Earlier this year, BMW and Toyota officially announced a joint venture program that will allow both companies to push the envelope in automotive technology.
The official announcement was delivered at a special press conference held in Munich. BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer and Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda shared their ambitions for the partnership.
"We aim to further strengthen our competitive position in sustainable future technologies," said R. Reithofer. "We signed an MoU to this effect today. Toyota and the BMW Group share the same strategic vision of sustainable individual future mobility. Together we have a great opportunity to continue leading our industry through this transformation.
"BMW and Toyota both want to make ever-better cars. We respect each other. That is why we already can take the next step together. Toyota is strong in environment-friendly hybrids and fuel cells ... I believe BMW's strength is developing sports cars. I get so excited thinking about the cars that will result from this relationship."
For the six months following the announcement, both automakers have been keeping their joint activities hush-hush. Finally, in a Bloomberg News interview published on Wednesday, Toyota's incoming chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada voiced his support for the Japanese automaker to aim for the rebirth of the Supra while the company is given the special opportunity to work with the leading German sports car brand.
Takeshi Uchiyamada is known within the company as the "Father of the Prius" for his contributions to Toyota's hybrid technology. By extension, Uchiymada is also the person partially responsible for Toyota's shift from the exciting Celica, MR2, and Supra to more pedestrian models designed for fuel economy.
Now, Uchiyamada is leading the negotiations with BMW. The third and last generation Toyota Supra was produced from 1992 through 2002. After a decade's hiatus, Uchiymada and Toyota seem more determined to bring the Supra back than ever before.
However, Uchiymada admitted in the Bloomberg interview that he is not in the position to make the ultimate decision.
"That's what I want but it's not me who makes the decision," said Uchiyamada. More specifically, Uchiyamada noted: "It's futile if we make something similar" to the 86, he said.
Although Takeshi Uchiyamada has made some fascinating comments, both BMW and Toyota have not disclosed any specifics on future plans. We expect the joint partnership to introduce two separate coupe models that will represent the respective brands. Rumors suggest that Toyota's new concept sports car will preview as early as the Tokyo Auto Show later this year.
