Great Toyota…now where is the version that normal people can afford, aka Supra.

do any of you guys know the supra’s begining price when it was sold new?

Does someone who can afford a $100k+ supercar really give a damn about fuel economy? I would prefer my supercar to sound and drive like a Ferrari, and not like an electric golf cart.

Hybrid powertrains don’t belong in sports cars as they kill the driving experience and involvement in a manner worse than automatic transmissions do versus manuals.

I hope they build it though – it’ll flop, and I’ll laugh.

i agree. When I think “supercar”, Lexus is probably the last name to come to mind

What a great looking car!! Finally something that looks DAMN GOOD!

Pfft…more asian junk. No thanks.

I don’t understand why they would put a FULL hybrid system in a car. Note I capitalized full, because this may not be a full hybrid systen.
Just for the thought of it: If it did something like ran in unison with the gasoline engine to boost torque on acceleration, then that would be a good idea. And then when cruising on the highway while being light on the throttle, it would run on the electric motor. That would be a smart idea then, boosting performance while getting good mpg.

Eric you are a moron, The Supra is not a car a normal person can afford. But as a 16 year old you probably dont understand that

you guys are all right. Toyota even though your the number 2 car company in the world…you dont know what your doing. Unlike the big 3, keep screwing up

The MSRP of the Supra turbo in 1996, the last year it was sold new in the US, was just over 50,000 dollars.

That is a lot more affordable then 100,000 dollars. I could swing 50,000 currently but now way could I swing 100,000.

Lexus planning ugly hybrid supercar is a more accurate headline.

Lexus…I guess the big “L” on the hood stands for Loser, which refers to the person driving the piece of crap. While their cars were never nice looking (especially the wierd looking hard top convertible Audi TT looking thing) but this car is hideous! You can bet the “Anti American and European Car” crowd will love this one.

$50,000 in 1996 is roughly $62,000 in 2006 money.

Jon.

“Does someone who can afford a $100k+ supercar really give a damn about fuel economy?”

Huh? They put hybrid in to increase power with the electric motor, the saved fuel comes second. Stop thinking reverse…

“I would prefer my supercar to sound and drive like a Ferrari, and not like an electric golf cart.”

Sound is personal preference, I personally want silent speed as to avoid unwanted attention on the highway, unlike most. As for a car’s handling, I’d check the final numbers when the car comes out. Driving experience and involvement mean nothing if it’s slower and more expensive aka = overpriced crap.

BTW, where I’m at a standard new Mercedes S350 (not even S500) costs $270.000 and you have to buy them cash, so $100.000 cars are hardly super category.

It it mid-engine or front engine? Cause there is no trunk, unless just the window opens…which would be stupid. The back looks terrible anyway.

Jay, I think that’s exactly what it does… I read something about it in an engineering magazine at the beginning of the summer about how it uses the high-output electric motor(s) to enhance performance… (it’s also suggested a 5-yr old Lexus generally has less problems than a new BMW or Mercedes… possibly in that exact wording)…

This article mentions the Hybrid Drive system, but it doesn’t say much on how it works… V-12 power for V-8 mpg and all that jazz…
http://cars.tiscali.co.uk/display/visualizzanews.php3?id=24538

AND you can still have like 4 ladytigers in the car?… come on, what else do you want? lol

damn i posted that on the wrong page, thought I was on the 600h… but, like the article says… same powerplant as 600h

LOL yeah I was thinking that but some people were saying that it runs like the Prius Hybrid… well, it won’t

So they are going w/ the Honda mentality of Hybrids?

The reason they are making this car is bc they want people to start thinking of them when they think of sports cars. The IS350 has them moving in that direction … not so much w/ the GS300, tho.

Wow. The world’s most fuel efficient supercar. How exciting. *yawn*. This thing becomes more of a joke everyday. In addition to looking like crap it doesn’t appear to be terribly fast. Where are all the clowns that a few months ago were talking about how this would set new lap records at the Nurburgring. Please. Toyota is just creating what the SL is to the S Class Mercedes for its upmarket luxury sedan customers. It will be reliable and stoplight quick (like an SL) but not a serious performance or drivers car by any means.

Anyone else notice the “turbo fan” looking blades behind the rear grills? Does anyone know if it is that just for looks, or does it actually serve a purpose? I know one of the American manufacturers played with turbine cars in the past (late 50’s, early 60’s? I remember b & w photos), but I doubt this has anything like that; unless that’s what they mean by “hybrid”

ok………..if they wanna make a hybrid version fine. Not my thing, but im sure there would be ppl who would buy it. I dont want the extra weight…. However, I dont see the lexus brand in F1, and I see no need to dump the sensual sounding, dry sump V10. Take that engine out of this car and consider me no longer interested.

I would stick with the V10, their F1 season with new v8’s hasn’t been so great.

Lexus isn’t in F1, Toyota is, which owns Lexus. I don’t get why you guys are complaining though. I personally like the style, and I think the hybrid idea is fresh and great. You gotta remember hybrids aren’t necessarily for gas-saving cars, that’s just the image it seems to be for some people. What Lexus is trying to do is create, in a sense, two powerplants for one car. Sure it’ll save gas, if you compare it to a V-10, which’ll probably only have the same HP as this cause of it’s two motors.

