Toyota Supra an icon reborn

Unfortunately, Toyota discontinued production in the early 90s. Recently the Supra name-plate has returned and I hogged the keys to the yellow test unit.

Provenance

Those who follow the news will know by now that the new Supra is based on the latest generation BMW Z4, and if you didn’t know that, now you do. Many people have been criticising this partnership, although, if you are going to base your small, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive car on another, doing so on a BMW is not the worst idea, they know a thing or two about building fast rear-wheel-drive cars. Toyota does, however, send it over to their motorsport division known as Gazoo Racing for some final tweaks. Gazoo Racing has achieved numerous successes, most notably in the 2019 Dakar Rally.

The goods

Now that we know how the new Supra comes together, let me tell you why I think it is a better car than the BMW on which it is based. Firstly I think that the Supra looks better thanks to its low slung design, flared wheel arches and vast amounts of ‘fake’ vents. The most eye-catching design element for me is the rear quarter. The fat wheel arches flow neatly into an upswept boot lid which acts as a rear spoiler and adds to the overall sporty design of the car.

The Supra is only available as a coupe and one that you might find difficult getting in and out of due to its sloping roofline. Once inside, you will find the cabin feels sporty thanks to a driver-focused fascia design, sports seats, and a good driving position. Those who know BMW will also notice much of the switchgear has been carried over from other BMW models, such as the gear lever, climate control system, the infotainment system and the iDrive system used to control the said infotainment system.

On the test unit, JBL provided the sound system but I still found it slightly lacking in overall volume. The interior look and feel is a blend of BMW and Toyota which is not a bad thing but you can pick up on some cheap plastics here and there. The interior might be slightly small for some however I found it to be just right with adequate space and practicality.

Performance

Under the bonnet, similar to the popular Supra MK 4, you will find an in-line six-cylinder as a result of the partnership with BMW. It’s the brands tried and tested 3.0-litre Twin Power Turbo unit that develops around 250 kW and 500 N.m of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox and the sprint to 100 km/h takes 4.3 seconds. The car was quite tail-happy, yet I found it controllable as it rapidly yet seamlessly accelerate through the gears, which adds to the fun factor. I’ll admit that I would have liked more noise from the exhaust though.

Verdict

My time behind the wheel was short but it was enough to experience the winning recipe which is the new Supra. To be honest this was one of my most enjoyable drives this year. It has the looks with the performance to back it up and most importantly, it is a Toyota to get excited about.

Warranty

Included into the price is a five-service/80 000km service plan well as a three-year/100 000km warranty with extended service plans available for purchase.

Price

Toyota GR Supra         – R 1 072 300