The chief engineer for the Toyota Supra project has hinted at the torque output and weight of the Japanese automaker’s highly anticipated upcoming sportscar.
Speaking to Autocar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, chief engineer Tetsuya Tada promised that the new Supra would be “light and compact”.
“I can’t disclose specific figures, but the [torque] output of this engine is on a par with that which we have with the F-Series from Lexus,” Tada told the British publication.
This, of course, would give the Supra around 530 N.m, matching the peak twisting force of the RC F’s naturally aspirated 5,0-litre V8.
“But you can imagine from seeing it that the car is light and compact – its wheelbase is even shorter than the GT86’s [which measures 2 570 mm]. It’s around 200-300 kg lighter than the F-Series [which weighs about 1 700-1 800 kg].”
Before the Supra’s dynamic debut in prototype form at Goodwood, Toyota confirmed that the new sportscar – which was developed alongside the upcoming BMW Z4 – would draw its urge from an inline six-cylinder engine (likely a version of the Munich-based automaker’s turbocharged 3,0-litre straight-six).
Tada said that the Supra would feature “a limited-slip differential and 50:50 weight distribution”, adding that its “centre of gravity is lower than the GT86’s and body rigidity is twice that of the GT86”.
Toyota says it “expects” its new Supra to hit the market during the first half of 2019.
