Toyotas chairman says a real sports car needs fuel, sound, and soul - not more electricity
- Toyota’s current boss doesn’t want them to build an electric sports car
- Akio Toyoda believes sports cars should have fuel and produce noise
- The current Toyota Supra is likely to continue into a new generation
Published on May 05, 2025 at 1:15 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on May 02, 2025 at 12:14 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
The chairman of Toyota has said that a sports car must have a gasoline engine and not be powered by an electric drivetrain.
There have been rumors for a few years that the company was set to bring out a sports car with electric power.
This was after Toyota revealed its FT-Se concept, but it has yet to evolve into a production model.
That now looks unlikely to happen, with the chairman, Akio Toyoda, wanting any new Toyota sports car to have ICE power.
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Toyoda wants a sports car with smell and noise
Toyota made these comments while speaking to Automotive News.
The Toyota boss said, “For me as the master driver, my definition of a sports car is something with the smell of gasoline and a noisy engine.”
Toyoda admitted that there are some within the company pushing for a sportier electric car.
However, he would much rather any new sports car stick with a combustion engine.
It must be stressed that Toyoda isn’t firmly against an electric sports car.
But the current boss of the company has his priorities set elsewhere.
Toyoda also feels that EV technology isn’t quite up to the level it needs to be for performance cars.
Referencing motorsport, the chairman said it’s ‘not exciting’ to race EVs as the batteries can only last for around an hour.
Toyota might expand its ICE lineup
An electric sports car could still come in the future.
However, it appears ICE power has a lot more to give to the manufacturer.
The Supra will continue beyond the current generation, and we might even see a return of the MR2 or Celica.
Luxury division Lexus is currently testing a GT3 race car
It is also set to spawn a road-going version of the car.
Plus, there are rumors that a new generation of the Toyota GR86 is already in development.
The company deserves a lot of praise for ensuring that the ICE segment for sports cars is still going strong.
Cars like the current Supra and GR86 remind us just how lucky we are to have them in the automotive world.
We, as enthusiasts, would miss them dearly if they were to disappear.
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
