Toyota GR Supra And BMW Z4 Could Die In 2026

A report claims that the closely related sports cars could be on their way out in two years, with plans to replace either model unclear at this point

Mike Bartholomew

30 May 2024

As much as the Toyota GR Supra’s BMW Z4 underpinnings have been a bone of contention throughout its life, the simple truth is that, in a market increasingly hostile to old-school sports cars, neither car likely could have existed without the other.

They’ve been fairly niche models for their manufacturers, and now the end of both might be on the horizon, with industry publication Auto News reporting that production will wind up in 2026.

The news is buried within a report about current troubles facing the Magna Steyr factory in Austria, the contract manufacturer which assembles the Z4 and Supra. Auto News contacted Toyota for comment, eventually getting a response from its North American vice president Dave Christ, who said the company “partnered with BMW and it’s been successful,” and that it’s “evaluating what’s next.”

Should production of both cars wind up in 2026, it’s not clear whether either will receive a successor. Things appear brighter for Toyota, which is currently displaying a remarkable commitment to relatively niche performance cars and is tied to various different sports car projects. It also just doubled down on its commitment to produce a new generation of internal combustion engines.

The Z4 name, meanwhile, is reportedly being retired after this generation ends production. However, BMW has just displayed the Skytop concept, a targa-topped roadster sitting somewhere between the Z4 and 8-series in terms of size, which BMW design chief Adrian van Hooydonk has suggested could go into limited production.

Even if the cars are to be dropped in 2026, there’s still developments to come for each model. A lighter, more powerful GRMN Supra is set to debut soon, although it’s a mystery whether it’ll make it to the UK – the Supra was taken off sale here late last year and while it’s still listed as a new car on Toyota’s website, there’s no info on if and when it might return.

The Z4, meanwhile, will soon arrive with the Handschalter pack, bringing the long awaited option of a manual gearbox to the six-cylinder version, though it’s curiously available in just one (admittedly tasteful) spec.

The first full sentence spoken by an infant Mike was a review of the ride quality of a Volvo 850. It was “Daddy’s car goes bumpy-bump on a bumpy road,” so would probably need proofreading a bit, but it was a start.