Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve talked about it, everyone else has talked about it, we’ve all waited to see exactly what it will be, and now it officially exists: The 2020 Toyota Supra.
The new Supra has turned out to be one of the most polarizing topics in the car world since the first concept was revealed in 2014. It was finally fully revealed just a little over a week ago, and yet, the car still remains a hot topic.
Here’s why:
We’ve been saying this for a long time now, but the original Toyota Supra, the Mk. IV in particular, is one of the most famous, highly sought after cars in history, and as such, has set an enormous precedent for which the new Supra must follow. And it doesn’t matter whatsoever that the new Supra can’t accomplish this just because it isn’t the Mk. IV.
Everybody has been chomping at the bit to get the first glimpse of the new Supra. Nobody can wait any longer to get into one for a few days just so they can rate it, pick it apart, and tell the world how good or bad it actually is.
And, now we are here, just months away from all of this being possible.
So let’s talk about some actual numbers, figures, and facts and take our guess at how all of this will continue to play out.
The Good Stuff:
The Power:
Power comes from a BMW inline six cylinder engine and will produce 335 horsepower. The Z4, the Supra’s BMW sibling will produce more horsepower, so it should be possible to add some to the Supra. That is good things for those looking to tune their car.
But wait… Only 335 horsepower to start? Yes, and we think that’s a great thing!
The twin-turbo Mk. IV made 320 horsepower, so the new one falls right in line with what used to be. On top of that, this news is a little bit refreshing.
There are so many new vehicles coming out that are battling to be the fastest, most powerful version of themselves ever. The new Supra will be the most powerful one ever, but it will be still be reasonable.
While some might think there should be more, 335 horsepower is still plenty to live with, and it’s a great starting point for a car that could handle as well as this one.
The Engine:
As previously stated, the Supra will receive BMW’s inline six cylinder engine, the same one as the Z4.
For Toyota, this was reportedly one of the most important aspects of what the new Supra needed to have in order to carry on the Supra tradition. And, they have a point. It’s even a 3.0 liter engine, the same amount of displacement used in the Mk. IV.
Inline six cylinders aren’t all that common anymore, and once again, it gives the car just a bit more character that wouldn’t have been there should the car have been introduced with a turbo four cylinder. Though this makes tuning potentially easier, every manufacturer uses a turbo four nowadays, even in their family sedans and SUVs.
Initial Impressions:
Though the final production Supra was just fully unveiled, several agencies and testers have been able to drive a pre-production model Supra before now. That vehicle gave them a taste of things to come, and overall impressions have been good.
Most say that even though there is some obvious parts sharing going on, and despite the underpinnings being a BMW Z4, there is little resemblance and feel that is carried over from the BMW side of things.
Initially, the car has been well-received!
It’s Rear-Wheel Drive:
One of the key ingredients to a good sports car is that it’s rear-wheel drive. The new Supra is a rear-wheel drive sports car.
The Way it Looks:
Often, the concept of a car that is going to be introduced in the future is pretty different than the car that is actually released to the public.
The Supra hasn’t changed too drastically from the GT-1 concept, nor is it so far of a departure from the last generation Supra that it’s completely unrecognizable as a relative. That’s good! It’s another touch that adds purpose, credibility, and some modicum of tradition.
Other than that, the Supra just looks good. It isn’t too overwhelming and strikes a nice balance between what used to be and what the future holds.
Some will disagree, of course, but the design has intent and is free from things like fake exhaust tips and an unnecessarily large, gaudy grille.
I’m personally not a fan of the small beak up front and the oddly shaped spoiler extension on the trunk, but hey… you can’t win ‘em all. The package as a whole works well.
The Bad Stuff:
The BMW Stuff:
Those who have gotten a more in-depth look at the Supra have said good things about it. They’ve said that it’s not really a BMW and doesn’t feel like one.
That being said, the majority of the Supra’s parts, especially the engine components, are straight from BMW.
Similarly to what they did with the 86 – which of course, is actually a Subaru BRZ – Toyota has been taking help from others when it comes to producing sports cars of late.
That’s not a bad, but we think Toyota could do better.
Yes, we know that sports cars aren’t a top selling segment. We know that sports cars are impractical and can be expensive. We know that hybrid and electric cars are coming. WE KNOW ALL OF THAT.
But…
There still is a market for sports cars. The Supra will be fairly competitive with Mustang GT and Camaro SS pricing, placing it out of reach for those coming right out of college, but attainable for those who buy Mustang GTs and Camaro SSs. And, most importantly, if anybody could make a sports car just for the sake of making a sports car, Toyota could.
We’ve seen what they can do in the past. The Mk. IV Supra, the MR2, the original AE 86… these are testament to what Toyota can do if they want. Needless to say, “We want”, along with many others.
No Manual Transmission:
You knew we had to throw this one in there…
Now to be clear, Toyota has said multiple times now that if there is the demand for a manual transmission, they will give the option for one. In my opinion – and this is just an opinion – that is a way of saying that there’s not a good chance this will happen.
Change our minds Toyota…
We think the demand is there for a car like this with a manual transmission… right, Corvette, Mustang, Camaro, WRX, Veloster, M2, MX-5, and 370Z fans?
At any rate, even the BRZ/86 offers a manual transmission. We know the 8-speed automatic will be faster and more efficient, but we don’t care. #savethemanuals
Presuppositions:
Regardless of how good or how bad the new Supra is, there will always be a certain mindset held by a group of people somewhere who are going to shame this car because it’s really more of a BMW than a Toyota. Rather, it’s more not a Mk. IV Supra than it is.
This happens with every new car that comes out. There are always going to be some people who don’t appreciate it just because, “the old one was better.” Admittedly, I do this all too often, not particularly with the Supra, but in general.
Sometimes I’m right, and sometimes I wrong. But, we’re all in that boat, aren’t we…
The truth about the new Supra will be told as time goes by, as people actually buy the car and drive it, and as people tune the car or whatever they are going to do with it.
Only then will we see its capabilities, its shortcomings, and whether all that waiting was worth it.
Until then we can only speculate as to what the Supra will have in store for the long haul. That includes the experts, the testers, and the people who so flippantly label this new Supra as “garbage” right off the bat.
We can’t wait to see if the Supra lives up to the hype it’s created.
Good luck, Toyota!
