Despite what critics had to say, the 2020 Toyota Supra launch was in the bag from the begging. But you can’t blame people for loving the Mk4 and its iconic shapes either. This next concept may not come from Toyota, but it’s going to please the fans in the retro department, and it’s more than just another rendering.
For the most part, intentionally retro designs are a horrible idea. You can’t sell a 2022 Camry that looks like it’s made in 1987. The recognition just isn’t there with normal car buyers who don’t care about history.
It kind of works with MINI… but not really. Yet it works well with big, powerful cars like the Dodge Challenger. So why not the Supra? Well, Toyota just didn’t want to be boring and predictable. It did that with every new car launch, even the average Corolla.
But with the Mk5 Supra being an overwhelming success, a successor may be made. Perhaps this time, the design of the 2000s really will serve as inspiration. With this simple rule in mind, designer/artist Giulio Partisani aka oct8n has created this AE100 Supra concept.
Now, it’s not officially sanctioned by Toyota. However, Partisani is was a lead designer at Honda (he parted ways with the company in 2020), another extremely popular Japanese car brand. Of course, Honda has another iconic sports car we want to be brought back with retro styling, the S2000.
Ghost in the Shell: Soul in the Machine
With all that out of the way, let’s look at the Supra concept. It has two extra names. Æ100 is an indication that this is the successor to the A80 (Mk4) and A90 (Mk5). Also, its creator sees it as an Alter Ego of the JDM sports car, “reminiscent of the said generations and looking towards the future”. Back in 2019, Supra Chief Engineer Tetsuya Tada-san stated that a successor might be electric or even autonomous. But we took the “E” out of the name in the title simply because this clearly has a combustion engine with exhaust pipes.
The second name is “The Ghost In The Shell,” fitting considering the porcelain-like appearance of the white concept. It’s an obvious reference to one of the most groundbreaking anime creations ever to come out of Japan.
I’m a big fan of Masamune Shirow, the artist for the original Ghost in the Shell manga. Also, much of what’s in that sci-fi creation is almost real today. Cyber security and being hacked is a huge problem, civilization feels like it’s coming undone, and… well, the Boston Dynamics robot freaks the heck out of me.
The Æ100 Supra concept is obviously inspired by the Mk4/A80, but has a much sharper design. For example, the headlights have a similar shape but are much narrower. Meanwhile, the rear wing and side intakes remind you of TRD makeovers. And there’s even a “tuning” version with graphics and such that are created by Lukas Havlik. Check all that out in the photo gallery below.
