Even The Toyota GR Supra's Instrument Cluster Was The Work Of BMW
It’s well known by now that the GR Supra is much more of a BMW than it is a Toyota. It may have unique coupe bodywork, but under the skin, it’s chock full of Bavarian bits.
One exception, we all thought, was the instrument cluster. It’s very different to the all-digital setup in the Z4 sister car, with an LCD rev counter sitting inside a physical dial and some very un-BMW-like fonts appearing. On the face of it, the part looks like Toyota putting its own spin on BMW technology. But that’s not the case.
Motor Trend reports that the cluster was actually developed by BMW’s in-house company Design Works, who gave both the gauges and the menus in i-Drive-based infotainment system a Toyota-ish look and feel.
Does this matter? It’s debatable. We already knew most of the important stuff away from the engine and transmission was from BMW - the suspension components, for instance, all come from Munich, with Toyota making its own tweaks which are indeed evident when you compare the Z4 to the GR Supra.
That said, the not-especially-bespoke nature of the GR Supra is something that’s on our minds right now, given the launch of the GR Yaris. Toyota’s bonkers, all-wheel drive homologation special shows what happens when the company if left to design a fast car on its own, which is inevitably making the Supra seem like something of a missed opportunity.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
If money weren’t an issue: Z4 or Supra?
Supra, because coupe
Z4
Z4. If i’m basically buying a BMW either way i might as well have no regrets
Supra is better in every way
Supra, reason 1: prefer hard tops to soft open tops; reason 2: looks, find the Z4’s front hideous while Supra seems a lot more of a focused track car+that rear end is godly; reason 3: Toyota badge :P
yes I’d prefer a Toyota over a BMW
No Z4 M coupe
They’re so close in the face off photo, my anxiety just kicked in yo!
Great looking machines tho
Yes but they spent so much money on the GR Yaris that they need to sell a lot of them to start making any money. If they built the Supra the same way it would be more expensive
So what?
One giant selling point for the Supra that will probably never come true: a manual ‘box
We still doing this? I thought the Toyota poopra bad phase was over.
Yea, well if you can get Something already really good, why not take it ?
People still cry about the Z4 like little babys, and it hurts so bad.
The Z4 is a great car, both in looks, and driving, but hey, I mean 90% of people who complain also wanted the new Supra with a heavy outdated engine, so yeaaaaaa