Sport over comfort
The Toyota Supra doesn’t arrive until next year, but we already know a lot about the new sports car. In an interview with Supra chief engineer Tetsuya Tada, we learned the model will have a turbo inline-six, a hybrid variant, and a perfect 50:50 weight balance front to rear, as well as double the body rigidity of the Toyota 86. What we still don’t know, of course, is how it drives. But speaking with Motoring Research, Tada confirms the Supra will have a distinct driving experience from its platform-mate, the BMW Z4.
“Each company defined what we wanted and went from there,” Tada reportedly said. The cars will share the same six-cylinder engine and gearbox. But, “both cars have completely different suspension and software calibration,” he points out.
Tada also says the Supra will be a “pure sports car,” adding “practicality and comfort were almost not considered.” It shares its overall design with the GR Supra Racing Concept that debuted at the Geneva auto show earlier this year, although don’t expect to see racing-specific features such as the intake scallops and oversized rear wing.
Tada also hinted at the possibility of a hotter Supra wearing the GRMN badge. “I would like to see something like that eventually,” he said. “We are preparing for it.”
The Supra will debut in the first half of 2019 and go on sale that same year. Meanwhile, the BMW Z4 could debut in production form sometime this summer before production begins at the end of 2018.
Source: Motoring Research