In case you somehow didn’t know, the new Supra is essentially a BMW Z4 on the inside. It has a BMW drivetrain, interior, and parts. It is propelled by a B58 twin-turbo straight-six engine from BMW. The M440i xDrive also has the same straight-six engine. In a drag race, even though both cars have the same engine, they are not very evenly matched.
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In essence, is the new Supra a BMW?
Working together between various automakers is not uncommon. Cost and production time savings, as well as the utilization of shared technologies and resources, are frequent advantages of collaboration. Ford has already partnered with Mazda, Toyota has done it with Subaru, and BMW is currently collaborating with Jaguar Land Rover on electrification technology. Toyota and BMW have a long-standing cooperation that recently gave rise to the most recent version of the revered Supra, Toyota’s illustrious mid-sized sports car.
The new Supra, which is now in its fifth generation, doesn’t resemble the BMW Z4 with which it shares parts at all. It has fascinating shapes and pointed-looking headlights, whilst the Z4 has a curvier, more rounder style. The Supra’s bold dimensions can look a little off-putting from certain perspectives. It also sports a distinctive front fascia, as opposed to the safer, more traditional BMW look of the Z4’s.
Even though both vehicles are two-door sports cars, the Supra has a hardtop while the Z4 is only available as a convertible.
However, the new Supra contains a sizable amount of components with BMW stamps underneath. For instance, the inline-six engine, which Toyota engineers specifically modified for the Supra, is derived from BMW. The chassis is identical to the Z4’s, and BMW likewise provides the eight-speed automatic transmission. The Magna Steyr facility in Graz, Austria, produces both vehicles.
The cooperation makes sense both economically and culturally. Toyota understood it had to offer the new Supra a straight-six engine in order to maintain the tradition set by earlier iterations of the Supra.
So instead of spending the time and money necessary to design and construct its own new straight-six, Toyota opted to use BMW’s.
According to Motor Trend, BMW decided against building a new version of a low-volume convertible because the costs associated with doing so would have been too high. BMW was able to release the new Z4 and the new Supra last year thanks in part to financial support from Toyota.
Does the Toyota Supra’s engine come from BMW?
The turbocharged B48 2.0-liter inline-four or the turbocharged B58 3.0-liter inline-six are the two BMW-sourced engine options for the Supra. The 2.0-liter engine was first made available in Japan, a few Asian nations, and Europe. It was introduced in the United States in 2020 for the 2021 model year.
The Toyota Supra is a BMW Z4, right?
You’ve likely heard by this point all the jokes about how the new Toyota Supra is really simply a nice BMW Z4. While it may have disappointed the big following of the Toyota Supra and its renowned 2JZ motor to learn that it shares a powertrain with the new BMW Z4, Toyota still has plenty of tricks up its sleeve to differentiate the eagerly anticipated revival.
Same motor, different output?
While it’s true that both vehicles share a 3.0L inline 6-cylinder powerplant created by BMW, you might be shocked by how different each vehicle’s manufacturer advertised its specifications to be. BMW claims that the Z4 M40i offers 382 horsepower, whereas Toyota claims that the same engine in the Supra only produces 335 horsepower. This discrepancy is reportedly caused by different tune. It isn’t one of the JZ motors that the Supra is famous for, but it isn’t entirely different either. According to Toyota, the BMW motor can handle substantially more horsepower with aftermarket tuning.
One engine, Two Designs
The chassis for both cars was developed by the teams at Toyota and BMW in addition to a common powerplant. The Supra and the Z4 are distinguished from one another by their radically dissimilar designs, while having the same powertrain and chassis and being two-seater compact sports cars. According to both manufacturers, codesigning ended with the chassis, therefore each body design is distinct.
BMW offers a slick look in this generation’s Z4 M40i thanks to the car’s distinctive kidney bean grille and angular M-style front bumper. Like earlier BMW Z4 models, the M40i is exclusively available as a convertible.
On the other hand, the Toyota Supra, which hasn’t had a redesign in a number of years, introduced a fresh look for Toyota that will be exclusive to the Supra and perhaps future generations. The Supra is noticeably different from the M40i in design, maintaining clean lines and an aggressive look. The Supra is only available as a hardtop, unlike its sister vehicle, and it is unclear if a convertible version will be released in the future.
Despite the fact that both cars are exclusively available as automatics, much to the dismay of stick-shift lovers, there is a very noticeable pricing difference. While a brand-new Toyota Supra might cost you around $49,900, the BMW Z4 M40i blows the competition away with a far higher MSRP of $63,700.
Does it really matter that they are mechanically similar in the end? A luxury roadster, the BMW Z4. A more narrowly oriented sports car is the Toyota Supra. And neither one resembles the other in the slightest. We’re content to have a choice between the Z4 and the Supra in a time when we have less and fewer options for new automobiles (RIP Ford sedans and hatchbacks).
Furthermore, wouldn’t it be preferable to have a new Supra based on the Z4 than none at all? We concur.
Why was a BMW engine used by Toyota?
BMW’s involvement, according to Toyota’s performance chief, was compelled by necessity in part because BMW possessed the tools required by Toyota for the Supra, particularly Bimmer’s roaring 3.0-liter inline-six engine.
