Any Word on RWD?

[carman21]

Does anybody know if Toyota in particulr is coming to the table with a cheaper RWD platform similar to Zeta or LX.

I wonder the implications of a RWD V-8 Avalon to Detriot. Even more daring what about an answer to the Camaro and Mustang. It may be corny but, imagine a RWD Midsize Celica with a 3.5L 268hp V-6 and a 5.7L V-8 with 381hp from the new Tundra. Wow, this world is getting scary for a GM fan. Let's hope it take Toyota 20 years to catch this All-American Trend. Then, again they aren't exactly slow.

Edited October 29, 2006 by carman21

[aaaantoine]

It wouldn't surprise me if they did. Toyota has enough money to out-GM every GM car in production. And given enough time, I imagine they will try to.

[rosserman]

Although it would not suprise me to see Toyota try a RWD V8 sports car, i am not sure that the american public would accept such a thing. To most mustang and camaro guys, it would be sacrelige

[carman21]

Well, it seemed outlandish 10 years ago for a true full-size Toyota pick-up/SUV to sell well in the US. Why can't a Toyota Full-size rear-drive V-8 sedan or a Toyota Muscle car, lol

Edited October 26, 2006 by carman21

[Drew Dowdell]

I'd rather see an updated Supra with an I6. The Avalon would be the only sedan I could see going RWD but they won't do it for packaging and fuel efficiency reasons.

[ServiceAdvisor]

Toyota is coming out with Supra in '08. Base models will recieve a V6, unknown displacement at this time, with an optional 5 liter 450 horse V8. There will be a spider version also, but only available with the V6.

[Cadillacfan]

They may have to in a few years. Hyundai has one coming to the NA market in a few years. I do have a feeling that Toyota will go the route of AWD especially now that it can gain expertise from Subaru. Something GM failed to do in all the years partially owning Fuji Heavy Industries.

[FAPTurbo]

Bring it on! Camaro's can't keep burning Mustang's forever.

[91z4me]

Toyota is coming out with Supra in '08. Base models will recieve a V6, unknown displacement at this time, with an optional 5 liter 450 horse V8. There will be a spider version also, but only available with the V6.

209233[/snapback]

That doesn't sound like all the rumors I have read.

I think the car you are thinking of will be a Lexus, with the engine from the IS500 and there may be a GS400H powered version. I think styling will be LA-F based.

[aldw]

They may have to in a few years.  Hyundai has one coming to the NA market in a few years.  I do have a feeling that Toyota will go the route of AWD especially now that it can gain expertise from Subaru.  Something GM failed to do in all the years partially owning Fuji Heavy Industries.

209236[/snapback]

Caddy's have the AWD option for the upcoming vehicles, so it is a good start.

[91z4me]

They may have to in a few years.  Hyundai has one coming to the NA market in a few years.  I do have a feeling that Toyota will go the route of AWD especially now that it can gain expertise from Subaru.  Something GM failed to do in all the years partially owning Fuji Heavy Industries.

209236[/snapback]

Subaru has little to no experience w/ AWD and Transvers mounted engines, so I don't think that they will be helping Toyota unless Toyota starts using longitudinal engines (which I don't see happening in anything but Lexus cars and Toyo/Lex trucks).

Toyota wanted Subaru's excess plant capacity in the US to help them keep up with demand. I don't think Toyota has done anything more than that, except maybe get a better price on Fuji's Li-Ion batteries.

[LosAngeles]

It would be nice if Toyota's next Avalon was a Crown adapted to US tastes (i.e. stretched about four inches in interior). If it's good enough for Japan, the rest of Asia, and South Africa, why not us? I don't see where we have to have a big frontie (that crowd is well-catered to by the Camry)

And the return of an affordable not-so-high-endish Supra would be the business also.

Celica can return as a frontie and it wouldn't make any difference.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

In theory, Toyota could discontent the various Lexus platforms enough to build a rear-drive Toyota sedan to take place of the Avalon, as well as having a coupe to be sold along side it.

