After over two decades, J.D.M. car enthusiasts were beginning to think that Toyota would never make another Supra. After all, something as groundbreaking as the classic Mark IV Supra is rare, indeed. Thankfully, though, these fans would soon be proven wrong when Toyota announced their newest sports car: the 2020 Toyota Supra.
For a small sports car, the new Supra has been quite divisive. Some enthusiasts love the modern look and small profile, while others believe it to be more of a BMW Z4 than a Supra. Whatever your opinion is on the matter, odds are there are still some things about the MKV you didn't know. To, hopefully, endear more people to the Supra and provide some interesting facts, here are ten hidden details on Toyota's 2020 Supra.
10 10. Relatively Affordable
Nowadays, it seems like whenever a car manufacturer releases a sports car, they can never manage to make it affordable to a large number of consumers (Take the upcoming Tesla Roadster as evidence). The Supra, though, seems to break this trend.
Off the lot, a new Mark V Supra will cost you anywhere from $45,000 to $60,000. Of course, dealers like to mark-up their prices, but most won't be too far out of this range. Obviously, not everyone can afford this, however, it's much more reasonable than a Ferrari, Lamborghini, or Porsche.
9 9. Huge Engine Bay
Perhaps the most noticeable characteristic of the 2020 Supra is its large front-end. Although the rest of the car is relatively small, the hood and front segment are very large. Enough to support the Supra's TRD Engine.
With this large hood comes an even bigger engine bay. The stock engine inside is not small, by any means, and can easily support mods if the driver wanted (More on that later). Regardless as to whether you'll leave it stock or mod it, a big engine bay will be waiting for you in the meantime.
8 8. Queues From The Past
Clearly, Toyota is not a fledgling carmaker. They've been in the business for decades and know a thing or two about making reliable, fun, safe, and good looking vehicles. With this knowledge and experience, Toyota made sure to include some hints to the past in the Supra's newest iteration.
Even though the new Supra doesn't look identical to the classics (Mark 3 & 4), they still used them in the design process. For example, both the profile and engine have the same figures as the classics (With the exception of twin-turbos). Along with that, Toyota also kept some pieces of the Supra's concept: The FT-1.
7 7. Made For The Track
Once Toyota had announced the existence and future production of the Toyota Supra, their team at Toyota Racing Development had already been working tirelessly to put the Supra on track and on the road.
Interestingly enough, the first Supra's the public saw weren't road-going versions, but race cars. First, Toyota showcased their NASCAR Supra, followed shortly by TRD's racing versions. Needless to say, with all this hard work and interest in motor sports, the Toyota is definitely made for the track too.
6 6. It's Very Lightweight
As technology improves, more and more people continue to transport these comforts into vehicles as well. As a result, most vehicles today are bogged down by the extra weight of radio systems, computers on board, extra gadgets, and so on. The 2020 Supra, though, still remains a lightweight sports car, despite all that.
To achieve this, Toyota didn't strip the Supra to its bare-bones or make it a race-specific vehicle. Instead, they got help from outside, properly planned the Supra's layout, and used their Toyota-genius to make a comfortable, modern, vehicle that can be thrown around easily.
5 5. BMW Inspiration
As mentioned in the outset of this article, some enthusiasts of the classic Supra see the new one as an abomination. The reasoning behind this thought process is a simple one to understand: it's more of a BMW than a Supra. It's easy to see how thousands have come to this conclusion, especially when you realize that BMW helped make the Supra.
Yes, it's true; the 2020 Supra was made in conjunction with designers and engineers at BMW. Once you know this, you'll find pieces of the Supra that look like they've been ripped straight out of BMW's lineup. To really see an illustration of this, observe the dials/dashboard of the Supra and a new BMW 328i to see the similarities.
4 4. It Has A Power Limiter
There are several positives and several negatives that go along with buying a brand new car. One of the best perks, though, is a multiple-year long warranty. This great for owners until you realize something: The Supra has a power limiter.
Now, under normal circumstances this wouldn't be a big deal; just remove it. Regrettably, doing such would void the Supra's brand new warranty. If you get one and want to go fast, you're going to have to say goodbye to that factory guarantee. Think of it like 'jailbreaking' an iPhone: Sure you get more stuff, but you can't take it back to Apple...
3 3. Room For Mods
Like stated beforehand when discussing the Supra's large engine bay, this trait helps the 2020 Supra to become an easy car to modify. Not just for the immense space in the engine, but the exterior as well.
Before the Supra was even out for the general public, a Formula Drift driver took the thing, swapped in a 2JZ-GTE (MK4 Supra engine), and added a wide body kit. If that wasn't evidence enough, there are countless YouTube personalities around the world who've seen the MK5 Supra's modding potential.
2 2. It Has A Drift Button
Back in the day, 'drifting' used to be called 'power sliding,' and you needed to be very skilled to pull it off. As it's become more popular, though, more people have endeavored to learn about it. As a result, new cars like the Supra have a "Drift Button" as standard in their vehicle.
The drift button does exactly what you think it would: Help you drift. Now, you obviously can't just hit the button and then you start sliding. In reality, the button sets the car up for drifting; focusing more power to the rear-wheels, stiffening the springs, and more. Technology is a great thing, isn't it?!
1 1. Still A Six-Cylinder Turbo
Even though the 2020 Supra is an automatic, has sharper lines than ever, and a hint of BMW to it, some parts of the classic Supra still remain. Not just in reference to the design queues and looks, but to its engine too.
The new Supra, for all of its differences with the old, still has a forced induction three-liter inline six. The power outputs are also similar to the old ones too, with the notable deviation being the 2JZ-GTE's ability to withstand 1000+ horsepower. With that, the new Supra only has one turbo, not two like its predecessor. Either way, the 2020's engine is still like the 2JZ in a few ways (Just not all the ones that count).