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.
In This Article...
Is there a 2JZ in the 2020 Supra?
The consecutively turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six is visible when the Supra Turbo’s long hood is opened. Iron block, 24-valve aluminum cylinder head, and 11.6 psi of boost pressure make up the 2JZ-GTE engine. It is the Chevy big block from Japan. It was capable of producing 315 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm and 320 horsepower at 5600 rpm. That is 20 more horsepower than you would find in a modern Nissan 300ZX Turbo, Chevrolet Corvette C4, Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4, and 65 more than Mazda provided in the third-generation RX-7. He points to the tiny OEM blow-off valve and the tiny intercooler beneath the right headlight and says, “These were the first items you replaced.” “Bigger front-mount (intercooler) and larger valves make a considerable difference.” By the end of the 1990s, it wasn’t difficult to find heavily modified Supras with more than 1000 horsepower. The car eventually attained legendary status in the import-car scene, in part due to its starring role in the first Fast and the Furious movie.
Do the 2020 Supra’s engines have the B58 code?
With the help of testing from Car & Driver and Motor Trend, we can say with certainty that the 2020 Toyota Supra’s B58 inline-six engine is even more potent than claimed. But how strong can it really get? Can you adjust it to 600 horsepower? 700 or 800 horsepower, perhaps? How about a thousand horsepower? That four-digit number, in fact, is what Papadakis Racing is aiming for. That number is not very unusual for the Supra. Maybe not the 2020 A90-gen Supra, but the third-gen Supra was tuned to the moon and back, and if you knew your stuff, four-digit horsepower numbers were sort of easy to come by. The actual query is whether or whether the BMW B58 inline-six is capable of handling a similar power output and, if so, how much of the engine needs to be altered. Fortunately, we have a fun movie that depicts the full construction of a purported 1,000-horsepower B58 build, from the block on up.
The 2020 Toyota Supra is a V8, right?
Toyota has recently begun testing a brand-new 2020 GR Supra racing model, this time for Japan’s GT300 racing championship. The V8 engine that this racer has distinguishes it as being exceptionally unique.
As we all know, the 2020 Supra’s street-legal 3.0-liter turbo six-cylinder engine produces 335 horsepower and comes from BMW. In the Supra GT500 racer, this engine was recently replaced by a turbocharged four-cylinder, and it is absent from the GT300-spec race car.
Supra: Is it truly a BMW?
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.
What makes 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.
Is the 2JZ engine a BMW unit?
Toyota Motor Corporation developed and built the 2JZ-GTE, a six-cylinder, inline-layout, dual overhead camshaft, air-intercooled, twin turbocharged, cast-iron block, aluminum cylinder heads engine that was made in Japan from 1991 to 2002.
The engine’s development and evolution was mostly a reaction to Nissan’s then-successful RB26DETT engine, which had seen great success in the FIAGroup A and Group N touring car championships.
There were two transmissions for the engine that were suitable for all road car applications:
Can the B58 replace the 2JZ?
We boldly asserted a while back that the B58 engine was the best all-around internal combustion engine produced by BMW. Even though many previous BMW engines were excellent, we claimed that the B58’s combination of characteristicspower, performance, refinement, durability, and tuning potentialmade it the most comprehensive BMW engine ever. In a recent video, Driven Media goes one step further and contrasts it with the illustrious 2JZ engine from Toyota.
Ironically, the Toyota 2JZ was famously used in the Mk4 Toyota Supra, a vehicle whose successor is currently being co-built by BMW and has a B58 engine. However, there’s more at play here than just irony. Actually, the two engines are pretty similar.
Both engines are 3.0 liter straight-six turbocharged engines that can be adjusted to provide great power without changing any major internal components. Both engines are also remarkably durable; you can beat both engines up on the track and they will handle it with ease.
There are many subtle similarities as well. The BMW B58 engine’s bottom end is one of the factors that makes it so resilient, even after extensive tuning. One of the reasons the B58’s crankcase and crankshaft are so tough is that they have a crank girdle, which is effectively a huge brace that mounts to the base of the crank assembly. Who else has a powerplant like that? That’s rightthe Toyota 2JZ. The pistons on both engines are cooled by oil that is sprayed over their undersides.
The renowned 2JZ engine from Toyota has been used in various engine swap builds and has repeatedly been modified to provide ludicrous power. It is a fantastic engine to operate and is simple to tune. It is about as sturdy as they get. Although the BMW B58 hasn’t been on the market for very long, it has the potential to become just as famous as the 2JZ. Furthering the comparison, the BMW B58 engine resembles the 2JZ of the present day. It even has Supra power.
What makes the B58 so great?
The BMW B58 engine is a complete joy to operate when it comes to fun things like performance automobiles and the like, largely because of its power. It produces 382 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque when equipped with the M Performance specification, which applies to all of the aforementioned M40i versions. in writing. It feels like it has 100 more horses than that in the back. With its powerful pulling ability, even large SUVs can move quickly.
However, it’s not simply the power itself, but also how it’s delivered. There is essentially little turbo lag, and torque is present throughout the rev range. The B58 erupts when the go pedal is pressed in any gear and at any rpm, with a power surge that seems to never end. Any automobile with a B58 engine makes driving a real treat because of the power at your right foot. As soon as you drive any other six-cylinder engine in its class from any other manufacturer, you’ll understand how unique the power delivery of the B58 is.
What vehicles feature the B58?
The B58 engine, used in the 340i and 440i, was designated one of the top 10 engines in the world in 2016, 2018, and 2022 (M240i), the X3 and X4 M40i, the Z4 M40i, 2019, the X5 and 2019. (M340i). The high performance variant of the B58 engine is the S58, which debuted in early 2019.
What Supra has a B58 engine?
Who would have thought Toyota would be the proverbial person to save the manuals? The GR Yaris, GR Corolla, and GR86 are all stick-shift vehicles in the Gazoo Racing series. The 2023 GR Supra, which comes with three pedals, is here, so get ready to add a fourth member. The 6MT, which is only available with the BMW B58 engine, is marketed as a freshly created transmission specially designed for the 3.0-liter inline-six.
It has a shorter final drive ratio than the eight-speed ZF automatic for greater line performance and in-gear acceleration. According to reports, Toyota has developed unique software through the use of an intelligent manual gearbox (iMT) mode to maximize engine torque during upshifts and downshifts for dependable performance. A new Lightweight model with a manual gearbox and unique 19-inch wheels is available in Europe. Changing the sound system and using more basic seating results in a 38.3 kg weight saving overall (84.4 lbs).
The knob, which weighs 200g and has a unique lever ratio to make changing gears easier, received additional consideration. The ergonomics of the six-speed Supra are different from the automated model. The switchgear and stick shift now have a 1.7-inch space between them thanks to modifications. The gear knob is wrapped in Alcantara in the brand-new A91-MT special edition that is currently on sale in the US. Additionally, the 500-car 2023MY-exclusive edition features a gorgeous Cognac leather inside.
Toyota has made additional modifications to its Supra, whilst BMW has remained mum about any prospective upgrades planned for the Z4 roadster. The 2023MY coupe has undergone major changes, from updated steering and suspension tuning to a more drift-friendly Track mode. As an illustration, the new Hairpin+ technology enhances the enjoyment of winding roads. By providing a bigger differential between the amount of wheel spin on the left- and right-side tires, it accomplishes this.