[BigQid]

Horsepower and quick acceleration are more popular now than ever. Ford has always capitalized and dominated the market for affordable speed with the Mustang, currently with a 300hp V8. There was a time when GM competed in the forms of the Camaro, the Firebird, the GTO (350 hp) and even the Chevelle. Dodge is bringing back the Charger (340 hp). These were all 4 seat coupes that had lots of horsepower but were not ridiculously expensive. Where is the Toyota speed? It is not outside of Toyota's power to deliver this and still maintain the same Toyota quality that we have come to love.
One reason not to deliver a car like this is not steping on Lexus's toes. That is understandable, but Lexus is about luxury or the pursuit of perfection or whatever. This just means that the Toyota shouldn't try to be as lavishly appointed as a Lexus. If you look at a Corvette and an XLR, A Corvette is faster, but an XLR is completely of a higher quality.
Toyota has been using a 300 hp engine for years now. The danger of putting a bigger engine into a car is that people would expect that the vehichle is able to perform comparably with others in its class. Would a Toyota coupe with a V-8 be able to keep up with a Mustang or Charger? I think it could. The American car makers use this as a selling point.
The problem with Toyota is that they make cars of the highest quality, but the design behind them is so reasonable that they seem like they are designed for women. The Camry and Corrolla are great but bland, and the Celica and Solara seem to appeal more to women. Think what does dad want that mom won't have a problem with (that's why you have 4 seats)? The answer may not be (and probably isn't) another Supra. Maybe it's just a more aggressively stlyed coupe with a bigger engine, comparable to the 300C or GTO.
What is wrong with this idea?

 

[Hemi3TC]

Toyota seems to not want to produce cars that they figure will only sell in a small market segment since they can not compete with cars such as the new Ford Mustang or a Honda S2000 or a
Suburu WRX or a Honda Civic! SE/Si and make any money at it.

Toyota enthusiast have been yelling for an updated Toyota Coupe like the previous RWDers, 1985-87 GTS Coupe or SR5 Coupe from 1982. Toyotas only answer to having a comeptative sports vehicle is to bring out the X-Runner truck. It could be that the only reason Toyota can no longer build a sports car is that they nolonger produce RWD cars and Lexus will not give them the IS300 platform for a new sports car.

But it seems it will be a fruitless excercise so holdings ones breath is not going to help.
Its funny how the new suspension on the 2005 Mustang is similiar to Toyotas 1982 Corolla SR5 Coupe/ 1987 GTS.
Macpherson struts up front tilted in. Live axle, 4 links in the back with the coil spring over the axle, the Corolla had 5 links but the Mustang engineers figure on link in the center over the diff is better instead of 2 one on each side at the top. More likely not enough room for the dual exhaust. All these new ideas to design a suspension are really not so new they were used on the Corolla RWD. Even the Ford F-150 with rear shocks mount outboard, RWD Corollas always had them like that.

Well it is Toyotas loss and Fords gain. Could have also been Toyotas gain since Hemis from Chrysler are back in vogue.

Hemi3TC