FF Drifter said:
It would be called a Soarer, or the Lexus SC coupe in the United States. That would make complete sense, considering SC buyers would probably still but a 100K coupe with an "L" on it, and Lexus is after all, starting to get into the whole hybrid thing with the RX and the ES.
Every three years, the same rumors come to the surface regarding Toyota and the future NSX. You can almost set your clock to them:
1. A new Supra almost here!
2. A Totya supercar that costs over $100k!
3. A new NSX supercar is waiting to pounce!
None ever wind up being reality, and won't for the forseeable future.
Toyota testing the Volta is great, good for them. It'll never see the light of day, thanks to focus group research that will likey verify what we've seen on Prime and other car communities regarding hybrid sportscar powerplants: No interest. Hybrids are fiercely resisted by the majority of buyers who can afford a 911 or higher, endless polls are proof to that. Call it ignorance, call it old school, call it whatever you want, but no one is dropping serious cash for a Lexus hybrid exoticar.
I do think the Lexus hybrid RX SUV will do well however, that's the perfect platform for a great hybrid powertrain. 30MPG and a 600 mile max range while I tow my track car? Sold.
A new NSX will appear by 2007, I have no doubt of that, but unlike "Round 1" in 1990, it will not be priced or offer performance at the Ferrari Modena sucessor's level, the Lamborghini Gallardo's level, etc, and will not be a $100k+ supercar. It will likely be a "better 911" meaning it will exceed the base 2006 Porsche 997 n/a V8's performance envelope slightly, but will do it for a much lower MSRP. It can accomplish these things if it offers 350HP and weighs 3,000lbs while costing no more than say $70k.
And the final rumor, regarding a new Supra, well that's less clear. I would be a little surprised if Toyota isn't looking at the 30,000 units a year Nissan is selling of the 350Z and not want a piece of that pie. But can they do it in the mid to high 20s in terms of price as Nissan has, while still offering a compelling car, that's the challenge. Has anyone driven a 350Z? I have multiple times now and that puppy wears its price tag on its sleeve. The interior is rental-grade, the switch-gear feels like it was made in Peru, and the overall fit and finish is lacking. Tough to get a car made these days under $30k without feeling like it should have the badge "Neon" on it.
The Yen rebounding slightly against the dollar recently also plays into these scenarios. If the short-term jump the yen has seen continues into a long term gain, then Japanese car companies will be able to take more risks by increasing model lines. I'm no expert on currency fluctuation, so I only know what the AP tells me in this regard. But a strong yen usually means strong Japanese sportscars historically.
