The joint collaboration between BMW and Toyota to build a sports/coupe/roadster will be handed over to automotive sub-contract manufactures Magna Steyr. Magna Steyr may sound like a character from the Transformers movie franchise but are actually specialists in automotive development and manufacturing. Magna Styer are used by motoring manufactures from Audi to Aston Martin, the latter handed over initial production of the Rapide to the Austrian based company. Joint developments between rival car companies is quite common, by sharing development and manufacturing costs automotive companies can end up saving money and therefore get a better return on initial investment. The joint alliance between BMW and Toyota will create a model that for BMW will replace the current Z4 Roadster, likely to called the Z5. Toyota will be able to resurrect the Supra brand and both models will be  built alongside one another at Magna Styer’s Graz production plant in Austria. The Mini Paceman and Countryman were manufactured at the Graz facility before BMW decided to end production of both models to make way for the Z4. Production of the Countryman will be shifted to another contract manufacturer in the Netherlands. The slow selling Mini Paceman is likely to be terminated. Ironically sales for two seater sports cars has slowed. The Z4 has seen sales drop by 47 percent during the first quarter of 2016. The Mini Coupe and Roadster have also been dropped because of slow sales. The Z4 accounted for just three-tenths of 1 percent of BMW’s volume sales. However BMW don’t see it that way and the believe the joint alliance with Toyota will help keep alive the company’s two-seater roadster tradition. The BMW/Toyota alliance intends to manufacture 60,000 units per year for the two models combined. Neither company has revealed when both cars will be made available for sale. expect an announcement at this year’s Paris Motorshow.