Is it a good idea to revive hallowed model names? Toyota certainly thought so in 2019, when it roused the Supra sports coupé after 20 years of dormancy.
Mind you, this fifth iteration also wore the Gazoo Racing badge, being the first bespoke car produced for the global market by Toyota’s performance division.
Somewhat controversially, the Toyota GR Toyota Supra was built in collaboration with BMW, being based on the fifth-generation BMW Z4 roadster. It’s also built at the same Magna Steyr factory in Austria as its German counterpart. It wasn’t just a Bimmer in disguise, though, because Toyota gave the car bespoke tuning.
The first GR Supra model was powered by BMW’s ‘B58’ turbocharged 3.0-litre straight six, which makes 355bhp and 368lb ft of torque. As a result, it achieved a 0-62mph time of 4.3sec with the help of launch control. This was just enough to challenge the top-of-the-class Porsche 718 Boxster GTS, which completed the sprint in 4.5sec.
Every car received an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox, also taken from the BMW parts bin, offering Normal or Sport driving modes.
In 2021, the GR Supra gained the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine from the BMW 330i. This version delivers a more conservative 254bhp and 295lb ft but is 100kg lighter so gives a still-quick 0-62mph time of 5.2sec. The 3.0-litre engine is brilliantly engineered, with excellent throttle response and virtually no turbo lag. Meanwhile, the 2.0-litre engine improves the prospect of daily driving by offering up to 38.7mpg while being bubbly in character and allowing the chassis to be slightly more dynamic in corners.
That’s not to say the 3.0-litre is in any way boring, mind you. How could it be with a rear that’s happy to indulge silliness? It’s just that it’s set up to be more a GT than a feisty sports car.
While some drivers will miss the involvement of a manual gearbox, the GR Supra’s automatic is supremely smooth – something that can also be said about the overall ride comfort.
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