QotW: How excited are you about the new Supra?

Few model names evoke as much zeal as “Supra.” Last week, Toyota finally made it clear that it will revive the name for a new sports car that it unveiled in racing guise at the Geneva Motor Show. It even wore number 90 on the doors, a nod to the A90 chassis code that would succeed the fourth-generation JZA80. That car, its predecessor, achieved mythical status among enthusiasts, one that is almost impossible to live up to.

How excited are you about the new Supra?

The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What was your favorite JNC commercial as a kid?” 

There were so many good comments this week it was hard to arrive at a winner. Many classics were put forth, like Chris Tonn‘s suggestion of Black Gold and Keith Measures‘ nomination of the synchronized stunt driving of the Isuzu Gemini. We also enjoyed commercials from other countries we never saw in the States, like banpei‘s recommendation of a scandalous Dutch Mazda Xedos 6 ad, or Jason Ward‘s pick for an Australian Mitsubishi Galant spot with a Beach Boys rewrite.

In the end, we enjoyed xs10shl‘s comment the most, and the commercial was a hoot as well:

Aside from jumping out of my seat and cheering after seeing the Barbie and Ken Z commercial for the first time during the Super Bowl, I’m impartial to Joe Isuzu on the Autobahn. I’m a sucker for advertising which starts with misdirection, and ends with a big reveal.

Omedetou! Your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop.

JNC Decal smash

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19 Responses to QotW: How excited are you about the new Supra?

  1. cesariojpn says:

    All I know is, used examples won’t depreciate like a rock, then see a resurgence in 20 years to a generation finding out the platform is good for, I dunno, Sand Blowing or Hydroplaning on Toxic Waste Lagoons.

  2. RX626 says:

    JZA80 still lives in my heart. A90 Supra (the developer seems to have attached the model code of “90” to the new Supra) is not yet Supra for me.
    But that is “now” feel.
    I also had the same feelings for GT-R and NSX. Of course 86 as well.
    But now I love those models just like the original.

    GT-R and 86 inspired Japanese tuners.
    Surely the new Supra will be like that.
    Top Secret, Abflug, JUN, Blitz … I hope to Japanese tuners make exciting Supra again.

  3. Tim says:

    Meh. No stick shift (until the aftermarket plops the M240i’s transmission in there), high beltline, no real power increase over the 25-year-old model… It just doesn’t really do it for me. I’m also more partial to the Z4’s looks. The whole “prison teardrop tattoo” vent thing is weird. Still, it’s an inline-six in a RWD configuration. As long as the electronics are simple and the weight is low, I might check one out in a couple years.

  4. Ant says:

    More excited after seeing the racing concept in Geneva and speaking to Tada about the car. I get the impression Toyota knows what it’s doing. Any return of a revered Japanese performance car in a suitably appropriate form is worth looking forward to.

    • Ben Hsu says:

      What about the fact that it’s likely a BMW engine?

      • Ant says:

        Tada seemed to suggest that Toyota is changing so much that it wouldn’t feel anything like the Z4’s engine even if it shares the basic mechanicals. Assuming it’s definitely an inline-six rather than a heavily turbocharged four, it should at least make the right sound!

  5. エーイダン says:

    I’ll be excited when the electronic bits that interfere with raw performance are rightfully tossed out and it goes back to Basics. The Supras of the 1970s and 1980s need to have their state of electronic desert be revisited, the purity of driving has been replaced by soft, challenge-defeating microchips. The purity of driving is dead, so is the real challenge, learning to control the raw power and handling of your car without funky gizmos that water things down like schools lowering passing grades.

    • Ant says:

      Can’t agree with that. I love driving older cars, but the purity of driving is far from dead. Cars like the current GT86 are evidence of this – there may be additional safety nets ready to catch you (which can generally be switched off anyway) but the best cars still offer feedback and response to match the best of days gone by.

      The only big changes are in the quantity of performance on offer – generally more from absolutely everything – and the limits of a modern car’s chassis, which are usually a great deal higher. The problem isn’t so much lack of purity, but the speeds you have to now achieve to access that purity…

  6. SupraFiend says:

    Well, as a hardcore supra freak, who’s owned 20 Supras over the last 20 years, and owns 5 currently, I have a lot of conflicting emotions about this one.

