43
what you’re doing with the controls as if it
had a bullhorn bolted to its dash.
Most of this communication is felt
through your inner ear and the seat of
your pants. While the steering is direct
and accurate, it’s the car’s ample body
movements as the tires nibble at the edge
of adhesion that speak loudest. Newbies
to high-performance driving should take
this car to a track-instruction day; it won’t
take long to get the feel. Expert drivers
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that adjusting the car’s slip angle with the
steering wheel and the right pedal happens
almost telepathically.
When you’re done at the track, you’ll
discover another lovable thing about the
Supra: It’s a happy everyday driver, not a
bone-jarring track specialist. The platform
and running gear are courtesy of BMW, and
Toyota has honed the components to sweet
perfection. In fact, the Supra reminds us of
the great E36, E46, and E90 3-series sedans
that lived on our 10Best list for years.
Like those past winners, the Supra
does many things well. Its ride over large
ObZ]` V` N` `b]]YR N` aNßf( Va` `aRR_V[T
\ßR_`_RdN_QV[TURSa(N[QVa`R[TV[RV`_R¼[RQZRYYV½b\b`
and ripped. The BMW B58 turbo 3.0 -liter inline-six makes
335 of the most wide-awake horses this side of Bavaria. At
any speed, throttle response is right-now sharp, with no
hint of turbo lag. The engine emits a meaty rasp that swells
to an insistent howl at high revs. The standard eight-speed
automatic works so well that we almost don’t miss having a
manual gearbox to stir. Almost.
The Supra’s interior is handsome and well assembled,
though its gun-slit windows take some getting used to. All
we will say about its bulbous sheetmetal and its fake scoops
N[QNV_\baYRa`V`aUNaaURf`aN_aQRONaR`N_\b[QaUR\¦PR
There is no disagreement about price, though. The Supra is
a killer value on top of being a stellar sports car—one that
can help almost anyone become a better driver. Congratula-
tions, Toyota; after a 21-year hiatus, you’ve managed to bring
back a car worthy of the Supra name. —Rich CepposExpert
Opinion
—Subaru Outback
More cars need
green stitching.
—
Much happier as
a crossover than
the Legacy
is as a sedan.Toyota Corolla
Largely accept-
able but totally
uninspiring.
—
New and
improved but
still sugar-free
muesli compared
with the
Golf and Civic.Volkswagen
Arteon
A lovely car
that no
one will buy.
—
Big sedans are
becoming rare.
Really good
big sedans like
the Arteon are
even rarer.“THE BMW
B58 TURBO
3.0-LITER
INLINE-SIX
MAKES 335
OF THE MOST
WIDE-AWAKE
HORSES
THIS SIDE OF
BAVARIA.”