There are also cheaper, four-cylinder Toyota Supras

By topgear, 16 January 2019

Had your fill of Toyota Supra news? No? Good. Because there’s more. While the 340bhp six-cylinder version steals all the headlines, there are more engines. Cheaper engines.

While UK and European availability hasn’t been confirmed, the Japanese market Supra gets more engine choices that – just like that turbo six – come directly from the Toyota’s BMW Z4 relative.

Namely, two 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrols, both turbocharged but with different outputs. The Supra SZ gets a 197bhp/320Nm version, yielding a 6.5sec 0-100kph time. Above that sits the Supra SZ-R, with 258bhp/400Nm and a 5.2sec 0-100kph time.

For reference, the 3.0-litre straight-six that’s currently the only option in the UK possesses 340bhp/500Nm and a 4.3sec 0-100kph time. Those Japanese spec sheets suggest the four-cylinder version will weigh up to 110kg less than the six, mind.

Given BMW’s selling the Z4 with all of those engines, it seems safe to bet the Supra will possess the same options in time. Which does bring the awkward realisation that Toyota will sell two 197bhp rear-drive coupes with different engines, the purist nat-asp GT86 and the posher turbo Supra. Presumably at quite different prices, given the cheapest Supra is currently twice as expensive as an ’86.

All Supra engines apparently use the same eight-speed automatic gearbox, in Japan at least. Which initially crushes hopes that cheaper Supras may be manual Supras. We can live in hope though, right?