Recurring readers know that we’re not fans of Toyota’s jibber-jabber in regard to the Supra, more so when it comes to the engine. This time around, the Japanese automaker’s European division went overboard by calling the B58 “legendary” instead of “nice Bimmer you got there.”
“While we can’t reveal its stunning curves just yet, we recently released it undercover and ahead of its international reveal in Detroit so that you can hear the sound of its harmonious song.” That’s right; the cheesiness is strong with Toyota, which should receive a prize for how much it can overappreciate an engine that doesn’t compare with the 2JZ in the previous generation.
YouTube commenters share this view, with one claiming the B58 in the Supra “sounds like a late model BMW to me. And sadly that is not a compliment.” Considering how large and well-to-do Toyota is from a financial standpoint, we’re still wondering what made the higher-ups cheap out on this part, choosing the easy way instead.
As if that wasn’t enough criticism, there’s also the matter of production. Whereas the A80 was produced from 1993 to 2002 at the Motomachi plant in Japan, the A90 will be manufactured alongside the Z4 at the Graz plant in Austria by Magna Steyr. Once again, we’re not sure why Toyota was so easy on the pocketbook with the Supra’s revival.
It’s also worth highlighting the sound during upshift is that of the ZF 8HP, an eight-speed transmission that defeats the purpose of a sports car. Toyota might have developed a six-speed manual too, but for the time being, it’s availability is restricted to RHD markets.
If you want to ruin the Supra from the get-go, then opt for the 2.0-liter engine that also comes courtesy of BMW. B48 is how it’s called, and in the Z4 sDrive20i, the four-cylinder turbo develops 189 horsepower (192 PS) and 236 pound-feet (320 Nm) of torque.
On the upside, Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division has something special in the pipeline for the driver-centric public. What’s more, the Supra Convertible could happen at some point in the future.
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
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News