BMW and Toyota Formally Agree to Develop Sportscars on Shared Platform

[imserious]

Wonder who will provide what?

Certainly Toyota will bring their fuel cell and hybrid tech to the table. They are way ahead in experience and probably cost of production as well.

Maybe BMW will double down on CF mass production. The i3 and i8 are not being produced in mass quantities yet. Perhaps BMW also brings their chassis and small turbo know how. They are leaders there.

Feels wierd, but could be a good thing. Customers will accept this if Toyota and BMW can produce two different cars and just share IP/tech/cost. NOT produce the same car with different lipstick and badging, aka Toyobaru. The brands are positioned differently which would make that so awkward. MAYBE Lexus/BMW? Again, the branding is so different. Hopefully they are just different cars.

[Malibu1]

Originally Posted by imserious

Wonder who will provide what?

Certainly Toyota will bring their fuel cell and hybrid tech to the table. They are way ahead in experience and probably cost of production as well.

Maybe BMW will double down on CF mass production. The i3 and i8 are not being produced in mass quantities yet. Perhaps BMW also brings their chassis and small turbo know how. They are leaders there.

Feels wierd, but could be a good thing. Customers will accept this if Toyota and BMW can produce two different cars and just share IP/tech/cost. NOT produce the same car with different lipstick and badging, aka Toyobaru. The brands are positioned differently which would make that so awkward. MAYBE Lexus/BMW? Again, the branding is so different. Hopefully they are just different cars.

So if they build the same car...1 has BMW badge....1 has Toyota badge...and the BMW badge is $15K more, is that added cost going to be because of the "nicer" interior.....LOL

[kmarei]

As long as BMW handles the floor mats, it should be ok

Toyota reliability > BMW reliability
BMW driving expereince >Toyota (non existent)

This could be good if both companies give their best components
Or it could suck of this is handled by the bean counters/marketing people

If I so much as hear "lifestyle" or "activity" in the marking material...

[Wild_Will]

LoL the FRS is one of the best handling cars in the world and has become extremely popular.

But leave it to a bunch of BMW owners to frown upon this kind of calibration!

[inChargeOfIT]

Originally Posted by Wild_Will

LoL the FRS is one of the best handling cars in the world and has become extremely popular.

But leave it to a bunch of BMW owners to frown upon this kind of calibration!

errr... big stretch to call it one of the best handling cars in the world, maybe 'one of the best handling cars on a budget' or 'one of the most fun to drive', but these cars are way underpowered and have been more engineered to drift around corners than stick to them. Fun yeah, but it's closest track day competitor would be a miata (seriously).

[AviatorBimmer]

Will it come with a spare tire?

[Chihuahua]

The end is nigh.

[SCOTT26]

Ye of never any faith.

This collaboration is actually the envy of the industry.
BMW have leapfrogged its competition in the innovation count with the initiative involved with the BMWi strategy.
Our main competitors are at least a few years away from volume integration of a CFRP body. BMW are leading the field in CFRP because they manufacture their own they have made the material more accessible and cost effective, the next generation of BMW models will have significant weight reduction across the spectrum ahead of main competitors.

Toyota are well advanced in the field of hybrid technology as well as fuel cells and hydrogen. BMW have been successful in implementing and developing their own forms of alternative drivetrains and now you can combine ideas and resources to make these advances appear on the market much sooner.


As for talk of a Camry and 3er sharing platform ? Is just that... Its talk but its crazy talk. At best delusional bordering on paranoid.
I know that the nearest models to take advantage of shared platforms would be for MINI.

The new RWD/AWD architecture is developed jointly and there will be CFRP used within the structure and body, Alternative drivetrain under BMW eDrive is considered and will be a joint programme to help enhance performance and lower emissions.
The engine is all new and jointly developed.
BMW will be responsible for their own chassis engineering and dynamics development as will each model use their own design departments to clothe this partnership.

This model will not only be lighter , but technically advanced for its price against other cars in this segment.

By combining these joint resources you effectively have a collaboration that will be ahead in many areas across a wide spectrum of innovation.

Interesting on how people say they will buy an Audi against a FWD BMW when their Audi is generally FWD based. But don't worry when at the lights a BMW will always remind you on how the origins of your car lie within the VW Jetta at the other side of you.

[filip75]

Originally Posted by Cuz5150

...

I guess i'll wait until VW joints Ferrari to make the next $30K sports car

VW doesn't join. It gets other to join it.

