MOTORS: Supra effort as Toyota legend gets revamp
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Of all the names from the past there are a few special ones which stand out and bring a misty-eyed look to the face of any committed petrolhead.
But one which has been sadly missed for the past 26 years is not some old-established British marque, but instead comes from the other side of the world.
Like Impreza and Skyline, the name Supra is legendary in Japanese automotive history but while the others remain in modern versions, Toyota decided in 1996 to cease UK sales of the big, bold and powerful sports coupe.
Fortunately, bosses at the giant had a rethink, led by head-honcho and full-blown performance enthusiast Akio Toyoda who gave a directive that his company would no longer produce “boring” cars.
So it was no surprise that he would focus on the Supra as a big beast to sit alongside the smaller GR86 coupe and rally-inspired GR Yaris hatchback.
The problem was it would have been difficult to justify the expense of developing the specific technology needed for just one relatively low-volume model.
So in a clever move they’ve collaborated with Germany’s BMW which means the latest Supra shares its platform, engine, transmission and most of its interior with the BMW Z4. The result is something which combines BMW’s skill at creating great driving cars with Toyota’s reputation for first-class reliability.
But don’t be misled into thinking this is just a BMW with a Toyota badge. Far from it. While the Z4 is a fine sports cruiser with a folding hard-top, the new Supra is a coupe with short overhangs and smart curves over an extended bonnet and stubby rear haunches.
There’s a double-bubble roof, headlights that are reminders of the original model and an elegant spoiler with the Supra name picked out in the original 90s font below the Toyota emblem on the boot lid.
Step inside and there are familiar BMW features including the 8.8-inch touchscreen and other switchgear like the excellent iDrive system.
The interior grey and black finish shouts BMW as you would expect in a car costing almost £60,000 but importantly it also quietly mutters quality.
There are only two low-slung seats instead of the nonsensical two rear ledges which pose as seats in some other coupes. That means space has been released to allow a generous 290 litres of boot which can accommodate a set of golf clubs or a couple of bags for a weekend away.
Prices start at £49,495 and buyers can choose from a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with 254bhp or a 3.0 turbo with 335bhp. Both versions are rear-wheel drive.
The featured car is the 3.0-litre auto model with a £57,495 price tag.
Hitting the start button releases a throaty rumble from under the bonnet as the six-cylinder power unit springs into life.
This car is fast, going from a standing start to 62mph in just over four seconds but the biggest impression is how responsive the car is with instant reaction to the throttle, returning just as much power as you could possibly want or need, to the accompaniment of the growl from below.
With 50/50 weight distribution the car feels perfectly balanced and controlled with superb steering feedback whether you’re pushing on, or steadily cruising. But it is a big car and the quality of the engineering means that the slightly detached feel might not appeal to some drivers, who would prefer the gritty engagement of one of Toyota’s superb smaller sporty models.
There’s now also the option of a manual six-speed gearbox for drivers who like to work their way behind the wheel. Creating it wasn’t as simple as it sounds. It became a major exercise involving a reconfiguration of the central console and building a new gearbox which could cope with the big engine’s substantial torque.
The attention to detail extended to experimenting with three different weights of gear knob before finally deciding on one weighing 200-grammes item for the most satisfying shift sensation.