But something does tell me that Toyota has no interest in doing such a move at this moment.

[AxelTheRed]

I don't care if Toyota puts out a RWD anything, it will still not be something I will consider purchasing. Toyota could buy the Oldsmobile name from General Motors and it would make no impact on my desire to have anything from them...plus it would probably make me mad.

Edited May 7, 2007 by AxelTheRed

[Z-06]

Is Prius put in Drive going reverse called a RWD? Then yes Toy is already making one.

[Flybrian]

A well-equipped, refined RWD Toyota eliminates much of the business case for a Lexus LS. What compells one to purchase an LS then? Prestige? Pfft.

[Windy-57]

I don't know about Toyota doing a RWD V8 sports car, that would be pretty dangerous to their image. Yes, they've done a better job with the Tundra, but there has been plenty of backlash on that. For as much crap as the domestics have taken over environmental issues, Toyota would get it 10 times worse if they betrayed their Green caucus. A 6-cylinder hybridized for extra torque would make more sense.

Also, Toyota isn't worried about GM right now. Toyota is well aware of the challanges facing GM right now and knows that there isn't a lot that GM can do to them in the short term. The manufacturer that Toyota is afraid of is Hyundai.

[gm4life]

Fly's right most of Lexus's line is with RWD based vehicles.

[91z4me]

It would be nice if Toyota's next Avalon was a Crown adapted to US tastes (i.e. stretched about four inches in interior). If it's good enough for Japan, the rest of Asia, and South Africa, why not us? I don't see where we have to have a big frontie (that crowd is well-catered to by the Camry)

And the return of an affordable not-so-high-endish Supra would be the business also.

Celica can return as a frontie and it wouldn't make any difference.

It is likely that the FWD Avalon, which is built alongside the Camry (at least in KY), is cheaper to build/engineer than the Crown and therefore more profitable.

If Toyota needs RWD for any market it is Australia.

[fuel_sipping]

a RWD Midsize sportscar with a 3.5L 268hp V-6 and a 5.7L V-8 with 381hp from the new Tundra

Even better would be the 2GR-FSE 306hp V6 from the IS350. It performs well in a heavy sedan, so why not in a sports coupe? And another option could include the supposed 2UR-GSE V8 soon to be released in the Is-F... Scary prospects from Toyota. Still id have my doubts about it all.

Toyota is coming out with Supra in '08. Base models will recieve a V6, unknown displacement at this time, with an optional 5 liter 450 horse V8. There will be a spider version also, but only available with the V6.

I'd kind of like to know where this rumor came from. And 91z4me, the FT-HS is only a concept. What he is suggesting is somewhat different as the FT-HS was only introduced as a hybrid.

And the return of an affordable not-so-high-endish Supra would be the business also.

Celica can return as a frontie and it wouldn't make any difference.

The Supra should not have to be made affordable, just made right. There is a market for the namesake, but I do not know how far it could be stretched. The car would just have to be really good at everthing, hence the Latin rooted name. http://mkiv.com/specifications/product_Inf...gy/sep20_07.jpg This chart is kind of shows how the last generation was to be marketed over other Toyota sports cars. (why paseo is down there idk ) A not-so-high-endish Supra would be a RWD Celica, just like in the '80s.

Of course a revived RWD Celica would be cool too...

As a frontie, the tC might even do ok with a remodeling.

Just my $.02

[thegriffon]

Does anybody know if Toyota in particulr is coming to the table with a cheaper RWD platform similar to Zeta or LX.

I wonder the implications of a RWD V-8 Avalon to Detriot. Even more daring what about an answer to the Camaro and Mustang. It may be corny but, imagine a RWD Midsize Celica with a 3.5L 268hp V-6 and a 5.7L V-8 with 381hp from the new Tundra. Wow, this world is getting scary for a GM fan. Let's hope it take Toyota 20 years to catch this All-American Trend. Then, again they aren't exactly slow.