    Most of all, I am super annoyed that Toyota found the budget to fund the LFA, but can’t find the budget to build a new Supra themselves. It seems to me that just like the old days, if they made the right choices they could still share a platform with a Lexus model (as they did with Cressidas and Soarers in the old days). I understand why they did what they did with the FRS/BRZ, there was no model in the lineup even remotely close to base it off and they needed something to bring to market super quick. But quick does not begin to describe this joint Supra project. Apparently they burned 2 years just getting used to working with BMW.

    That said, I am happy that the new Supra will be powered by an inline 6, and obviously BMW still knows how to make fun RWD cars. But, if you’ve owned a Supra, then you know that a big part of the appeal of the car comes from its dependability and bullet proof nature. These are not things BMW is known for. I can get behind the car being smaller and a 2 seater, as that’s very inline(ha!) with the Supra’s grand daddy, the 2000GT. But, I feel this car does not deserve the A90 chassis code. Its going to be a BMW Z4 M Coupe styled by Toyota, a Supra in name only.

    That said, if they get the price point and performance right, the name and obvious excellent style of the new car may make it a smash hit anyways, and the aftermarket will likely fix a lot of the inevitable BMW issues. My hope is they pull their heads out of the asses and realize that no one is happy about this car being automatic only, they put a bullet proof 6 spd into this thing, and price it reasonably. In a few years the aftermarket will have the reliability fixes for any drivetrain\susp problems sorted, and no doubt there will be off the shelf 2jz swap kits for those unhappy with the BMW motor. The new B58 motor seems decent, but you’re dreaming if you think it will have the power potential and dependability of a JZ motor. But the last gen of Supras are becoming more unattainable every year, and manual transmission supply for JZs is drying up too, so if this car provides a new chassis with a good drivetrain, it may be really good for us all in the long run.

    Overall, it has been very exciting to be living through a new Supra generation come to market, something I just missed with the last one.

  7. KiKiIchiBan says:

    Although it’s a Z4 in a Toyota suit, I love it.

  8. dbdr says:

    Not very excited at all. I’m sure there are many people who like it but just like the previous one, it’s not really my type of sports car. I prefer having less power and electronics while having more lightness, handling and connection. Big, heavy automatic grand tourers like the Supra and the GT-R just aren’t my thing.

    I’m sure it’ll have lots of fans, though. I also want to see what Japanese tuning companies will do with it. I guess it has its place in the world.

    • SupraFiend says:

      Its based on a small 2 seater roadster platform. It has a shorter wheelbase then the BRZ\FRS\GT86 (due to not having rear seats). If the quoted weight values are correct, it will be around 300lbs lighter then the previous supra. The biggest complaint many have about the car right now, is (again if the leaked numbers are correct) that it doesn’t have enough power (its expected that it will at least get the current 3 series b58 motor with 335hp).

      The auto only thing is stupid, but it has been said by the chief engineer that if enough people make their voices heard on that one, that could still change before it comes out. There is a petition going around on supramkv.com to address that, sign it if you care…

      https://www.change.org/p/toyota-motor-company-add-a-manual-transmission-for-the-new-toyota-supra?recruiter=627766448&utm_source=share_for_starters&utm_medium=copyLink

      • dbdr says:

        That does make it sound a bit better. It still wouldn’t be my choice if I were to buy a new sports car but I hope it turns out to be better than I thought. I signed the petition, too.

  9. Mark Newton-John says:

    Wondering what Toyota will call the engine. (designation, e.g. M, T, A, JZ…)

  10. Mark Newton-John says:

    You know, some prople are starting tosound like those old white guys that are stuck in the 60s with their muscle cars. Manufacturers got rid of carburetors years ago, yet they think it’s still the best way to provide fuel to the engine. Modern auto transmissions in a lot of cases outperform manual equipped cars. The 90’s is so… 20th century.

    • Nathan says:

      True, but a lot of old guys like carburetors because it’s what they know and they like the sound. I’d argue that the manual is different, though, as there’s a more rational reason for wanting one. It’s more involving to drive. The best car isn’t necessarily the fastest, but the funnest, and a stick goes a long way in that metric. Furthermore, when modern electronically-controlled transmissions can have more go wrong with them and the wear and tear maintenance is far costlier.

  11. Nathan says:

    I can’t answer this question with words, as that just won’t do. How can I upload a video of my happy dance as an answer?

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