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 came from BMW, but Toyota’s engineers tweaked it especially for the Supra. 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.
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The first task was to get a straight-six engine when Toyota decided to give a new sports car the illustrious “Supra” label. Why? because customer surveys revealed it was a necessity given that the inline-six engine was present in all four of the car’s prior incarnations. The simplest method to get one was to sign a contract with BMW and purchase their 3.0-liter engine, which is found in the Z4 M40i and the new M340i. Toyota chose against creating its own straight-six, which disappointed purists but was a smart business decision given that the Supra won’t be a high-volume vehicle.
Similar to other crucial components from BMW, including the eight-speed transmission and the chassis, the engine with Bavarian roots has been modified specifically for the Supra by Toyota’s specialists. The two businesses have vowed that their sports vehicles will have individual identities that go beyond the various body styles, while sharing quite a few elements. Since we’ve seen the new Z4 and a clear picture of the Supra, we can be certain that their exterior designs won’t be similar in any way.
Returning to the test drive event interview, Tada made a suggestion that future Gazoo Racing cars might feature engines created by Toyota’s go-faster division. These will be brand-new engines as opposed to more powerful versions of current engines, and they’ll probably work with electrification for an added boost and lower emissions.
2020 Toyota Supra vs. 2020 BMW Z4 M40i: Stepsibling Rivalry
Yes, we are aware. Underneath the new Toyota Supra is a BMW. You don’t have to keep feigning shock over 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.
Which BMW engine in the Toyota Supra is superior?
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 while the 2.0 version has less power, it might be the one to purchase for one specific reason that has gone unnoticed: packing. 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.
How good is the BMW engine in the 2020 Toyota Supra? Find out now
Many Toyota fans were anxiously awaiting the new Supra’s BMW-sourced engine, wondering if it would match the performance of the 2JZ.
Few automobiles received as much online excitement as the revived Toyota Supra, which demonstrates the increasing power of internet hype. Despite the enthusiasm for the new vehicle, the group of Toyota purists had several reservations about BMW’s involvement. Will the B58 straight-six from BMW be able to compete with the renowned (for good reason) Toyota 2JZ-GTE?
We must admit, we were a little curious about that as well, so when we learned that none other than the evil racing genius Stephan Papadakis was going to disassemble the BMW B58 engine to determine how good — or bad — it is and whether it will be strong enough to produce insane horsepower, we were overjoyed.
Steph rips the engine out of a brand-new Toyota Supra with just over 500 miles on the odometer and destroys it in his film, which was posted on Monday. He discovers something unexpected and encouraging.
BMW didn’t cut corners when it comes to its B58 straight-innovative six’s innovations. There are just two exhaust ports in total—one for each scroll of the twin-scroll turbocharger—because the exhaust manifold is directly cast into the cylinder head. Additionally, the effective water-to-air intercooler for the engine was built right into the intake manifold made of plastic.
What did Mr. Papadakis learn after dismantling the motor? According to him, it will be able to produce more than 1,000 horsepower without putting undue strain on components like the crankshaft and the oiling system.
Needless to say, we’re eager to watch him reassemble the engine and attach it to a dyno to verify his theory.
For the Supra, why did Toyota use a BMW engine?
The head of Toyota’s performance division claims that BMW’s cooperation was forced upon it in part because it had the components required for the Supra, namely Bimmer’s roaring 3.0-liter inline-six engine.
Does the Toyota Supra have a BMW motor?
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. Japan, a few Asian nations, and Europe were the first markets where the 2.0-liter engine was made available; the United States acquired the engine in 2020 for the 2021 model year.
The new Toyota Supra is a BMW, but why?
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 (it was retuned to 382 hp for 2021). 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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What BMW model shares the Supra’s engine?
Cars like the 6-cylinder turbocharged Toyota Supra are making their last major stand before they permanently vanish from dealerships as the sports car industry gradually shifts to electrification and engine downsizing.
Of course, when we discuss the Supra, we are essentially referring to an agreement that BMW and Toyota made back in 2012 to work together on sports vehicles and EV technologies. The collaborative development of the BMW Z4 and Toyota Supra, in which both vehicles used BMW’s powertrain and chassis, was without a doubt the most well-known project to result from this alliance.
The current GR Supra may have a 3.0-liter engine with 382-hp and a sticker price of $51,000, but the ultimate and final limited edition Supra, according to Japan’s best-selling car magazine, Best Car, will have a BMW M3 Competition engine installed and cost more than twice as much as the standard Supra.
The Supra GRMN, also known as the Gazoo Racing Meister of Nurburgring, is scheduled to debut in 2023 and will use a modified version of the same engine as the BMW M3 and M4. According to reports, the twin-turbo straight-6 in the M3/M4 Competition produces 503 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, while the forthcoming Supra GRMN will produce 513 horsepower and 485 pound-feet of torque.
For the record, Team Gazoo was established in 2007 as Toyota’s racing division in Europe and Japan. In 2009, however, it changed its name to Gazoo Racing. It manages Toyota’s racing activities in the World Rally Championships and the World Endurance Championship and will also provide specialized, limited-edition versions of popular vehicles like the Supra, Yaris, and others.