Toyota Supra 2.0 confirmed
Entry-level low-fat 145kW Supra is go – but it's no slam-dunk for AustraliaToyota has confirmed it will release a pair of neutered four-cylinder Toyota Supra sports cars. They will be propelled by 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engines supplied by BMW.
Like the beefy 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder hero model, the new four-pot A90 Toyota Supra will be a global model, but is far from certain to land in Aussie showrooms.
The most affordable entry-level Toyota Supra will bang out just 145kW, which is less mumbo than the 150kW Kia Cerato GT warm hatch.
However with 320Nm Toyota reckons the low-fat two-seat Supra is good for a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 6.5 seconds, which isn't slow.
Step up to the high-output 2.0-litre four-pot Toyota Supra and you're looking at a healthier 190kW/400Nm, which translates to a 5.2 second 0-100km/h sprint, claims Toyota. The latter engine tune is the same as the BMW Z4 30i convertible, its twin car, both of which are built exclusively at the Magna Steyr factory in Austria.
2020 Toyota Supra review
The four-cylinder turbo Toyota Supra models will be packing the same eight-speed ZF automatic transmission as the big six-cylinder car, which musters a more muscular 250kW/500Nm. All models will feature the same 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution.
When the new Toyota Supra touches down in Australia from October 2019, it'll be offered as a high-spec model with almost all the trimmings as standard but the first year's allocation is expected to be sold before it even touches Aussie terra firma.
Although this would presumably open the door for a cut-price four-cylinder Toyota Supra, it is not a slam-dunk for Australia, even with demand outpacing supply.
"We're only launching with six-cylinder Supra," Toyota Australia's senior product PR and project lead, Orlando Rodriguez, told carsales.com.au.
"Supra has traditionally been a six-cylinder sports car, that's what enthusiasts want, especially with the low volumes coming here," he said.
When the new fifth-generation 2020 Toyota Supra does arrive in Australia, it'll packed to the hilt with go-fast goodies, including variable suspension, the active rear differential (BMW M diff) and launch control. Things like bigger brakes, 19-inch alloy wheels and a premium interior are also expected to be part of the Aussie spec-list. In some markets these will be optional.
"We're targeting the top end," added Rodriguez.
In the USA the Supra price begins at $US50,000 for the base model 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo model, which converts to around $70,000 in Oz.
However Aussie pricing for the six-pot Supra could go much higher than that, close to $100,000 when fully loaded with all the BMW-sourced luxury and tech extras.
In theory this could make a four-cylinder Supra far more palatable to greater number of buyers.
"In future if there is a demand for it, we'd look into," said Rodriguez of the 145kW and 190kW 2.0-litre Supra models.
What do you think – should Toyota follow the Ford Mustang success story and offer a four-cylinder model as showroom backup? Have your say in the comments below.
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