Where is the new Toyota Supra?

Toyota went to some seemingly farfetched places at this year’s Tokyo motor show.

It was all on display: a concept car that reads your emotions, a re-make of the Segway, a modern-day Tonka truck; even a hydrogen-powered people mover with a theoretical range of up to 1000km (though stakeholders conceded real-world modelling was closer to 600km).

As the sweaty throng gathered at the first reveal of the Tokyo motor show last week, journalists stood quietly, hoping to see something other than what had already been revealed three weeks’ earlier.

The opening press day of Japan’s premier motoring event – surely Toyota’s global chief Akio Toyoda was to address the media and take us back with a dazzling new performance model.

The first clue came when Toyota’s second in charge, Didier Leroy, walked out on stage in place of Akio-san. Then it finally dawned about 30 seconds in: no Supra. Yet.

So where is the long-awaited halo model at?

“What Supra?” came the coy response from Toyota’s national sales boss, Sean Hanley, delivered with a wry smile. Ditto every other Toyota executive we asked.

What Supra indeed. BMW delivered its version of the Supra, the Concept Z4, at the Frankfurt motor show a month earlier, co-developed with Toyota under a platform- and engine-sharing agreement.

Toyota’s delayed unveiling means the Supra will now almost certainly follow suit at the Detroit motor show on January 13, which says as much about its technological positioning as it does Toyota’s targeted demographic.

In essence, will this be a Toyota-flavoured Honda NSX? All-wheel drive and a high power output courtesy of a hybrid petrol-electric powertrain – most likely featuring inline four- and six-cylinder combustion engines cranking out up to 300kW – should give the car a significant turn of speed.

A new illustration of the halo model merely underlines the Supra’s high-tech underbody. Sleek proportions, evocative styling and plenty of attitude.

We can only hope that, come January 13 in Detroit, Toyota and its global chief gives the masses what they’re really after.