OK Toyota, we'll play your game for now. Yes, as the Frankfurt show draws near expect the trickle of teased concepts, speculative news stories (guilty as charged) and confirmed new models to become a flood. The marketing department in front is Toyota though - it's already on its second teaser story while others are still on their summer hols.
So after last week's one-line press release about a new Hybrid-R concept coming to Frankfurt today another couple of crumbs of info. Namely that the car is "based on a current Toyota production model" and "is equipped with a powertrain that features similar technology to that used by Toyota Racing's TS030 Hybrid race car in the FIA World Endurance Championship."
Our 'best guess' not especially convincing...
That would mean a capacitor-stored electric boost generated under braking which, in the case of the Hybrid-R, "combines a high-power internal combustion engine with electric motors to achieve a maximum power output of more than 400hp." Two modes are also promised, one for road and one for track.
Autocar did discuss the possibility of the GT86 gaining a hybrid boost earlier in the year and that'd seem an obvious candidate given widespread mutterings about the car's supposed lack of power. But a doubling of power output? And does that teaser image look even remotely GT86-like?
But if not the GT86 what else in the Toyota range is ready for a track focused, 400hp-plus hybrid powertrain? Not a lot. Unless you swap the Toyota badge for a Lexus one. The LF-CC concept rumoured to have been given a green light would seem an obvious one but isn't a 'current Toyota production model' and even with a bit of artistic licence the teaser image's front end doesn't match up with the new IS. Best guess from those lights would be the new Auris Touring Sports but is that really a basis for a track focused, 400hp-plus hybrid-boosted AMG-chaser? If stranger things have happened we can't think of any off the top of our heads but there'll doubtless be another teaser along this time next week to keep us guessing.