Supra Star
Toyota has reinvented a cult classic, so James Fossdyke went to find out whether the newbie is worthy of the name
As many movie producers will tell you, creating modern versions of classic films is laden with risk. Sure, you might get away with the odd sequel here or perhaps an ‘editor’s cut’ with some deleted scenes for the die-hard fans, but completely redesigning a cult film is tough. Just ask the team behind the 2003 remake of The Italian Job.
Yet car manufacturers seem capable of pulling it off. When Fiat reincarnated the 500 as a cheerful retro runabout, everyone loved it, and the same was true when BMW breathed life back into the Mini. Sure, there were a few naysayers, and neither car quite has the charm of the original, but the sales figures prove their appeal.
Now it’s Toyota’s turn to bring a car back from the dead, and the Japanese company will probably have high hopes for this one. It’s called the GR Supra, and it’s the long-awaited replacement for the Supra that disappeared from British roads more than two decades ago.
Like that car, the newcomer is a two-seat sports coupe with a powerful 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, and it’s designed to play those all-conquering German sports cars at their own game. To make sure it’s a hit, Toyota has even enlisted the help of the Germans themselves.
Yup, the GR Supra – prefixed GR in reference to Toyota’s Gazoo Racing motorsport team – is the product of a tie-up with BMW, and it shares an engine, gearbox and some suspension components with the German company’s Z4 roadster. They’re even built in the same factory.
Some of the old-school Supra fans – of whom there are many – aren’t especially happy about this, filling internet forums with talk of sullied bloodlines. I don’t really understand why. If you asked me to choose the two companies that would collaborate to build my next car, BMW and Toyota would be somewhere very close to the top of my list. And without wishing to sound too smug, the new Supra pretty much proves my point.
Even the design, which is not always the strong suit of German or Japanese car makers, is fabulous. It’s somehow rounded and angular all at once, with these expressive curves and edges that mingle to form some Gehry-esque sculpture. And the proportions are spot on. The long nose and short roof give it the perfect sports car silhouette, while the more intricate details finish the piece like a Bvlgari necklace complements a little black dress.
And when you wriggle into the driving seat, you’re ensconced in a cockpit that oozes quality. It’s as solid and as well built as a Samurai on steroids. The double-bubble roof feels low, like that of a racing car, but there’s plenty of headroom – even if, like me, you were blessed with the tall gene. You could even call it practical, at a pinch. Yes, you’ve only got seating for two, but the boot’s about the same size as you’ll get in a Ford Fiesta, so it’ll quite happily take a couple of holdalls or even a decent-sized suitcase. A set of golf clubs will just about fit in, too.
And unlike some hard-charging sports cars, it has all the goodies you want. Heated seats, satellite navigation and automatic windscreen wipers are all part and parcel of the asking price – at least on the top-end Pro version I drove. You get wireless phone charging, too and automatic LED headlights.
But the best thing fitted to this car is unquestionably the engine. It’s a 3.0-litre straight-six, fitted with a pair of turbochargers for good measure. It produces 335bhp, but the way it delivers that power is way more impressive than the numbers suggest. It’s magnificently creamy and quiet when you want it to be, but it can still do the angry, muscular bits.
And it doesn’t half do them well. Mash your foot tight against the floor when you set off from the traffic lights, and you’ll find yourself doing 62mph in just over four seconds. Keep it there, and you’ll keep going right the way to 155mph, where the electronic speed limiter will tell you to stop being an idiot. Assuming the police don’t tell you first, that is.
To single out that glorious engine for praise, however, is probably to do a disservice to the rest of the car. In a world where so many cars try to isolate you from the mechanics of driving, the Supra does everything it can to connect your hands straight to the wheels. There’s this incredibly satisfying feel for everything that’s going on, yet there’s no vibration or discomfort. And that directness, combined with the weight distribution, makes the car feel beautifully responsive and balanced. It’s like driving a petrol-powered ballet dancer.
Then there’s the ride. So many sports cars forego comfort in search of better handling, despite the fact even the most hardcore models spend most of their time in town or on the motorway. The Supra, though, does things differently. It’s no magic carpet, but it’s more than comfortable enough to stop speed bumps becoming a chore, and it can still dart from corner to corner like a proper sports coupe should.
This, then, is the sports car I was hoping Toyota would produce. It’s a laugh-a-minute driver’s car that’s civilised enough for commuting and motorways and other things that get in the way of proper driving. This thing’s biggest rivals include the Porsche 718 Cayman – a car I like very much – but if I was going to spend my own money on a sports coupe to drive every day, I’d have this. It’s superb.
Toyota GR Supra Pro
Price From: £54,000
Price as Tested: £54,710
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged straight six
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
0-62mph: 4.3 secs
Power: 335bhp
Top speed: 155mph
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