Why the Toyota Supra can't beat the BMW M340i.

While the Toyota GR Supra and the BMW M340i have many similarities, including identical engine capacity and performance numbers, the former is inferior due to its slower top speed.

However, with Toyota and BMW teaming up on the GR Supra and the Z4 roadster, the question of which company produces the superior sports car still stands. Hagerty plans to finally decide which manufacturer and country provide the consumer with the most excellent car by bringing together some of the world's most fantastic cars on the drag strip for the first time.

The Supra, on paper, has the best power-to-weight ratio of any car in the competition. In contrast, this is not the case according to the research of Jason Cammisa and Hagerty. The Mark V Supra aims to be the pinnacle of Toyota's sports vehicle lineup.

The Mk4 Supra and Toyota's current, more ostentatious aesthetic influence the design. However, the BMW chassis and engine combo appear to be ideal. The power of Germany and the style of Japan.

BMW's six-cylinder engines have recently dominated the high-performance vehicle market. It was a compromise between power and cost, and it could be found in the BMW M135i and the 2, 3, and 4 Series. Although it shows promise, its implementation with Toyota appears to be lacking. Learn why Toyota's flagship sports car lags behind BMW's sports sedan brother.

Compare the GR Supra against the BMW M340i in this table:

The M340i is an unusual offering; it lacks the full-on sportiness of a dedicated M model but is nonetheless pretty fast. The first generation of BMW's sportiest non-M 3 Series was designed for customers who value discretion above flash, with less aggressive aero and quieter exhausts. 

The M340i, in either sedan or station wagon form, looks much more out of place than the Supra. But Hagerty says that's not the case. Toyota's 2JZ straight-6 engine was the best of its day in the '90s. BMW justifiably claims this honor now, though. The "overachieving psychopath" is how Cammisa for Hagerty describes their B58 3.0 liter straight six, which is the current equivalent of the 2JZ engine.

Cammisa continues by saying that the Toyota GR Supra and the current M240i and M340i share an engine. Therefore the two cars should be very evenly matched. The M240i and M340i are powered by the B58 engine, which generates 382 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque. The Supra's specs are in line with them. Thus it should offer comparable performance to the competition.

But the drag strip is the great equalizer once again. BMW's xDrive gives the M240i an immediate advantage over the competition. The smaller 2 Series gains rapid traction with this all-wheel drive technology. Despite being almost as light as the smaller 2 Series, the M340i is 0.2 seconds slower to 60mph than the M240i. This explains why such a considerable distance separates them but does not tell us where the Supra lands.

Compared to its rival, the BMW, the Toyota Supra is a sluggish performer:

The Supra's 3.7-second 0-60 mph time places it between the M240i and M340i in terms of acceleration. The final tally of the race reflects these positions very precisely. However, this does not account for all the vehicle details. The ZF 8-speed automatic transmission is used in the Supra.

But its gearing is substantially shorter than that of the BMW. This should improve the car's acceleration, but Toyota's second-place finish hasn't shown any results. In addition, the Supra weighs 3,397 pounds, which is a whopping 480 pounds less than the BMWs. This should all combine to generate a 3-second to 60mph automobile, but it hasn't.

Cammisa offers a different explanation. Instead of letting Toyota's sports vehicle use all of the power its engine is capable of producing, BMW is holding back some of the ability for its use. For example, it runs with less powerful machines, at the very least. The most potent Supra, according to Toyota Europe, generates 340 horsepower.

BMW undoubtedly ensured their automobiles would perform better, especially in their home market. Now, it's safe to assume that the North American market's more potent cars will generate more power than these European specification vehicles. But then again, maybe not as much power as the BMW-branded engines.

Even now, the Supra is Toyota's fastest vehicle:

The Supra fails to meet expectations because of its subpar performance compared to BMW's offerings. So it stands to reason that the vehicle will trail Toyota's best V8. With its 472 hp and 5.0-liter V8, the Lexus IS500 F Sport closes the book on the company's history of large, potent performance automobiles.

Like the forthcoming BEV Sport, an F model with a conventional internal combustion engine. An even more potent Lexus is yet possible. The IS 500, as claimed by Lexus, "celebrates the first production run of the Lexus F SPORT Performance trim. Separating it from the regular F SPORT variant is a bigger, naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine ".

A limited-edition vehicle with over 500 horsepower may be released. However, it will fall short of being a complete F model—an emotional farewell to the era of fast, gas-powered super saloons. When you get out of the pack, you'll see that the B58 motor still dominates the best V8 engine that Toyota offers. 0.6 seconds separated them at the finish line of the last quarter mile.

In 12.2 seconds, the GR Supra finishes the race, while the Lexus IS 500 F Sport finishes in 12.8 seconds. It's clear from this performance that the B58's 3.0L engine is a formidable one. It's not surprising that BMW is quiet about some of its finest technological achievements.