30 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 AUGUST 2019
Δ GT86 sports car. The ratio between
its wheelbase length and track width
(1.55:1) supposedly makes for the
perfect balance between stability
and agility. Toyota also attests to a
perfect 50/50 weight distribution. On
our test scales, the Supra weighed in
at 1500kg, with that weight divided
51/49 front to rear.
Elsewhere, four-cylinder versions
of the Supra currently only available
in Japan look set to make their way to
Europe soon. BMW M has also told
u s it w ou ld b e “ p o s si ble but u n l i k e l y ”
that its new ‘S58’ twin-turbo, six-
c y l i nde r M 3 e n g i ne c ou ld app e a r i n a
hotter version of the Supra in future.
INTERIOR
AAAAC
It’s here that the Supra’s inherent
BM W-ne s s i s mo s t appa r e nt. O p e n
those long doors and lower yourself
into the snug, cosseting cabin and
it ’s t he she e r v olu me of Mu n ic h-
sourced fixtures and fittings that
draw your eye and slightly confuseyour brain.
A little effort has been made
t o h ide t he BM W c on ne c t ion i n
places (infotainment graphics,
driver assistance controls, digital
instruments), but the HVAC controls,
column stalks, iDrive infotainment
suite and gear selector are all lifted
from BMW’s parts bin without any
at t e mp t m a de t o h ide it.
It makes for such a jarring first
impression that you can forget what
you’re driving, at least for a while,
and wonder if it’s not the Toyota
badge on the steering boss that seems
more out of place than all of the BMW
content encircling it. Several testers
b e moa ne d t he l a c k of appa r e nt
individuality you might expect of a
Japanese sports car – and you would
expect lifelong Supra enthusiasts
who have been eagerly awaiting the
A90’s arrival to feel that particularshortcoming even more keenly.
At the same time there’s objectively
little wrong with the functionality
of the Supra’s cabin. The controls
are all within easy reach, there’s
plenty of adjustability in the seating
position and there’s a fair amount
of storage space by the standards of
the wider class: the car’s 290-litre
boot is easily large enough for a
weekend’s luggage. The iDrive-based
infotainment system is clear and easy
to read, as is the digital instrument
binnacle – which adopts a far more
sensible graphical design than the
odd hexagonal motif employed in the
latest generation of BMWs.
Ye s , it w ou ld h av e b e e n n ic e t o s e e
Toyota graft more of its own uniqueidentity onto the Supra’s interior. But
at the same time, a bit of perspective
i s a l s o ne e de d b e c au s e , i f Toy ot a h a d
relied entirely on its own parts bin
instead, what are the chances that
the end result would have been more
befitting of a £50,000 sports car?
PERFORMANCE
AAAAC
A s w e ’ v e e s t a bl i she d , t he c a s e for
building a contemporary Supra
hinged on the availability of a six-
cylinder engine, and once you’re
driving the new car, it doesn’t take ◊
Wheel sits centrally and the
pedals are comfortably
offset to the right. Taller
drivers will be able to achieve
a low-slung, long-leg,
short-arm position.
HEADLIGHTS
Supra gains adaptive LED
headlights as standard, as
well as LED daytime-running
lights and tail-lights. Our
testers didn’t have a chance
to test them after dark.
PARKING
DIMENSIONS
z The Supra’s long doors can make it challenging to lower yourself down into the
snug seats when parked in tight spaces. Once you’re in, driving position is spot on.
z Supra Pro models gain leather upholstery as standard; the basic Supra features
A l c a nt a ra i n ste a d. B o th c a r s co m e w i th h e a te d a n d ve nti l a te d s e a t s.
Typical leg room
1110mm
Height 400-
630mm
Width 610-1120mm
Length 770-
1120mm
z Aperture for the 290-litre boot is a touch narrow at 610mm, so fitting bulkier
items in may prove challenging. Weekend bags won’t pose a problem.
958mm 2470mm 951mmKerb weight: 1495kg4379mm(^12)
(^92)
m
m
110
0 m
m^ m
ax
96
0 mmmax290 litres2030mm (with mirrors)
4100mm
Typical parking space width (2400mm)
Ty
p
ic
a
l
g
a
ra
g
e(^) h
e
ig
h
t
2
0
3
0
m
m
240mm
100mm
Centre
WHEEL AND PEDAL
ALIGNMENT
Weights and measures