Ace of Base: 2020 Toyota Supra

This one is sure to set tongues wagging and keyboards clacking. The return of the mighty Supra nameplate is — depending to whom you speak — either an abomination the likes of which the motoring world has never seen, or a wonderful harbinger of all things fun and sporty.

For the record, your author is in the latter camp. Don’t @ me.

Three trims of the are new Supra available at launch: Base 3.0, Premium 3.0, and a Launch Edition. Is the entry-level model worth a mention? Or should one proceed directly to one of the more expensive options?

The initial 1500 production Supras for the U.S. market will be Launch Edition models, prices at $55,250 and uniquely numbered with a carbon-fiber badge bearing the likeness of Akio Toyoda’s signature. Snazzy. But beyond any initial exclusivity, there is a better value to be had.

Base 3.0 models are priced at $49,990. I can think of a good many go-fast parts from a burgeoning aftermarket for this car that could be bought with the $5,260 price difference. All Supra coupes are powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine that produces 335 hp and 365 lb-ft of torque and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Paying extra to the dealers nets you naught in terms of extra power. Entry-level models are also endowed with adaptive suspension, an active rear differential, and launch control.

Sticking with the base car essentially means forgoing a set of leather seats and snazzier infotainment. If you can live without wireless Apple CarPlay, you’ll be just fine. A 12-speaker JBL audio system only serves to add weight anyway, right? Right.

And, yes, I’m well aware base Supra coupes will have different rims than the car in the snappy media image shown in today’s post. Unkind remarks about the Supra’s design, especially around its mouth, should be checked until one sees the thing with their own two eyes. In person, its lines and proportions work together wonderfully.

A raft of safety kit appears on the cheapest Supra. Standard features include the likes of forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure nannies, and automatic high beams. An $1,195 Driver Assist package adds adaptive cruise and the like. Leave it on the table.

Like it or lump it, the new Supra is here. All the Luddites decrying it as a tarted-up BMW are severely missing the point and should be forced to daily commute a Trabant for the next six months. As a statement of intent, the new Supra is a dandy. Combined with the 86, I think we are currently enjoying the best Toyota showroom in ages.

Feel free to yell at me in the comments. But you’ll still be wrong.

[Images: Toyota]

Not every base model has aced it. The ones which have? They help make our automotive landscape a lot better. Any others you’d like to see in our series? Let us know in the comments. Naturally, feel free to eviscerate our selections.

The model above is shown with American options and is priced in Freedom Dollars. As always, your dealer will probably sell for less.