The MK4 Toyota Supra is, for some, the Holy Grail of the 90’s JDM car scene. So unsurprisingly when the new BMW platform-sharing MK5 Supra was launched; it was received with mixed feelings. The MK5 Supra does no have the outlandish looks of the FT1 concept; in fact it is smaller in size. The greater sin however is that it is far more BMW than enthusiasts would have hoped for. A quick look in the engine bay will reveal a myriad of BMW badges (aside from the obvious BMW powerplant) and the interior could almost be ripped directly from anything in the BMW lineup.
The lesser of two evils
That said, this was the only way that BMW could bring another Z4 to market and the only way for Toyota to bring back the Supra nameplate. And in a world of SUV, crossovers and EV’s; even a ‘slightly’ badge engineered sportscar should be celebrated. Mat Watson from Carwow brings together two new MK5 Supra’s, the 2.0L and the 3.0L to face the original. All Supra’s are stock and even the Mk4 Supra is automatic. Even with the weight penalty of being a 2+2 grand tourer the MK4 Supra holds it own well in the tests. It shows just how overbuilt the 90’s JDM’s were to still hold their own even today.
The 2.0 Supra weighs in at 1395kg and is powered by a 258Hp, turbocharged 2 Litre 4 cylinder. It’s big brother weighs 100kg more and puts out a claimed 340Hp from it’s turbocharged 3Litre straight 6. The MK4 Supra launched with 320Hp and a further weight penalty of an additional 100kg over the 3.0 Mk5 Supra. The new MK5 Supra’s shift through the ubiquitous ZF 8 Speed automatic gearbox compared to the Mk4 Supra which has half the gears in it’s torque convertor gearbox. Check out the video below.