It already owns Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT, Škoda and Ducati.

[bimmerjph]

I really hope that new engine is not a V6.

[Pauldramos]

Originally Posted by Kung Fu English

This is the passport to the future of affordable sports cars: fast hybrids that get 50+ MPG and cost 50k or so. First few years may be rough but it's about developing the technology. The i8 is the first step but is too expensive to appeal to the masses that want a 30-70k sports coupe.

+1

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

As for talk of a Camry and 3er sharing platform ? Is just that... Its talk but its crazy talk. At best delusional bordering on paranoid.
I know that the nearest models to take advantage of shared platforms would be for MINI.

Frog, meet water. It will be at full boil at some point, but hopefully you won't notice.

MINI and BMW will be sharing the supposed 'UKL' platform shortly. So how long is it before BMW is sharing a platform with some sort of Toyota? You say it's delusional to think that, but it was delusional not too long ago to think a FWD BMW would ever see the light of day. I have the magazine ads produced by BMW to prove it.

I think it's great to see BMW push the envelope and try new things. I loved all of the Bangle cars, and after driving one I'm warming to the i3. But to see BMW abandon some of the core principles that it's held for nearly 100 years and made it the envy of the automotive world is really unfortunate, and will take an enthusiast's car and reduce it to an appliance.

[AbuArije5]

Wonder why people hate this idea and haven't got any details about it . But thats typical bmw fan boys same fan boys complain about the new m4 m3 but have there on order keep a open mind. Some people say bmw should build it themselves which they can but sure doesn't mean they will build a better one then Toyota hence why they are teaming up. Say what you want but i think Toyota built one of the best twin turbo inline six motor

[-Wingman-]

Wow, didn't realize this forum was filled with so many pretentious bmw fanboys. Lol. LFA>any M car

[HuskerFan85]

this is going to be amazing for everybody.... well maybe not the idiots who only worship badges

[Crisp]

bmyota!!!!

[335twins]

FRS/BRZ is underpowered, bring supra back and I will consider looking at Toyota. They have nothing in their line that I would even look at...all grocery getters.

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by -Wingman-

Wow, didn't realize this forum was filled with so many pretentious bmw fanboys. Lol. LFA>any M car

With an MSRP of $375000 (base) and a production run of only 500(ish) cars, I would certainly hope it was > an M car.

BTW, you're on a BMW forum. So yes, it's probably filled with nearly nothing but BMW fanboys, myself included.

[motzus]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

Ye of never any faith.

This model will not only be lighter , but technically advanced for its price against other cars in this segment.

Anyone have an idea of the target price range for the BMW version of the vehicle? It looks like the high end sports coupe, hybrid (130K+) is covered by the i8. Unless it is a dedicated coupe then the 60K to 80K range is covered by the new M4.

If it were to be a dedicated coupe then I'm guessing it would be in the 70K range? Something above the Z4 (50K to 65K base) but well below the i8.

What would be interesting would be if BMW made say a Z5 coupe with a performance hybrid electric drive train and kept the weight less than the current z4 because it would not have the power folding top and the CFRP makes up for the weight of the hybrid electric drive train.

70K is an interesting price point. It is in the middle of the range for Porsche Caymans, you can get a well equipped base model or a minimally equipped S model for that price. The Jaguar F type coupe base (super charged v6) is around 65K base (but quickly escalates with options and bigger engines). The Alpha 4C is estimated to be 85K base so maybe the high end Z5 would cover the low end Alpha 4C. For audi 70K right between the TT and the R8. For mercedes it would be between the E class and the CL class coupes but those are all based off of sedans so... I dunno.

Not sure what I'm saying here other than I'm really interested in seeing what comes out of the partnership as whatever they are developing is probably going to be a low volume vehicle for both manufacturers.

[Rated M Roadster]

Originally Posted by -Wingman-

Wow, didn't realize this forum was filled with so many pretentious bmw fanboys. Lol. LFA>any M car

The LFA is a great car for half the price, but for what they're asking, it's nothing special; and yes I've driven one.

[StickMon]

Originally Posted by Jamese93

Toyota's are ok but generally dull as ditchwater. ...

That wasn't always the case. Somewhere in the '90s they lost the recipe.
Maybe BMW can add the proper ingredients.

[MBHater]

Originally Posted by filip75

VW doesn't join. It gets other to join it.

It already owns Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT, koda and Ducati.

Very true, and pretty impressive lineup. By koda I think you meant Skoda - an awesome brand in itself.