Plans for Toyota to introduce a replacement for its Supra sports car are inevitable, according to sources. The rendering above is an indication of what such a twenty-first-century Supra might look like, but click the minimized magazine article (attachment) for some real world shots of what may be the final result.

Hopefully headed for production (and the United States) in 2006 and likely based on the upcoming second-generation Lexus IS platform, the new coupe (which might get a new name) is said to be a modern interpretation of Toyota's classic 2000GT of the 1960s. Engines are set to be 3.0- and 3.5-liter normally aspirated V6s matched to a six-speed close-ration transmission.

The curvy, compact, all-new sports coupe is expected to be a direct competitor to the Nissan 350Z, which certainly has enjoyed a successful head start. The previous Supra was last sold here in the 1998 model year, by which time it, like the last-generation Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo, had suffered dwindling sales as a result of high sticker prices and spiraling insurance costs. As Nissan has done with the 350Z, Toyota wisely will avoid expensive and complex twin-turbo engines for the new Supra, which should allow for asking prices in the $30,000 range.