2020 Toyota Supra: First Look

• All-new rear-wheel-drive 2-seat sports coupe.

• Powered by a turbocharged 335-hp inline six.

• Development and basic layout shared with the BMW Z4.

• On sale Summer 2019.

Toyota has just unveiled the 2020 Supra at the North American International Auto Show and it’s a stunner — both visually and what’s inside. The 2020 Toyota Supra puts the Japanese automaker back in the sports car business after a 20-year hiatus. No less than Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda, a huge auto racing fan and moving force to instill driving excitement in Toyota vehicles, made the introduction.

The other surprise for those sports car fans who may not have been following the 2020 Supra’s journey is that it has been jointly developed with the BMW Z4. The two companies joined forces to share costs for what will be a limited, albeit, enthusiastic market.

Not that you can tell from the outside. The 2020 Supra, channeling its own heritage of the timeless 1967 Toyota 2000 GT and the 4th-generation A80 Supra of 1993 has a look its fans will recognize immediately. The new Supra goes one further with Formula One exterior cues inspired by the recent FT-1 concept.

What’s Under the Hood?

Toyota has a legacy of inline 6-cylinder engines in the Supra, but none were available on the parts shelves. The BMW 3.0-liter twin-scroll turbo six, highly regarded on its own, fills that bill nicely, pumping 335 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately for stick-shift fans, no manual gearbox is available, but the paddle-shifted 8-speed automatic’s aggressive lower gears and Supra’s relatively light 3,397-lb curb weight afford quick acceleration. Toyota is claiming 0-to-60 miles per hour in 4.1 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph.

What About the Chassis?

The Supra’s 4-link front and 5-link rear suspension and other basic underpinnings are shared with the Z4 as well, but here the Toyota’s springs, shocks and anti-roll bars have been tuned by the Japanese automaker’s own in-house Gazoo Racing. The Supra sports adaptive damping and an active rear differential to maintain neutral handling.

What’s It Like Inside?

The Supra’s cabin is well-fitted with well-bolstered sport seats and an abundance of soft trim. Two trim levels will be available: 3.0 and 3.0 Premium with limited run of a check-every-box Launch Editions as well. There’s some BMW-like switch gear inside, not a bad thing, really, including the familiar iDrive controller, electronic shifter and a choice of 6.5-in or 8.8-in infotainment screens.

When and How Much?

Expect the 2020 Toyota Supra in showrooms this summer. Prices start just over $50,000.