," the name of which was harked back to the Corolla-based AE86.

"It comes down to the same story: Supra has so much history, and it's so loved," said Tetsuya Tada.

We've seen the new Toyota Supra undergoing testing in recent months and the camo shots suggest the cars design is done and dusted, with performance testing currently taking place before an anticipated global reveal at the 2017 Tokyo motor show in October.

The long-rumoured model is said to take inspiration from Toyota's FT-1 Concept first shown in 2014.

The brochure also features GR or Gazoo Racing logos, suggesting Toyota's racing partner is involved in the project. This would also make sense, as Tada-san previously stated "it's a proper sports car, so racetrack also is a very important [development] stage for a new sports car with BMW."

So, what will the Germans get out of the co-development deal, you ask? The BMW Z5 is the hot tip.

A pair of 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engines power the entry- and mid-level models, bringing 140kW/320Nm and 185kW/400Nm respectively.

The big-daddy will be powered by what may be BMW's 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine, pumping out 250kW and 450Nm.

Dimensions are alleged to be 4380mm long and 1830mm wide, and just 1280mm tall, ensuring it has a low-slung stance. Wheelbase is a claimed 2470mm and alloy wheel sizes are 18- or 19-inch depending on the model.

Previous reports suggest both Toyota and BMW sports cars will be built in Austria in 2018 by Magna Steyr. They will share the same platform and engines as car makers look for new ways to reduce development costs.

Like the Nissan GT-R and Honda NSX, the Toyota Supra not only reprises an historically significant name for the Japanese brand, but will be the brand's halo vehicle.

It's unlikely to cost $420,000 like the Honda NSX but according to Tetsuya Tada, it won't be slow.

"This next model should be king of sports car for Toyota. It has to be top dog, in speed also."