Outside of toys for the rich, it’s not a great time for sports cars right now. People don’t have tons of money and the status symbol of the day isn’t the garage-kept performance car, it’s the well-appointed crossover utility vehicle. Well, it seems that nobody told Toyota this. In a recent promotional video, the Japanese automaker teased the possibility of five new sports cars. Five! In today’s climate, that almost seems like madness, but you know very well that none of us are complaining.
At the same time, Ford is pausing F-150 Lightning production, Kia’s out here crushing it, and Mitsubishi has a plan to move forward but it might temporarily neglect one of its biggest sellers. Yeah, we still aren’t over the cancelation of the Mirage.
Matt’s out this morning, and I’ve been left in charge of The Morning Dump. So, grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and get ready to peruse some of this morning’s best bite-sized pieces of car news. Unlike a poppy seed bagel, you should be able to consume this article and still pass a drug test.
Sports Mind, Powered By Sports
Toyota recently dropped the strongest hint yet of what lies ahead for its sports car lineup, and it was given in an anime short. At about 47 seconds into season two, episode one of Toyota’s GRIP Anime Series, an animated whiteboard is shown with a bunch of text on it. From top to bottom, it reads “Supra Mk6, Celica Mk8, MR2 Mk4, GR86 Mk3, GR GT3.” Could Toyota be planning five new sports cars? Well, quite possibly.
See, the GR GT3 already seems to be in the works, and it actually makes some sense. The current Lexus RC won’t be in production forever, so its GT3 race car variant will eventually grow outmoded. At the same time, Toyota’s shown off a GT3 concept, photos of a vehicle that looks a lot like the concept testing at the Nurburgring are circulating the internet, and AutoGuide reported earlier this year that Toyota trademarked the nameplate ‘GR GT’. We’re calling that one highly plausible.
Regarding the third-generation GR86, we do know that the existing second-generation model is having some compliance issues in markets like Europe, and as such, currently can’t be sold worldwide. Considering the car’s appeal, a third-generation model sellable in Europe simply makes sense, especially if Toyota can push it out the door well before 2035.
As for the other rumored models, we’ve had hints and concepts in the past, but nothing official yet. However, Toyota has expressed desire to continue the Supra lineage after production of its current BMW Z4 sibling ends, Toyota’s shown off the electric FT-Se concept with mid-engined styling, and the Celica namedrops have been coming hot and heavy for years. Knowing Toyota’s typically serious and calculated product planning, this latest teaser is a letter of intent. While it’s too soon to guarantee five brand new sports cars, keep your eyes on the brand over the next few years. Things could get ridiculously fun.
Pause The Lightning
F-150 Lightning production is going offline for a full six weeks. The Dearborn plant’s line for electric pickup trucks is hitting pause on Nov. 18, and the idling is expected to last until Jan. 6, 2025. Needless to say, this isn’t great news, as it could affect hundreds of workers, so what went wrong? Well, according to Automotive News, Ford CEO Jim Farley reckons it’s general market forces:
Farley, on Ford’s Oct. 28 third-quarter earnings call, cited the “slow uptake of EVs” as a challenge but said he was pleased with the strength of Ford’s overall electric vehicle strategy, “which I wouldn’t trade for any of our competitors.”
While electric vehicle uptake outside of Tesla hasn’t been tremendous, it’s worth noting that product mix may play a role here too. A lot of people buy pickup trucks specifically for edge cases, so it wouldn’t be surprising if these same people are quite concerned about potential edge cases involving an electric truck. On the plus side, Ford is working on an electric midsize truck due 2027, but it did recently take a $1 billion hit for terminating large electric SUV plans early. It kinda feels like every automaker is simply trying to figure it out on the fly.
Kia Kicked Ass In October
The first of the auto industry’s October sales reports are out, and Kia just had its best October ever by volume, moving 68,908 cars in America during a time when much of the car industry’s seeing mounting inventory. Earlier this month, Cox Automotive reporting 25 percent more cars on lots at the start of October compared to the same time last year, which meant a somewhat slow month was expected. So what made Kia appealing? Surely it’s not just a matter of incentives, right?
Well, this record owes a certain gratitude to small cars. The start of K4 deliveries combined with Fortes still being available on lots meant that Kia moved 12,858 compact sedans last month, some 3,465 more than it did in Oct. 2023.
At the same time, the Sportage compact crossover moved 2,628 units more than it did in Oct. 2023, and the Carnival minivan is another big winner with 4,909 sold, up 1,402 units compared to Oct. 2023 and outselling the EV6 and EV9 combined. Oh, and Sorento midsize crossover sales are up 1,453 units compared to Oct. 2023. Care to guess what these three models have in common? That’s right, you can get them all with hybrid powertrains. Kia claims that hybrid and plug-in hybrid sales are up 49 percent and 65 percent respectively, which makes sense, since hybrids are efficient and consumers generally like to save a buck here and there on fuel costs.
Mitsubishi Has Plans For Everything Except For What It’s Really Good At Right Now
After what’s felt like years of relative product starvation, Mitsubishi has announced that a new compact crossover is coming for the European market soon, leveraging the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi alliance to make it happen on the relative cheap. As per Automotive News:
It is the fourth model that Renault will build for Mitsubishi in Europe, after the ASX small SUV (based on the Renault Captur), the Colt small car (based on the Renault Clio) and a previously announced compact full-electric SUV.
The new combustion-powered compact SUV will have both gasoline and full-hybrid drivetrains, Mitsubishi said on Oct. 28. The additional SUV will be launched in 2025.
