Quote:
Originally Posted by JesseG
The bottom line is this, Toyota COULD build a higher performance version of the 86 if they really wanted to.
|
Yep, easily. But it wasn't part of the corporate plan for the twins.
Quote:
|
Would doing those above things bankrupt Toyota? Helllll no, but they aren’t too concerned about the 1% of us that would buy a high performance 86, or bespoke Supra.
|
I don't think it is that, I think that Akio and Tada do care about the enthusiasts. Instead, I think it is simply a case of a turbo 86 being uncomfortably close to the base Supra, especially the B48 versions sold in Japan and other places potentially. Remember, BMW approached Tada at the launch of the 86 which was back in what, 2012? So Toyota must have known about the potential of a new Supra since the moment the 86 was put on sale, and that has to have factored into their product planning ever since.
Leaving enough performance space and not having cheaper models overtaking the performance of the more expensive models is an important element of product planning for a manufacturer. Just ask Porsche, who make sure there is always enough performance gap between the Cayman and the 911 to justify the price difference and entice buyers into the more expensive model (with potentially higher profit margins per unit). I think it is a similar thing with the 86 and Supra. Toyota already answered enthusiasts who keep crying out for a turbo 86 – “Buy a Supra!”
