The current Z4 canvas-topped convertible wouldn’t have come to fruition if Toyota wouldn’t have approached BMW for the all-new Supra. Fine-tuned independently from the Bavarian roadster, the Japanese coupe is very, very different from its drop-top brother in the corners and in a straight line.
For the 2021 model year, the most you can expect from the fifth-generation Supra is 382 horsepower and 368 pound-feet (499 Nm) of torque channeled to the rear active differential by the best automatic transmission in the business, the 8HP from ZF Friedrichshafen. The question is, can these oily bits keep up with a similarly-sized BMW coupe featuring all-wheel drive?
Sam CarLegion is much obliged to find out, and the challenger in question comes in the guise of a 2021 model year BMW M240i xDrive. This configuration is listed with 335 horsepower, 369 pound-feet (500 Nm) of torque, the same automatic transmission, and 3,662 pounds (1,661 kilograms) of curb weight versus the Toyota’s 3,400 pounds (1,542 kilos).
The more accessible sibling of the M2 may be heavier and not as powerful as the Supra, but still, it’s very impressive off the line thanks to the clever software that governs the all-wheel-drive system. Be that as it may, the Japanese contender surges ahead like nobody’s business, winning every single quarter-mile drag race against the M240i xDrive. Be it normal or sport modes, there’s no way the Bimmer can steal a victory from the Supra.
From a 50-kph (31-mph) roll, the difference is even greater because the M240i xDrive peaks between 1,250 and 4,500 revolutions per minute while the BMW-engined Supra pulls from 1,800 to 5,000 rpm. The 3.0-liter Toyota also has the upper hand in terms of tire dimensions and compound.
Stirring in their own particular ways, both models take their mojo from the B58 twin-scroll turbocharged straight-six engine. Easily tunable and pretty alright in terms of reliability, this engine was massaged by the M performance division to 503 horsepower in the M3 Competition and M4 Competition.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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