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.

Toyota’s hybrid sports car that caused heads to rotate sharply at the January, 2007 Detroit auto show is apparently scheduled for production and then launch in 2009.

Brace yourselves: the Toyota FT-HS is the battery car that will blow off petrol sports cars – it’s been touted as the replacement for the Supra with power coming from the same 300kW, 3.5-litre V6 hybrid engine that powers the Lexus GS 450h.

Read the rest of the article here.

Would you buy the Toyota FT-HS if it meant you were going “green”? I dunno, for some reason “green” and “sport” just doesn’t seem to fit…

It’s being billed by Automobile as the spiritual successor to the late, lamented Supra — a position that’s hard to argue assuming you can look past the probable lack of an inline 6. Like the concept, the two-seat FT-HS will pair the company’s Hybrid Synergy Drive with an as-yet-undetermined gasoline engine (the concept utilized a 3.5-liter V6). Power and pricing aren’t discussed, but if the numbers thrown around when the concept was introduced — 400 horses and mid-level dollar amounts — are feasible, the thing should have plenty of takers.

If this ends up being the 2008 Toyota Supra that we’ve been waiting for, I can’t say as if I’m ecstatic about it. The body just doesn’t look…right for a Supra.

Anyways, some more images from the Toyota FT-HS Concept car (maybe it’ll grow on me…):

When Toyota, a company known for incredibly reliable if somewhat bland cars, comes out with a stylish new concept, it’s a big deal. It’s an even bigger one when company execs hint that the car, if built, would be the successor to the much-missed Supra.

But the FT-HS (Future Toyota Hybrid Sport) is more than just a Supra replacement; it’s Toyota’s view of “a suitable sports car for the 21st century.” Hence the Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain that includes a 3.5-liter front-mounted V-6 and mid-rear mounted battery pack for a grand total of 400 bhp, transferred to the road via a properly sporting rear-wheel-drive setup.

Prior to the world premiere of the FT-HS at the Detroit show, R&T was granted a behind-the-scenes look at the car at Toyota’s Calty Design Research Studio in Newport Beach, Calif.

Read the full article here.

Some pictures of the Toyota FT-HS Concept Car, including design specs of the interiors and whatnot:

The Supra is back! Believe it or not this silver machine is Toyota’s all-new performance flagship, a hybrid-powered rival to coupes such as Nissan’s new GT-R.

Replacing the firm’s famous sports car – which disappeared from Toyota’s line-up in 1996 – the new model will go on sale in 2008, and takes styling inspiration from luxury brand Lexus’ forthcoming LF-A.

But while that car will use a 500bhp 4.8-litre V10 when it arrives in 2009, Toyota’s new model gets a tweaked version of the Lexus GS450h’s 341bhp 3.5-litre V6 hybrid powertrain, giving it a unique combination of performance and economy.

Read the rest of the article here.

Meanwhile, check out the pictures of what they are saying is the new 2008 Toyota Supra that has been long-promised. I can dig it.

(click to enlarge)

And the article (via):

Rumors of the new Supra from Toyota have been circulating from mounths. With the Lexus GT 450 serving as the company’s halo sports car, Toyota would benefit by having a sports car that’s a bit more affordable. Wtih two performance machines in its stable, Toyota would no longer be viewed as simply a producer of reliable and green transportations appliance.

There will be both coupe and convertible version of the car, probably introduced at the same time. The convertible is reported to have a folding hard top and is intented to be more of a boutique car than a serious sport car. The coupe, however, will be just that, eqquiped with a 5 liter V8 engine producing 450 hp and 383 lbs-ft of torque. This engine will not be available in the open-air model because of rigidity issues. It is said that when Toyota started development of the Supra, it was only a convertible hard-top form with 4.3 liter V8. Later in the process, Toyota opted to go with a more powerful engine. But with the additional came extra loads that the convertible couldn’t stand, so the company was forced to create a fixed-roof version of the car.

The Supra’s suspension is one befitting that of a true sport car: upper ad lower A-arms up front and a multilink setup at the rear. No doubt the tuning of the shocks and springs will be different in the V8 and V6 models, but expect both version to be relatively firm.

It is expected the V8 Supra to be priced about 50000$. The more affordable Toyota Supra (40000$) will come with a 3.5 liter V6, the same powerplant used in the Lexus IS 350 and GS 350, but tuned to produce more power: 350 hp and 275 lbs-ft of torque.

Toyota will have a car that’ll eclipse the performance of the Nissan 350Z, Mazda RX-8 and Honda S2000. Look for the Supra to make appearance in October of 2007.