Don't forget the Avalon replaced a rwd sedan at Toyota, a car that Toyota still builds for the Japanese and Chinese markets—the Mark X/Reis (now on the same platform as the GS and Crown). In the Japanese market it is a direct competitor for the Nissan Skyline (aka Infiniti G35). As mentioned by some others mentioned the larger and more expensive Crown is another option, available with both V6 (Royal and Athlete) and V8 engines (Majesta) and produced in both China and Japan. Of course the Crown is an expensive option, probably not much cheaper to build than the GS (which is essentially a rebodied Crown after all). Since it's no bigger than the Camry you'd have to question how it would fit in a lineup that already includes the ES350 and Avalon. Unlike Japan Toyota doesn't have the luxury of 50% market share and 6 different sales channels (including Daihatsu).

[LosAngeles]

It is likely that the FWD Avalon, which is built alongside the Camry (at least in KY), is cheaper to build/engineer than the Crown and therefore more profitable.

If Toyota needs RWD for any market it is Australia.

They have it worse than us. Oz gets a slightly larger-displacement V-6 Camry called Aurion.

http://www.toyota.com.au/toyota/vehicle/Ga...392_0_3,00.html

Lexus has been rolled out the world over. As has Infiniti.

I'm simply not convinced that the bread-and-butter division's cars have to be all fronties in order to not step on the luxury division's offerings. Nor do I necessarily see why the mainstream Japanese brands feel the need to be strictly fronties only in North America, when they widen the variety elsewhere.

It seems they uniquely think like this. Because the Americans can offer one and not step on the other's toes just fine.

-No one think the Charger is just as luxurious as the 300. The personalities are completely different.

-A Chevy or Pontiac full of the same content as a Cadillac with similar drive wheels doesn't make the Cadillac a car of lesser prestige.

Soirry if these seem like weak arguments at 4 in the morning.

But here's a better one along the same lines: A big rear-drive car doesn't have to be a PREMIUM car (neither does an intermediate). And no one expects that to be the case either.

A Charger doesn't have to have reclining rear seats complete with leg rests, an ashtray and lighter at every door, built in pull-up sunshades or rear curtains, tray tables, park itself, or look like something you drive the president around in in a motorcade. Neither does a Crown or Cedric. That's why there can be a Crown and Cedric/Gloria-style car easily in place of the Avalon and Maxima.

But yeah, I'm really not convinced at all.

[thegriffon]

It's not a slightly larger-displacement V6. It's the same V6 but in the Asian (Thailand, China etc.) Camry body (slightly different sheetmetal, identical under the skin), which is paired with the 2.4 L or the old 3.3 L elsewhere.

[thegriffon]

They have it worse than us. Oz gets a slightly larger-displacement V-6 Camry called Aurion.

http://www.toyota.com.au/toyota/vehicle/Ga...392_0_3,00.html

Lexus has been rolled out the world over. As has Infiniti.

I'm simply not convinced that the bread-and-butter division's cars have to be all fronties in order to not step on the luxury division's offerings. Nor do I necessarily see why the mainstream Japanese brands feel the need to be strictly fronties only in North America, when they widen the variety elsewhere.

The Crown is no longer widely offered outside Japan and a very few Asian markets. It gets down to production utilisation. In the US and Australia it would have to be imported, as there is no volume vehicle it can share a plant with, unlike the Camry-based Avalon and the Aurion (which is a Camry).

Nissan simply doesn't have the money or the marketshare to offer as many rwd sedans as it once did, so they've all been culled down to the Skyline, Fuga and Cima, all badeg as Infinitis outside Japan (and probably soon inside Japan as as well). Only Toyota has the market share to support 6 sales channels with different models, and multiple rwd sedans at different price points. Outside Japan, you effectively get the Corolla and Lexus channels, and sometimes Daihatsu. The more expensive Toyopet and Toyota channels with their rwd lineups are too much clutter in markets where Toyota usually has closer to 10% of the market (sometimes much less). While a V6 and V8 Crown may sell better and at higher prices than the Aurion, it would be much less viable for Toyota to produce locally in a plant which can barely afford to upgrade to a completely new Camry.