This news of yet more rebranded Renault models comes months after future plans for North America were detailed, with Mitsubishi expecting “two all-new vehicles to debut into segments in which the company does not currently compete, as well as a new or completely refreshed vehicle to debut each year between fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2030.”
While a thoroughly revamped lineup is well overdue and Automotive News reports that the new ASX subcompact crossover and Colt subcompact have clocked 14,000 European sales through September, the best-selling Mitsubishi in Europe is still the Mirage, shifting 19,580 units year-to-date in that market.
While the best-selling Mitsubishi in America is the Outlander crossover, the Mirage is its second-best by a country mile, and that presents a bit of a problem because the Mirage is dying at the end of this year. Tens of thousands of people each year just want a cheap, efficient, uncomplicated car with a warranty, and with the Nissan Versa expected to be discontinued after 2025, one automaker could end up owning the entire pie. If I were Mitsubishi, I’d look at what’s needed to homologate a rebadged Dacia Sandero. If a business case exists for the cheap hatchback, it might be something worth pursuing.
What I’m Listening To While Writing TMD
Oh hey, new LCD Soundsystem just dropped. Called “x-ray eyes,” this funky cut of bloopy synths and a bouncy grooveline is our first sign of LCD Soundsystem’s upcoming fifth studio album, and James Murphy stated that “when we’re not playing shows, it’s getting closer and closer to completion.” It’s been seven years since American Dream dropped and yeah, even though this track doesn’t immediately hit like some prior singles, it’s a groovy slow-burn that was fun to wake up to.
The Big Question
Let’s say Toyota does make these five new sports cars happen. Would you vote with your wallet?
(Photo credits: Toyota, Ford, Kia, Mitsubishi)
Now we just need Honda to step up and release updated classics. I want an updated CRX, (Don’t get me started on the CRZ,) even though there’s no way they could replicate the lightness and agility of the original.
A GR86 was very nearly the first new car I bought, except I already had a GT86 and it was a lot of money to add a bit of power and make the stupid tiny trunk opening even smaller. Plus they were dicks about how they handled the demand in the uk.
If they make the mk3 86 a hatch I’ll buy one.
Unless the mk4 MR2 comes out first with a tin top and some storage this time. I’ve had four MR2s already (two mk1s and one each of the other two).
“Let’s say Toyota does make these five new sports cars happen. Would you vote with your wallet?”
If I were to it’ll be just like everyone else: In a few years as close as possible to the rock bottom of their depreciation curves.
But probably not. Garage and driveway space are too precious and I wouldn’t want to be one of those jerks who keep their vehicle hoard on the street.
Unfortunately my dream of a massive, climate controlled, oxygen free atmosphere underground garage in an undisclosed location within a short drive away remains elusive. If anyone knows of a uber cheap dissused salt mine or missile silo facility (not prone to flooding!) with a working car sized elevator let me know.
I don’t get it. What’s the margin other automakers get?
They already re-badge other makes. Why not just take Tesla’s skateboard. Take the complaint everyone’s got (gaps, buttons/stalks, apple/android) and give it to them. So what if you’re only making .05%? Isn’t that better than a loss?
Or is it UAW?
I would love to have a Toyota sports car I could fit in. If they can manage to achieve that one and avoid making it an EV. Then I’ll consider it.
Ford was sucked in like most of the industry by the Tesla and EV coolaid. They get what they deserve for not doing their homework and believing the marketroids.
With Ford, i think it’s more than just making a bad decision on EVs. I don’t even think it’s a bad decision on their part. The problem is selling them. An electric F-150 seem ridiculous to me. They are trying to cram an EV platform into the most popular vehicle they sell. That’s it. That is a gross misunderstanding of that market set. The other issue is with the dealers. EVs are typically low-maintenance vehicles. That leads to less trips to the dealers, which means less money for them. Dealer enthusiasm is not going to be great for cars they can’t make MORE money on after they leave the lot. Tie in the paltry charging infrastructure in the US and you are giving the dealers a reason AND an excuse to discourage people from buying them.
I guess that’s a more succinct way of phrasing my koolaid remark. I still stand with the fact that they’ve misjudged the pace of build out of the charging network. The EV pickup is a pure boneheaded move. Toyota and Honda imo are being more rational in building manufacturing skill and scale over time rather than diving into the deep end and not even checking for water. The Tesla early adopter market is saturated and until the network gets much larger, I suspect the days of huge EV goldfish are past. The manufacturers are going to have to work hard and maybe partner with either utilities or maybe the oil and gas industry to build out the charging network.
Toyota has partnerships with Mazda.
Mazda has a great sports car program AND an Inline 6
The OG Supra was a Celica with a longer nose and an I-6
Give us a Long Nose Miata Coupe based Supra
Mazda I6 will be cheaper to fix than the B58…I admit.
No hot wagons?
Pass.
Give me a CR-Z that’s fun. I know this type of car is more Honda’s thing but a small, hybrid hot hatch with an available manual. I want a practical replacement for my Fit that is just as fun at sane speeds, gets a similar 35 mpg, but that can merge on to highways without me closing my eyes and praying.
I can’t wait for the new LCD Soundsystem album, that new track is great! Saw them at Lolla in 2016.
Although I listened to all of it, I got really bored long before the track ended.
I’m not a fan of songs that feature this much simple repetition. If I like the song enough, I’ll do that on my own by putting it on repeat.
I’m still hopeful that the rest is better than this.