Iconic carmaker discontinues fastest EVER model branded ‘agile & smooth'.. but firm's boss is already teasing its return
END OF ROAD Iconic carmaker discontinues fastest EVER model branded 'agile & smooth'.. but firm's boss is already teasing its return
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AN ICONIC carmaker is set to discontinue production of its beloved fastest-ever model.
Toyota has confirmed it will cease making its "agile and smooth" Supra early next year, although one of the carmaker's bosses has already hinted at the iconic car's successor.
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Toyota has announced its GR Supra will cease production in Spring 2026
Credit: Supplied
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The current version has been in production since 2019
Credit: Toyota GB
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Toyota's GR Supra is the fifth generation of the vehicle since its introduction in 1978
Credit: Handout
The Supra has a rich history among car enthusiasts, with five generations of the sports car having been produced since its introduction in 1978.
Toyota's fifth-generation Supra entered production in March 2019, a staggering 17 years after production ended on the fourth-generation A80 cars.
Described as a "handsome" vehicle, the Supra is powered by a 3-litre six-cylinder turbo engine, which packs a whopping 340hp with 500Nm of torque - helping it to sprint from 0 to 62mph in just 4.3 seconds.
However, the iconic motors, which are produced at a Magna plant in Austria, will cease being made from Spring 2026, reports Motortrend.
A Toyota boss explained it was "not cost-effective" to give the low-volume car the upgrades needed to meet new and pending global regulations.
However, not all hope is lost for Supra enthusiasts, as there have been hints of a next-gen Supra entering the market, although it is unclear when this will be.
Senior Vice President of Product Planning and Strategy for Toyota Motor North America Cooper Ericksen said: "It would be logical that we would have a next-gen Supra - but when and how is still TBD."
He confirmed that there would "definitely" be a gap between the end of the current GR Supra's production and the start of the next motor's manufacturing.
However, he said the company aims to have a gap that is "significantly less" than the 17 years seen previously between the A80 and GR Supra.
It is also unclear whether Toyota will continue to keep its partnership with BMW to develop the next Supra, having collaborated with the German carmaker for the current GR motor.
Inside Toyota's UK production plant as it builds five MILLIONTH motor since first Carina E rolled off the line in 1992
General Manager of the Toyota Division for Toyota Motor North America David Christ said the company would "love to build a next generation Supra", but the company has not officially announced plans to do so.
Toyota is at a busy stage currently, having just introduced the 2026 RAV4, which includes a number of new technologies which will eventually be rolled out to countless of its other models.
Explaining the end of the Supra's production, Ericksen said: "A product like Supra, it's made it to a point where now we have a Final Edition and the reason is it's just not cost effective with all the new regulations and investment we have to make."
In a review for The Sun last year, the Supra was described as a "chunky beast" that "packs a punch".
It retails for £58,580 and can reach a top speed of 155mph, albeit with a fuel economy of 34mpg and CO2 emissions of 183g/km.
TOYOTA TO INVEST £40 MILLION IN UK PLANT
This comes as Toyota is reportedly planning to invest a whopping £40 million to build a new vehicle assembly line in the UK.
The Toyota plant at Burnaston could be in line for a major investment, as the company weighs moving production for the US market from Japan to Derbyshire.
The car maker plans to invest around £41 million to set up a new production line dedicated to making GR Corollas, according to Reuters.
Toyota has denied that Trump tariffs are behind the potential shift, despite taxes on Britain being 10 per cent compared to Japan's 25 per cent.
In light of the potential move, Japanese automaker Toyota revealed that new cars could be added to the European market.
Currently, the GR Corolla is only available in Japan and is exported to North America and select other markets.
Burnaston plant currently produces the Corolla hatchback and estate for the UK and European markets, but production rates could significantly improve with the proposed investment.
A new production line could be operational within 12 months, with reports suggesting that Japanese engineers may temporarily relocate to Derbyshire to assist with the transition.
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