Dec. 19, 2018, 6:42 a.m.
When it was announced several years ago, Toyota’s desire to collaborate with BMW on the Supra/Z4 joint project raised quite a few eyebrows. We are only a few weeks away from the A90’s premiere in Detroit after a painstakingly long path to the official unveiling of the vehicle. The fifth-generation Supra will have a BMW engine under the hood when it shows up at NAIAS. Chief engineer Tetsuya Tada gave an interview to Automotive News Europe in which he outlined the justification for choosing to get the Supra’s engine from a different automaker.
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A Guide to Automobile Companies
The major automakers with present presences in the United States are listed below, along with the brands they sell.
BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce are all owned by BMW Group. Smart and Mercedes-Benz are owned by Daimler AG. Lincoln and Ford are owned by Ford Motor Co. Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac all belong to General Motors. Hummer is back as a GMC subsidiary brand. In order to co-develop EVs, GM and Honda have an official collaboration. Acura and Honda are owned by Honda Motor Co. It collaborates with GM. Sony Honda Mobility is the name of the electric vehicle firm they founded with Sony. Genesis, Hyundai, and Kia are all owned by Hyundai Motor Group. Mazda is owned by Mazda Motor Corp. Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Infiniti are all owned by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. Following the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot S.A., a new company called Stellantis was created. According to the explanation, the word is derived from the Latin verb “stello,” which means “to dazzle with stars.” Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, and Ram are now under Stellantis and are FCA brands that are offered in the United States. Other Stellantis automobile brands include Citroen, DS Automobiles, Opel, Peugeot, and Vauxhall. Subaru is owned by Subaru Corp. Jaguar and Land Rover are owned by Tata Motors. Owned by Tesla. Lexus and Toyota are owned by Toyota Motor Corp. Additionally, it owns stock in Suzuki and Subaru. The automotive brand VinFast, along with VinHomes, VinBigData, VinBioCare, and VinBrain, are all owned by VinGroup. Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Scout, and Volkswagen are all brands owned by Volkswagen AG. Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus are all brands owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (ZGH).
The new Toyota Supra significantly incorporates BMW elements, but its superior sales performance over its BMW equivalent demonstrates the value of nostalgia.
The Toyota Supra, whose fame increased dramatically as a result of the “Fast and Furious” movie series, has long been regarded as a symbol of the automobile industry. But many in the automobile industry weren’t pleased when Toyota brought the vehicle back to life last year after an almost two-decade exile from the market.
They contended that the new Supra wasn’t the unadulterated Toyota they had fallen in love with in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which was power-friendly and pure. Many criticized the new vehicle as being unauthentic and blasphemous because it was based on a BMW and had an engine from that vehicle.
But a passionate following yelling about a product’s purity or purported commitment to tradition is not what matters. There is a clear preference for one over the other, as shown by the US sales figures for both the Supra and the two-seater BMW Z4 with which it shares many parts.
Toyota has sold 3,897 Supra cars since the new model was eventually released last year, compared to BMW’s 2,253 Z4 sales during the same period. It demonstrates that perhaps things like “tradition” and “purity” aren’t as important as the online mob mentality would have you believe.
Burns said it was nice to know the automobile was constructed on a tried-and-true base and truly enjoys the “strange styling” of it.
2020 Toyota Supra vs. 2020 BMW Z4 M40i: Stepsibling Rivalry
Yes, we are aware. Underneath the new Toyota Supra is a BMW. There’s no reason to continue pretending startled about it. The mere discovery of a BMW emblem on a component under the Supra’s hood does not constitute proof of a plot. The BMW Code is not a book that Dan Brown will pen.
Both BMW and Toyota have been very open about their agreement: Toyota sent a sizable check, while BMW supplied the mechanical components for the most recent Z4 and the Supra. The Supra, though, makes it clear that Toyota has designed its own swoopy hardtop version of these brothers from separate moms. However, do let us know if you discover any Toyota-branded items inside the Z4’s engine. We’ll start a thorough inquiry. Otherwise, let’s determine once and for all which of these two nearly identically sized, nearly identically performing two-seat sports vehicles utilizes the same fundamental components more effectively. Be aware that a coupe and a roadster aren’t typically comparable. But then again, we also wouldn’t typically compare a Toyota to a BMW.
The BMW-Toyota Partnership is Only Now Beginning
BMW and Toyota first announced their technological alliance in 2013, but things are just getting started now in 2020. According to Reuters, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse is in favor of not only extending the partnership until 2025 but also forging a closer connection.
