Toyota Motorsport Gmbh (TMG), the independently run motorsports partner for Toyota and Lexus, has unveiled its first concept car intended primarily for road use. The concept is the new TMG Sports 650, which is based on a Lexus LS 460 sedan and is set to make its public debut this Friday at the 2012 Essen Motor Show in Germany.
The development of a road car by TMG represents a radical departure from the company’s traditional projects. TMG was previously responsible for building Toyota’s Formula One cars and more recently has been building things like the TS-030 Hybrid Le Mans prototype, Lexus LFA N24 race cars and record-setting electric prototypes.
Earlier this year news broke that Toyota bosses were considering turning TMG into a performance brand for road-going Toyota and Lexus models in the car market, similar to what AMG is to Mercedes-Benz and the M division to BMW. While confirmation on this move is yet to be made, TMG building its first road car concept hints strongly at the possibility.
In fact, TMG has previously confirmed to Motor Authority that production of the new TS-650 could happen if demand was sufficient and, in a statement, TMG boss Yoshiaki Kinoshita said, “This is a truly remarkable car with incredible performance; we are looking forward to hearing the reaction of visitors to this showcase of TMG’s engineering capabilities.”
As previously reported, the TS-650 packs a twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V-8 engine delivering 641 horsepower (650 in metric figures) and 564 pound-feet of torque. Drive is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission that’s been modified to handle high torque levels. It also has a manual mode for sportier driving.
Despite the extra performance, TMG stresses that its concept is just as comfortable to drive as a regular LS luxury sedan.
While the overall length of the car stays the same, TMG has increased its track. The measurements now come in at a length of 16.7 feet, a width of 6.45 feet and a height of 4.77 feet. Despite the addition of carbon fiber components, the TS-650 is still quite a porky sedan. It tips the scales at just over 4,500 pounds.
TMG says the concept’s track performance is promising, with the 0-60 run said to take just 3.9 seconds and top speed coming in at close to 200 mph. A fully functional body kit has been installed to aid track performance, with all the components heavily tested in TMG’s own wind tunnel located at its headquarters in Cologne, Germany.
Under the TS-650’s mix of steel, aluminum and carbon fiber panels is a Torsen-type limited slip differential in the rear and multi-link suspension with coil springs and Sachs dampers. The wheels are lightweight BBS units measuring 20 inches in diameter and are shod with 295/35R20 Michelin Pilot Sport tires. The brakes are carbon ceramic units from Brembo.
