RE: TRD goes to town on new Supra

[ZX10R NIN]

That HKS example looks so much better, the stance is on point.

[glazbagun]

Didn't they do the same thing for the GT-86? No power hike but different suspension and a bodykit?

For some reason, I thought TRD would be handing out goodies like bolt-on superchargers and remaps.

[redroadster]

Needs old style supra pram handle rear spoiler .

[herebebeasties]

If you're going to bother, you may as well bother:

[vsonix]

I actually really am warming to the BMSupra in general. But then I'm not a JDM purist, and like BMW cars anyway.
Saying that I don't like the effect all that black plastic and carbon combined with yellow has on my eyes, nor does the size and style of the wheels do it for me. However this is a car that is designed to be tuned and modded from the get-go. The way Toyota has gone about realising this car in a very tuner-friendly way is very different from the way BMW present it IMO. Much more important difference than there was between the Toyota and Subaru flavours of BRZ/86...

[rare6499]

Colonel D said:

I don't think there's much they can do with the styling to make it look better or more distinguished from a Z4. The Supra just looks like an ugly kit on a Z4, now with added carbon bits.

I don’t get this? It doesn’t look anything like a Z4 externally - I couldn’t get much more different while sharing the same chassis

[cib24]

herebebeasties said:

If you're going to bother, you may as well bother:

Damn. Wheels are not practical but that generally looks very good.

[glazbagun]

One thing this may have in common with the MKIV is that finding one in 20 years without a bodykit may be difficult.

[mrclav]

ChocolateFrog said:

mrclav said:

poo at Paul's said:

fake air ducts?

Does look a bit crap

If you watch Doug Demuro's review on youtube, he mentions that, interestingly, he was told by Toyota that the engineers have made those ducts so that when the tuners get their hands on them, they can be made 'real', ie all the plastic bits can be removed so that airflow can be improved, the brakes can be cooled better etc.

Essentially, the car is designed to be sold then modified - they've even left out things like strut bracing in the engine bay but you can see the holes where bracing can be attached. One must remember that the Supra is possibly one of the most modified Japanese exports (besides the GTR) so I guess Toyota is supplying a 'blank slate' to let people go crazy on.

Also interesting in that video is the mention that the engine was taken into Toyota and checked against their own standards of performance and they approved it; this isn't a small deal as I'm aware that their testing regime is one of the reasons their cars are known to be so reliable so in a way it's a testament to BMW's engine boffins original design that Toyota didn't feel they needed to mess with it too much...

That sounds like total marketing BS.

Why would it sound like marketing BS? Toyota haven't publically spoken about these things so it's not 'marketing' and obviously they know the previous Supra was modified a lot - try finding an absolutely un-molested one, there aren't that many about. The things I've mentioned (strut bracing, the ability to remove the duct ' fake plugs' etc) are clearly there for all to see, why would they put those things in if it was BS?

[C.MW]

I hope they will also provide instruction on how to make all those vents functional upon purchasing these items. It will look and feel much more purposeful that way. I wouldn't mind any number of vents at all as long as they can be made functional.

[vsonix]

mrclav said:

ChocolateFrog said:

mrclav said:

poo at Paul's said:

fake air ducts?

Does look a bit crap

If you watch Doug Demuro's review on youtube, he mentions that, interestingly, he was told by Toyota that the engineers have made those ducts so that when the tuners get their hands on them, they can be made 'real', ie all the plastic bits can be removed so that airflow can be improved, the brakes can be cooled better etc.

Essentially, the car is designed to be sold then modified - they've even left out things like strut bracing in the engine bay but you can see the holes where bracing can be attached. One must remember that the Supra is possibly one of the most modified Japanese exports (besides the GTR) so I guess Toyota is supplying a 'blank slate' to let people go crazy on.

Also interesting in that video is the mention that the engine was taken into Toyota and checked against their own standards of performance and they approved it; this isn't a small deal as I'm aware that their testing regime is one of the reasons their cars are known to be so reliable so in a way it's a testament to BMW's engine boffins original design that Toyota didn't feel they needed to mess with it too much...

That sounds like total marketing BS.

Why would it sound like marketing BS? Toyota haven't publically spoken about these things so it's not 'marketing' and obviously they know the previous Supra was modified a lot - try finding an absolutely un-molested one, there aren't that many about. The things I've mentioned (strut bracing, the ability to remove the duct ' fake plugs' etc) are clearly there for all to see, why would they put those things in if it was BS?