At the Automobilwoche Kongress last week, Zipse added, “We would do well to strengthen ties in the coming decades.”
The alliance has so far produced two vehicles that share a common base and powertrain: a new BMW Z4 convertible and a Toyota Supra sports coupe. As demonstrated by vehicles like the Mazda MX-5 Miata/Fiat 124 Spider and the Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86, this kind of cost-sharing is becoming increasingly prevalent in the industry.
The agreement also covers hydrogen fuel cell propulsion, a field in which Toyota has deep expertise thanks to the Toyota Mirai, one of the first mass-produced fuel-cell cars on the market. At the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, BMW debuted its own I Hydrogen NEXT crossover concept; however, the carmaker doesn’t plan to release a hydrogen vehicle in regular production until 2025 or later.
BMW’s CEO also said at Automobilwoche Kongress that if politicians started to push for increased hydrogen production globally, fuel cell vehicles would gain immensely.
However, there may be fewer resources available for enthusiast items like sports cars as BMW and other automakers move toward alternative power systems and various nations implement measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Last Monday, Zipse addressed that directly, first stating that BMW is considering how to save expenses by scaling back its portfolio before making the following foreboding declaration:
That seems to imply that, with or without a Toyota cooperation, vehicles like the Z4 might potentially end up on the scrap heap in the future.
Finding Out Which Car Brands Are Owned by Which Owners May Surprise You
“Does Ford own Mazda?” Many folks don’t even know how to pose this question. You would assume that with names like Ford, BMW, Volkswagen, Hyundai, and Kia, or whatever, these aren’t just brand names held by a few separate parent firms. Well, the bulk of your favorite automobile brands are sort of experiencing the same thing.
In a drag race, the 2020 Supra would lose to its BMW M440i sibling.
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.
To see which car would be faster, the Carwow Youtube channel recently decided to drag race the two vehicles on a closed runway. Given that it’s a 2020 model, the Supra only has 340 horsepower. On the other hand, the M440i is producing all 382 horsepower. It also has all-wheel drive, giving it tremendous starting grip.
Although the Supra may have less torque and traction, it does have one advantage: weight. It is significantly lighter than the 4-Series because it just has two seats and does not require an AWD system. Unfortunately, in a straight-up drag race, that wouldn’t be enough to win. The Supra falls short in each of the three races. The only time it can compete is in a roll race, where it finishes neck and neck with the M440i.
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You might be astonished to learn that only a handful of parent firms control the majority of the world’s vehicle brands.
Most people are aware that BMW owns Mini and Lexus is Toyota’s premium division, but did you realize that Volkswagen-owned Audi also owns Lamborghini? Or that Holden initially made saddles before eventually failing to succeed as a car manufacturer?
Each major automaker’s current state is included below, along with a brief overview of its past and the date it was established.
The current owner’s nationality is typically a semantic issue. For instance, just because Jaguar is currently owned by Indians does not mean that the company is any less British than it has always been.
Regardless of who currently owns a certain brand, you’ll frequently discover that the head office, design centers, and perhaps even the factories remain in their various home countries.
It can be challenging to keep track of ownership changes at car firms since they occur more frequently than you might think, and part ownership shares occur even more frequently. This is how the world’s automotive market currently stands.
Toyota and BMW are partners?
It has been revealed that BMW Group and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) have agreed to extend their successful long-term strategic partnership. As a result of their partnership, Toyota and BMW will work together to build a fuel cell system, a new sports automobile, and study and develop lightweight technologies.
These agreements come after a June 2012 memorandum of understanding. Additionally, the two businesses declared their agreement to begin researching lithium-air batteries, a post-lithium battery alternative. The study into next-generation lithium-ion battery cells began in March 2012, and this agreement represents the second phase of that research.
Does BMW produce Toyota motors?
Two titans of the automobile industry, BMW and Toyota, have declared a “medium-to-long-term collaboration” in which they will cooperate to create and exchange green technologies.
Toyota will receive 1.6L to 2.0L diesel engines from BMW. In order to expand its market share on a continent where the vast majority of sold vehicles are powered by diesel engines, they will start incorporating them into some European models in 2014.
The two manufacturers will also work together to develop a brand-new line of lithium-ion batteries for hybrid and electric cars.
At a time when the race to improve fuel efficiency and lower emissions has peaked, this partnership will enable the two corporations to cut research and development expenses.
This is Toyota’s second announcement of this kind; earlier this summer, Toyota teamed up with Ford to create a hybrid system for SUVs and vans.