Is the 2009 Toyota Supra on the way? Don't believe the hype
A couple notable publications haven recently entered the never ending Toyota Supra speculation game, and this time both are saying the car is a go for 2009. We wish it was true, but the fact is the Supra is no closer to production that it was three years ago when all the rumors started. Sure, there are people within Toyota who would like to see a Supra revival, but it currently sits at the bottom of their priority lists. The performance coupe segment is stagnant with little chance for growth and there's no way Toyota is about to commit engineering resources to a small volume car with minimal margins...
So feel free to speculate, but don't start saving your money just yet 'cause this coupe isn't happening.
Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor, Inside Line
That's right Toyota sit down and shut up it's not like you are going to be one of the big dogs like before. Nissan kept from being castrated luckily.
Don't worry, those of us who got excited when the rumor first surfaced in 2004 (feels like forever ago) have been let down enough times that we're not waiting for a Supra anymore.
Toyota build something interesting? Not if they can't sell 100,000 a year. They'll just keep building the world's most boring cars until they put everyone else out of business.
Y are peeps surprised about this? The fact that the Supra has gone out of production several times shows that it has always been a sales failure for Toyota. Sure, when a "reborn" Supra is unveiled it initially has good sales (all the hoopla and the such) but then it falls off the radar, sales dry up and the plug is pulled. How many times has that happened in the Supra's history? 4? 5?
Actually, you may want to start saving. When it finally does enter production, the costs associated with a hybrid sports car will be high. Just like all the other times the Supra failed, the reason will be cost.
Supra no longer even fits within the Toyota brand. Whatever quick coupe they build should be a Lexus.