AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE | 7THE NEW MODEL DIARY JUNE–DECEMBER 2019
T
here’s a reason we’ve
put these cars together.
They are, in fact, the
same car.
A joint venture between BMW
and Toyota, the Supra/Z4 twins
share the same rear-wheel-drive
platform, wheelbase and chassis
componentry such as suspension
and steering. They also share
a (mostly) BMW 3.0-litre
turbocharged straight six engine,
with an eight-speed automatic
transmission. Let’s look at the
differences. First, the BMW.
It’s just hit the market,
priced from $84,900 for the
145kW/320Nm 2.0-litre four-
cylinder turbopetrol 20i.
The four is exclusive to the
BMW side of the partnership for
now. The 30i, with the 2.0-litre
four chipped for 190kW of
power and 400Nm of torque,
is $104,900. Top-of-the-range
M40i, with the 250kW/500Nm
3.0-litre single turbo straight
six, is $124,900.
Zero to 100km/h times for
each of these three drivetrains
are, respectively, 6.6, 5.4 and
4.5 seconds, so the M40i is
seriously quick.
BMW’s young Australian
designer, Calvin Luk, is
responsible for the Z4’s expressive,
yet classic BMW roadster
sheetmetal, including that l-o-n-g
bonnet. It’s a two-seater soft-top,
power operated, with the operation
taking just 10 seconds. It can be
raised or lowered on the move, at
speeds up to 50km/h.
It folds neatly into a space
above the boot, which has a
pretty useful — in the roadster
context — 281 litres of space.
Inside you get leather-
upholstered M sports seats,
with Alcantara and textured
aluminium-look trim. BMW’s
digital dash — a 12.3-inch
customisable instrument
display, plus a 10.25-inch
infotainment screen — includes
the latest iteration of iDrive with
voice control, touchscreen and a
head-up display.
BMW claims its usual 50:
weight distribution for the Z4.
Up front is double joint strut
suspension; at the rear is a fi ve-
link axle, with a limited-slip M
Sport differential on the M40i.
Variable assistance and
variable ratio electric steering is
also fi tted.
Australian models get BMW’s
M Sport suspension, with a
10mm lower ride height. Adaptive
M suspension is standard on 30i
and M40i, which also get M Sport
brakes with blue calipers.
Z4 20i rolls on 18-inch alloys
with 255/40 tyres; 30i and M40i
have 19-inch wheels with 255/
(front) and 275/35 (rear) rubber.
OK, now the Toyota. Obvious
differences? It’s a coupe, with
design elements that evoke its
famous 2000GT ancestor.
The ultra-aggressive, futuristic
front end is an acquired taste, but
it does refl ect the fact that the
Toyota is designed to be a hard-
edged sports car.
Toyota’s Gazoo racing division
did the development work,
including extensive calibration
and testing at the famed
Nurburgring track in Germany.
Supra’s 3.0-litre six produces
the same 250kW/500Nm as the
BMW variant, and like its German
twin has launch control, but
slight tuning variations allow theToyota to reach 100km/h in 4.
seconds — 0.2 seconds quicker
than the BMW.
A version of the M Sport
differential is also fi tted to the
Toyota, with the ability to transition
from open to 100 per cent locked
in an instant, either under
acceleration or deceleration.
The Toyota also has a Track
mode, which dials the traction
and stability control back to
minimal intervention.
The coupe’s stiffer body also
allows for fi rmer suspension
with more rigid mounts, again in
keeping with the Supra’s narrowerperformance focus. Track days
are an obvious place to use this
car as its engineers intended.
Supra’s cabin has a lot of
BMW design in it, particularly
the dash. The driver sits in
a snug cockpit and a heavily
bolstered bespoke seat.
Supra, which is built in Austria
on the same production line as
the Z4, launches here at the
end of 2019, with just 300 cars
available in the initial 12 months.
Pricing was still to be announced
as we went to press, but expect
similar money to the Z4 M40i. Get
in quick if you want one.