Is this car legal on regular roads? It looks like the side mirrors are extremely small or even non-existent.

I think it looks great other than the pinched nose, and they still have time to fix that.

And it’ll sell; not everyone buys a Ferrari. A lot of SLR owners are long-time Mercedes owners who made it big and wanted the ultimate from their brand; they aren’t necessarily racers and they enjoy their luxurious automatic supercar.

Just think of all the tech geeks who’ve made it big… they’ll love a hybrid supercar, just because it has more computers in it. (The Tesla’s preorder sellout is a good indication.) Lots of Lexus loyalists in that economic bracket too.

NO MORE JAP CRAP….the world is flooded with their junk….best for everyone if they go belly up.

If the next Acura NSX has the rumored V10 Lexus will make one too.

Hybrids are Toyota’s current claim to fame & they are going to milk it until it’s passe.

From V10 to V8 from 500hp to 435.

Next on the list is 200 mph to 170mph and a weight of 4000 lb.

I’ll have an NSX please it sounds way more promising than this load of ****.

Sean, you talk numbers but have you ever even use all those 400-500 horsepower on a public road? Once you reach 400, it doesn’t matter how much more you’ve got. It’s how much you really want to break the law.

^^veda is right, not that many people take their lambos or ferraris to the track. all these “supercars” are nothing but poser cars. they are for rich people to show off when they drive down sunset blvd. so will this lexus sell? of course, even if its half as good as lexus says it is…oh and those pictures are no where near what it will actually look like, thats the concept shown at the auto shows

See Veda its not me that is talking numbers. It was Lexus boasting about it all. Thinking they could do it and everything apparently they don’t know how to.

“Huh? They put hybrid in to increase power with the electric motor, the saved fuel comes second. Stop thinking reverse…”

Veda – so you’re saying the only way Toyota could make 435hp is with a hybrid system? Give me a break. They’re taking the cheapo route since they have this hybrid system in place in the LS600h, which is cheaper than developing a new V-10 from scratch, and they’re showing off and milking their hybrid publicity for all its worth. There is absolutely no functional benefit of a hybrid in a sports car. It adds significant weight and complexity. The weight is the biggest issue. The batteries are hideously heavy and can upset the whole balance of the car. Anyone who is a sports car enthusiast knows weight is the enemy.

After all this hybrid crapola, I’m willing to bet this hybrid supercar won’t even be able to beat the highway mileage of the 505hp Corvette Z06, which gets 26 MPG with a monster 7 liter V-8.

Off-Topic: Supra Pricing

I seem to remember the Supra pricing GREATLY fluctuated year-by-year according to the Yen vs Dollar at that time. I remember one year the Turbo was only like 41k whereas other years it was as high as 50k. I guess world markets were less amenable at that time and perhaps Toyota wasn’t such a global powerhouse then in which it could hedge everything, forcing it to adjust individual market pricing at that time…

“See Veda its not me that is talking numbers. It was Lexus boasting about it all. Thinking they could do it and everything apparently they don’t know how to.”

“After all this hybrid crapola, I’m willing to bet this hybrid supercar won’t even be able to beat the highway mileage of the 505hp Corvette Z06, which gets 26 MPG with a monster 7 liter V-8.”

Until the actual car comes out no one should make unproven comments like the above.

“^^veda is right, not that many people take their lambos or ferraris to the track. all these “supercars” are nothing but poser cars. they are for rich people to show off when they drive down sunset blvd.”

Exactly, but it takes one to actually own a Ferrari to notice that they’re not all that super. A stripped down Mitsu Evo would run circles around those cars. But then we’re probably discussing this with a bunch of highschool kids who can’t even buy a Camry without a loan. So they dream and dream not knowing what they’re dreaming…

Veda…. have you ever OWNED a Ferrari? Most likely not, so you are not in that position to say that.
This will not be like the Prius, this will increase torque when needed. It may increase milage by a small margin, but is meant to increase power without adding liters or power to the gasoline engine and decreasing economy. Besides for the front, I love this car especially the rear. Doesn’t look like theres much a blind spot either with the small A and C pillars, like other supercars. I would think it would go faster 0-60 if it had the gas motor linked to the electric motor. I duno about a top speed of 200+ mph though, it must be extremely aerodynamic with little downforce for 435 hp, or has a pretty torquey electric motor to fill in for the small engine. I find it interesting that this would be a pace car though… a hybrid pace car. Next thing you know F1 and racing in general will go hybrid *sarcasm*
Oh yeah, and GMnumber1-4ever is in third grade, just to tell you. I myself am not a highschooler, but as long as they aren’t posting stupid stuff, you got something against high schoolers? I do have a problem with the first and third graders though….. they have no business here.

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I’m just curious (no I’m not racist) why they always post a spanish version, or in this case Brazilian (is that what the br stands for, or is that another nation?) version? If they are in America and can’t read english, then they need to learn. I’m the least racist person you’ll probably find, but I know alot of people in America that don’t know how to speak english. They should if they live here.

Anyways enough about that. Supercars are just showcases of technology, they will never be used at their full potential on the streets (legally atleast). The electric motor will increase torque when needed, it’s not like a full hybrid system, as such in the Prius.