Toyota Supra: More Power Than Advertised?

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

Not everyone was enthusiastic about Toyota’s decision to co-develop its Supra with BMW. As an icon of the brand, some complained that Bavarian involvement sullied what should have a been a purely Japanese automobile. We wouldn’t go that far (though certain telltale signs of BMW’s hand come off as slightly off-putting). Still, an interior that borrows heavily from the Z4 is hardly a major issue, especially since everyone knew they’d be platform partners going into this.

As well, partnerships can bring advantages. In addition to actually resulting in the car being built, Toyota’s relationship with the Germans means an engine that miraculously makes more power the second you place it on a dynamometer.

Following some on-the-pavement testing of the Toyota Supra, Car and Driver noted that the coupe’s BMW-sourced twin-scroll turbo 3.0-liter inline-six was outperforming vehicles that should have been a little out of its league. Are the A90 Supra’s power specs understated?

Possibly. This is a powerplant from BMW, after all.

Scheduling some time with an all-wheel-drive dyno, the outlet suggests the Supra’s stated 335 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of torque are a misnomer. The real numbers should be closer to 339 horsepower and 427 lb-ft of torque at the wheels.

From Car and Driver:

For our test, we headed to Livernois Motorsports and Engineering in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. We strapped the Supra to the Dynojet all-wheel-drive dynamometer, as the car’s stability systems only play nice when all four wheels are spinning. For this observation, we ran the test in the eight-speed automatic transmission’s fifth-gear ratio of 1.32:1 to achieve a full sweep of the tachometer. We experimented with the 1.00:1 ratio of sixth gear but were unable to reach the engine’s redline. The power output in sixth gear, however, matched our results of those in the higher gear.

All dyno-derived figures, of course, come with a complimentary grain of salt. C&D‘s findings aren’t likely to appease those who bemoan the fact that Toyota’s pride and joy utilizes a German motor, though it could help silence complaints that the new car barely makes more power than a 2JZ-equipped Mk4. We’d recommend a side-by-side showdown to settle things once and for all.

Sadly, there probably aren’t enough unmodified examples of the A80 left to make that a reality.

[Images: Toyota]

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • APaGttH APaGttH on May 22, 2019

    Meh, this is nothing new. The Gen I Ford Probe advertised "crank" HP and torque were wheel HP and torque.

  • Voyager Voyager on May 23, 2019

    Also uglier than people had expected after having seen the concept 4-5 years ago.

  • Joe This is called a man in the middle attack and has been around for years. You can fall for this in a Starbucks as easily as when you’re charging your car. Nothing new here…
  • AZFelix Hilux technical, preferably with a swivel mount.
  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
  • ToolGuy North America is already the greatest country on the planet, and I have learned to be careful about what I wish for in terms of making changes. I mean, if Greenland wants to buy JDM vehicles, isn't that for the Danes to decide?
  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
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