Local executive says Toyota Supra is here to stay

one above will continue to be in toyota There will be showrooms for at least one other generation of cars in addition to the current ones.

While its shape and powertrains may change as Toyota continues to roll out its GR performance models, the two-door flagship still has a long-term future in the brand’s lineup.

Toyota Australia’s vice-president of sales, marketing and franchising, Sean Hanley, has given his unequivocal support for the GR Supra.

“The car company has no plans to discontinue the Supra brand. I know that,” Mr. Hanley said bluntly. car expert.

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Although BMW will reportedly discontinue its GR Supra twin, the Z4, in 2026, any decision in Germany will not affect Toyota’s future plans.

Although the Supra is currently being produced at Magna Steyr in Austria alongside the Z4.

“BMW is not Toyota. The idea that the Supra is being discontinued is pure speculation,” Mr Hanley said.

“And, frankly, sitting here today, I don’t expect the Supra brand to go away. Not at all.”

Mr Hanley was speaking during the Bathurst 1000 after revealing a life-size clay model of the GR Supra, which will compete in supercar racing from 2026.

He acknowledged that the car could continue racing beyond the end of its current body shape’s useful life, much like General Motors has done with the Chevrolet Camaro in supercars, but he vehemently denied there was any threat to the road-going Supra.

“I can tell you, frankly, that the car you see today (the Supra unveiled at Bathurst) is going to be at this track for many years. I know that,” he said.

He went on to emphasize the importance of the Supra in the GR range, starting with the little GR Yaris.

“The Supra nameplate goes back many years. There’s a lot of heritage there. It’s a very important brand,” he said.

Mr Hanley believes entering the Supra competition would be a good thing for Toyota, even though the brand has ignored supercars for more than 20 years.

“If you do it right, people will start to be attracted to your brand and say ‘Wow, that’s an interesting brand. They’re doing a good job, they know what they’re doing.'”

Toyota has shown off a number of sports car concepts in recent years, which Mr Hanley acknowledged could indicate changes to the Supra at some point.

“That may change. It may change in shape,” he admitted.

As Mr Hanley cheers for the Supra, he continues to deny the future of Australia’s latest Prius hybrid.

“We acknowledge it is a good-looking car and it is getting a lot of positive attention. However, we also have to think about our product portfolio and where it fits in,” Mr Hanley said.

“It’s not a question of a good car. It’s a great car, it looks great. But, we went with more SUVs and CH-Rs.

“We believe our portfolio is performing better. Yes, the Prius is a great-looking car, but at the pricing we bring it to market, it may struggle to achieve the volume we need.

“Toyota has a lot of good cars. Another great car is the Crown. You have to choose the car that you think is right for the market. I think, as you saw today, our product mix is ​​very good.”

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