What does BMW’s Supra look like?
In case you somehow didn’t know, the new Supra is essentially a BMW Z4 on the inside. It has a BMW drivetrain, interior, and parts. It is propelled by a B58 twin-turbo straight-six engine from BMW. The M440i xDrive also has the same straight-six engine.
How is the Supra made?
The 2023 Toyota Supra, the brand’s pinnacle sports car, more than makes up for the more subdued sedans, hatchbacks, and SUVs produced by the company. The Supra has comparable build quality and fewer inside materials that are still attractive, having been developed and constructed concurrently with the BMW Z4 convertible. Although the 255-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine at the base level offers more than enough power, we can’t help but appreciate the savage, optional 382-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter BMW inline-six that propels this two-seater. The only configuration is rear-wheel drive, and the Supra excels on winding roads and race tracks because to its sure-footed chassis and precise steering. The Supra is still one of our favorite sports cars, despite the fact that some Toyota fanboys may feel that it borrows too extensively from the BMW parts bin and has some obscenely big blind spots due to its sweptback external design. It is a driver’s vehicle and a lover’s delight.
Who was the manufacturer of the Toyota Supra?
Isao Tsuzuki, the chief engineer who had also worked on the original Celica and both generations of MR2, oversaw the four-year creation of the eagerly awaited fourth-generation (A80) Supra, which was ultimately debuted at the 1993 Chicago Motor Show.
The A80 was unlike anything Toyota had ever created before; its proportions and flowing appearance were more reminiscent of the 1960s 2000GT. It was clearly designed to achieve a far higher top speed thanks to its long, low bonnet line and high-rise optional rear spoiler.
Less is more was the guiding principle used in the development of the A80, which was reflected in external dimensions that were shorter, lower, and wider than the outgoing car. Additionally, the engineers were able to reduce mass by 100 kg when compared to its predecessor thanks to the extensive use of lightweight materials. To reduce weight, even the carpet fibers were hollow.
Top-spec turbo versions with Toyota’s first six-speed gearbox now offered supercar performance in addition to a streamlined engine lineup of either naturally aspirated or twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre JZ-series straight six engines with between 220bhp and 326bhp (the Japanese voluntary limit was 280bhp).
Upon what vehicle is the Supra based?
The Toyota Celica liftback served as the foundation for the first version of the Supra, which was 129.5 mm longer (5.10 in). The front panels were lengthened to provide room for the Inline-6 engine rather than the 4-cylinder engine found in the Celica, although the doors and back part were shared with the Celica. The Supra was initially intended by Toyota to be a rival to the wildly popular Datsun (now Nissan) Z-car.
Describe the BMW supercar.
Electric and hybrid vehicles were originally considered to be fairly plain and uninteresting. Then, a few of the most well-known and prosperous automakers in the world got engaged, assuring that the future of electric and hybrid vehicles was no longer depressingly dark. One of such producers was BMW, which unveiled the amazing i8 in 2014.
The BMW i8 is a futuristic sports automobile that is frequently referred to be a supercar, despite its eco-conscious character. Given its striking appearance, this is not surprising at all.
But ought to you purchase one? Does it live up to its appearance? Does it merit being referred to in the same sentence as a supercar? Discover our eight (get it, i-eight…) justifications for why it is a great deal on a “supercar” by reading on.
Which Toyotas are powered by BMWs?
The brand-new Toyota Supra is propelled by a BMW engine, which is no secret. That has been widely publicized for at least a year. However, there are currently two BMW engines available for the Supra: a 255 horsepower version of the BMW B48 2.0 liter turbo-four and a 382 horsepower version of the BMW B58 3.0 liter turbocharged inline-six. What needs to be determined is which one is superior.
That question can appear absurd on its face. Of course, the engine with the most power is the best engine. Right? Well, perhaps not. Both have advantages and disadvantages, thus it’s possible to argue that the Toyota Supra is better off with the smaller engine. In this brand-new Everyday Driver video, we get to see which is superior.
Even if the 2.0 version has less power, it might be the one to buy for a particular reason that seems to have slipped the packaging’s notice. The new Toyota Supra 2.0T is often praised by enthusiasts for being lighter (it weighs roughly 200 lbs less), and the smaller engine plays a significant role in that. The location of the engine itself, rather than the engine’s smaller weight, is what makes a difference.
The size of the 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder allows Toyota to position it so far back in the engine compartment that the entire engine is behind the center line of the front axle. In essence, it is a front-mid-engine vehicle. Ferrari asserts that its vehicles with the same package are front-mid engines even if it is still listed as a front-engine vehicle. We’re going to call it that because it’s cooler.
The Toyota Supra can turn in considerably more quickly thanks to the revised packaging since there is simply much less weight in front of the front wheels. The weight is higher inboard than in the six-cylinder variant, making it turn in better and spin slightly better around corners, similar to a mid-engine car. Even while it’s not technically in the middle, the effects of relocating the engine so far inboard are very close to doing so.
So, even though the Toyota Supra 3.0 is still a fantastic car and has a greater engine, the 2.0 model has a slightly better feel. The experience of testing these cars firsthand will be incredibly intriguing.