BMW and Toyota have reportedly made further agreements on specific details of their shared sports-car platform, allowing development to move forward.
Efforts to design the midsize model with common components is "progressing according to plan," BMW said in a statement to Bloomberg. The companies have not yet publicly outlined a launch window for their respective cars, however.
The co-developed platform is expected to underpin BMW's next-generation Z-series roadster, while Toyota is said to be considering a new model, potentially reviving the Supra nameplate, that will slot above the GT86 ( Scion FR-S).
Executive comments suggest the architecture will be flexible, allowing both automakers to create vehicles that will not necessarily be segment rivals. BMW's Z4 successor would presumably be shorter than a resurrected Supra.
Unconfirmed reports point to a hybrid all-wheel-drive system for both models, pairing electric motors with a turbocharged six-cylinder engine for a combined output of more than 400 horsepower.
Rumors point to 2018 as the earliest arrival timing for either of the sports cars. The companies are also working on a common fuel-cell powertrain, however their respective hydrogen-powered vehicles are not expected until 2020 or later.
The co-developed platform is expected to underpin BMW's next-generation Z-series roadster, while Toyota is said to be considering a new model, potentially reviving the Supra nameplate, that will slot above the GT86 ( Scion FR-S).
Executive comments suggest the architecture will be flexible, allowing both automakers to create vehicles that will not necessarily be segment rivals. BMW's Z4 successor would presumably be shorter than a resurrected Supra.
Unconfirmed reports point to a hybrid all-wheel-drive system for both models, pairing electric motors with a turbocharged six-cylinder engine for a combined output of more than 400 horsepower.
Rumors point to 2018 as the earliest arrival timing for either of the sports cars. The companies are also working on a common fuel-cell powertrain, however their respective hydrogen-powered vehicles are not expected until 2020 or later.
