Tag Archives: gr supra

NEWS

Unlike BMW Z4, Toyota GR Supra will continue to live on

Just a few months ago, it has been reported that BMW might axe the Z4 after March 2026. Needless to say, this news left fans of its twin, the Toyota GR Supra, feeling restless. Will Toyota follow in BMW’s footsteps?

It appears that GR Supra enthusiasts can breathe a sigh of relief, as recent reports suggest that Toyota plans to continue offering the two-door sports car for at least one more generation.

Speaking to CarExpert, Toyota Australia’s Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley stated that the notion of the Supra being discontinued is purely speculative.

“There is no plan to discontinue the Supra brand in this car company. I know that. BMW is not Toyota.”

“And, quite frankly, I have no expectation, sitting here today, that the Supra brand will disappear. At all,” Hanley added.

He further explained that the Supra has a long and significant history, making it an important model within the GR lineup.

In addition to the GR Supra, the GR lineup also includes the GR Yaris, GR Corolla, and GR86.

This is an exciting development, as we all know that the Z4 and GR Supra were co-developed by BMW and Toyota. On top of that, both models are also assembled by Magna Steyr at the plant in Graz, Austria.

If BMW does kill the Z4, it would mean that Toyota would need to seek a new technical partner to develop the next generation of the GR Supra. Who do you think would be the most suitable candidate for this exciting project?

NEWS

Toyota and Stanford develop self-driving drift cars in the name of safety

Toyota Research Institute (TRI) and Stanford Engineering said they have successfully performed tandem drifts with two self-driving Toyota GR Supras.

For nearly seven years, both teams have collaborated on research to make driving safer. But what does autonomous tandem drifting has to do with safety?

According to TRI, by adding a second car drifting in tandem, the teams have now more closely simulated dynamic conditions where cars must respond quickly to other vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists.

Both cars were programmed to perform tandem drifting using the latest tools in AI. Algorithms on the lead car were developed at TRI, while Stanford engineers developed those on the chase car.

TRI focused on developing robust and stable control mechanisms for the lead car, allowing it to make repeatable, safe lead runs.

Meanwhile, the AI models and algorithms developed by Stanford enabled the chase car to adapt dynamically to the motion of the lead car so that it can drift alongside without colliding.

Both cars were modified by GReddy and Toyota Racing Development (TRD) and built to the same specifications used in Formula Drift competitions to help the teams collect data with expert drivers in a controlled environment.

Both are equipped with computers and sensors that allow them to control their steering, throttle, and brakes while also sensing their motion. The cars share a dedicated WiFi network that allows them to communicate in real time by exchanging information such as their relative positions and planned trajectories.

To achieve autonomous tandem drifting, the vehicles must continually plan their steering, throttle, and brake commands and the trajectory they intend to follow using a technique called Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC).