Time for a test drive..

About to take this out. See how it goes

And......

First impressions, really liked the yellow. Looks much better in person. Car looked good.

I've sat in SRDs one so knew what to expect interior wise etc. All very BMW, nothing that resembles the mkiv supra at all. But I did like that carbon fibre touches although that only seemed to be on the gear surround and not anywhere else on the interior. Also I scrapped my head on the door pillar getting in and out and I'm only 5ft 8.

Front windscreen was very small as is the back window. Visibility is deffanatly lacking. It pored with rain for the first hour (2 hour test drive) and I could barely see where I was going.

The car itself was very smooth to drive, and if using everyday I could see it as a winner that way. But there is nothing special about it. Slight rumble from the exhaust and that was about it. As I said it was raining, I wasn't pushing hard (although did floor it a good few times) but the traction control was kicking in during the more mild accelerations.

The gear box was nice, perfect gear changes in auto and flappy modes but way to many gears! I found in manual mode I was having to shift down a lot to get that oomph when accelerating. In auto mode, pulling onto a roundabout from a standstill it had hit 4th gear before the first bit of turn.

I have to say after driving for an hour I found myself getting bored. Which I was a little disappointed about. I made sure I went i went for the drive I was treating it as a car, not a BMW. Then to make up my own mind based on drive alone.

I can see it being a hit with tuners . A bit more oomph and a bit more noise could make it more exciting. But for me, the mk4 is a way better car all round, even with its imperfections.

But everyone should deffanatly go drive one and make up there own mind before buying into the 'it's a BMW' mind frame

If a car drives like a BMW, has BMW parts, sounds like a BMW and most importantly, makes its driver feel like (s)he's driving a BMW, it must be a BMW, no matter the badge it sadly bears. I too drove one not too long ago and was not impressed. It may end up being more tunable than the MKIV Supra, but it sadly does not carry its spirit.

Just my 2 pence...

Will it be more tuneable ? we all know how good the mkiv's engine is and copes easily with over double its original hp

TL;DR - even if it ends up being more tunable, it's still not a real successor to the MKIV Supra.

Driven this and my dads m240i and they’re near enough identical. So I fully understand where the whole it’s a BMW thing came from because that’s literally all it is

Will it be more tuneable ? we all know how good the mkiv's engine is and copes easily with over double its original hp

Absolutely, someone’s already built a B58 engine from the new supra for 1000bhp, when you think the car has only been released for around 2-3 months I’d say that’s good going. SRD are already knocking on the doors of 600bhp as are many other tuning shops. BMW always under quote the power figures as we all know and they quoted 330-340bhp. They actually make between 360-380bhp.

Will it be more tuneable ? we all know how good the mkiv's engine is and copes easily with over double its original hp

Check out PapadakisRacing.

I find it interesting that the B58 engine has been around since 2015, but it hasn't been until Toyota released the Zupra that any real attempts at modding the engine have manifested.

I'm open to the fact I'm not in the BMW scene. Have BMW owners tuned thier B58 engines to any real measurable standard?

I find it interesting that the B58 engine has been around since 2015, but it hasn't been until Toyota released the Zupra that any real attempts at modding the engine have manifested.

 

I'm open to the fact I'm not in the BMW scene. Have BMW owners tuned thier B58 engines to any real measurable standard?

I know of a couple of B58’s engine running 700+bhp. One is in an M140 and the other is in a M240.

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I find it interesting that the B58 engine has been around since 2015, but it hasn't been until Toyota released the Zupra that any real attempts at modding the engine have manifested.

 

I'm open to the fact I'm not in the BMW scene. Have BMW owners tuned thier B58 engines to any real measurable standard?

I know of a couple of B58’s engine running 700+bhp. One is in an M140 and the other is in a M240.

Absolutely, someone’s already built a B58 engine from the new supra for 1000bhp, when you think the car has only been released for around 2-3 months I’d say that’s good going. SRD are already knocking on the doors of 600bhp as are many other tuning shops. BMW always under quote the power figures as we all know and they quoted 330-340bhp. They actually make between 360-380bhp.

I'd probably argue that the tech we have nowadays is far superior to the tech we had in the 90s, so it shouldn't come as a great surprise that their modification endeavours appear accelerated by comparison, nor should it detract from the tunability of the 2JZ, an engine developed in the late 70s-80s.

Check out PapadakisRacing.

 

I was on about where the stock internals can safely go to not a built engine

Anything can be rebuilt/reengineered to produce more power.

I was on about where the stock internals can safely go to not a built engine

Since Toyota helped BMW develop the B58 with their testing of various parts to destruction it seems to have gone from strength to strength. In it's most recent form (found in the G80) the power is up to 500 HP as standard. I believe a company (Bimmer Boost) has managed 700whp on stock internals but I haven't looked into that claim as I have no interest.

This was always one of my issues where the "co-development" only appeared to go one way. BMW have ended up with a much better, stronger engine than they had before which is due to Toyota but I still fail to see what Toyota got out of the deal other than a Bruce Jenner type car to slap a badge on.

I find it interesting that the B58 engine has been around since 2015, but it hasn't been until Toyota released the Zupra that any real attempts at modding the engine have manifested.

 

I'm open to the fact I'm not in the BMW scene. Have BMW owners tuned thier B58 engines to any real measurable standard?

I would say it's going to get crazy, most of the Jap fans/JDM crowd spend tenfold on mods in comparison to the BMW community. It's really going to give the BMW tuners a serious cash injection to enable them to offer more to the aftermarket scene.

I was in the Toyota garage yesterday looking at the MKV and when the salesman asked me what I currently drive and I told him the MKIV Supra. His exact words were “Ahhh you own a real Supra, trust me.... Don’t sell up and buy one of these, as you will regret it!!”.

Another salesman walked past and the one who had been talking to me shouted across to him “This gentleman owns a MKIV Supra”... the other replied “Really? Sir do not buy one of these, your’s is far more superior!!

They then pointed out all the BMW parts in and around the car, before commenting on how they hope I am not a mystery shopper. As they would both get sacked for not doing their job properly and for not trying to sell me the car

They both said in their opinions that it’s a great car, looks good, it is well built, goes well and good for tuners.... But they both didn’t think it deserved the ‘Supra’ name. I highly respected their honesty

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/attachment.php?attachmentid=233892&stc=1&d=1574609565

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/attachment.php?attachmentid=233893&stc=1&d=1574609565

To be fair, I prefer the Lexus LC to the Zupra. In my opinion, it ought to have been the foundation for the MKIV successor rather than the Z4!

I'd have the upcoming LCF, if it's ever released, over a Zupra, any day.

This was always one of my issues where the "co-development" only appeared to go one way. BMW have ended up with a much better, stronger engine than they had before which is due to Toyota but I still fail to see what Toyota got out of the deal other than a Bruce Jenner type car to slap a badge on.

Maybe BMW will next co-develop a car with Honda and improve on their 4 cylinder engines?

Sadly though, Honda appear to have a bit more pride than Toyota so that's probably not going to happen. I imagine however, Toyota will probably partner with BMW once again to ruin the MR2 and Celica, in due course.