It's not BS...

This video includes footage of Toyota designer saying exactly this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmzNNckDm4s

[Aidancky]

vsonix said:

It's not BS...

This video includes footage of Toyota designer saying exactly this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmzNNckDm4s

It really is bullst though. Do some research. None of the ducts go anywhere. They are sheet metal behind.
It made me laugh in the press interviews, the Toyota designer saying that they added 2 hood latches to the car, just like the MK4 Supra. Actually it's because the BMW Z4 also has 2 hood latches.

They also made a big deal out of the engine bay. "Look, we left mounting points and modified the airbox so that aftermarket can make braces to fit here!" - Erm, no. Look at the engine bay of a Z4. IT HAS THE MISSING BRACES AND SAME AIRBOX!

I'm a huge Toyota fan but they've really dropped the ball on this one. Every statement they make about it ends up being marketing BS that is often just literally lies. It's a detuned Z4 with a hardtop, Toyotas efforts are styling as far as I can tell. Which is super disappointing.

At least the LFA and other recent Lexus efforts are a bit more interesting!

[Chestrockwell]

vsonix said:

It's not BS...

This video includes footage of Toyota designer saying exactly this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmzNNckDm4s

Thanks for the link, that’s made me appreciate the car so much more now, it also looks a lot better than the press shots, it actually looks perfect if I’m honest!

[Felix79]

mikey P 500 said:

I though Toyota replaced TRD with gazoo racing or similar, are they going back to the TRD name after all now?

There has always been two race teams with Toyota, TRD and GR. I think this goes all the way back to the Group C days. I think the best way to think of it is like M/// and Alpina or AMG and Brabus.

While I admit I am a bit of an BMW fanboy after owning a number of E30's in my 20's and recently got myself a Z4MR after a JDM phase. I think the Supra and the engine look ok, it's just that it's an auto and looks wrong with all the BMW stuff inside. The Mk4 Supra has a great driver focus cabin that has aged well. I think with something like this, less is more.

[dvs_dave]

So it’s is essentially all show, but no go. Next!

[herebebeasties]

Aidancky said:

[...] the Toyota designer saying that they added 2 hood latches to the car, just like the MK4 Supra. Actually it's because the BMW Z4 also has 2 hood latches.

They also made a big deal out of the engine bay. "Look, we left mounting points and modified the airbox so that aftermarket can make braces to fit here!" - Erm, no. Look at the engine bay of a Z4. IT HAS THE MISSING BRACES AND SAME AIRBOX!

Has it occurred to you that Toyota likely had some involvement in the design of many of the shared components? And that the reason the Z4 has mounting points for a strut brace and the same airbox positioning is due to the Supra and not the other way around?

I can't imagine the BMW engineers putting this stuff in by accident. It's not like ease of mounting strut braces is high on a traditional Z4 buyer's list of requirements...

Perhaps give them the benefit of the doubt a little more rather than just deciding it's total crap without even driving the thing?

[Bibbs]

mrclav said:

If you watch Doug Demuro's review on youtube, he mentions that, interestingly, he was told by Toyota that the engineers have made those ducts so that when the tuners get their hands on them, they can be made 'real', ie all the plastic bits can be removed so that airflow can be improved, the brakes can be cooled better etc.

And there are other videos that show there is solid metal work behind them, so sure you can pop them out, but it'll need major bodywork changes to get them working.

[Colonel D]

herebebeasties said:

Has it occurred to you that Toyota likely had some involvement in the design of many of the shared components? And that the reason the Z4 has mounting points for a strut brace and the same airbox positioning is due to the Supra and not the other way around?

I can't imagine the BMW engineers putting this stuff in by accident. It's not like ease of mounting strut braces is high on a traditional Z4 buyer's list of requirements...

Perhaps give them the benefit of the doubt a little more rather than just deciding it's total crap without even driving the thing?

Z4M uses the strut brace, the rest don't but they all have the mounting holes so nothing to do with Toyota.

[CooperS]

samoht said:

HKS have it right imo - a drop and some wheels:



(More on Speedhunters: http://www.speedhunters.com/2019/05/we-drive-the-w... )

That looks good!

[sutts]

ZX10R NIN said:

the stance is on point.

This made me wince. You’ll be ‘reaching out’ to someone next.

Regards,

V. Meldrew