2020 BMW Z4 M40i Faces Its Japanese Cousin, the Toyota Supra
Z4 M40i and Supra share a lot of hardware, but are their differences enough to make them into two unique performance machines?
It’s no secret that a lot of people on the internet were upset when they learned that the all-new 2020 Toyota GR Supra shares a substantial amount of its hardware with the 2020 BMW Z4. But the Supra is back after more than 20 years and Toyota’s not going to scrap it after all of the time and money it invested into it so there’s no harm in finding out how it drives. Thomas Holland and James Engelsman, the co-hosts of the YouTube channel Throttle House, did more than that. They pitted the new Supra against one of its relatives, the 2020 BMW Z4 M40i.
Both cars have a 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder engine with a single twin-scroll turbo under their hood. That’s connected to an 8-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive. They also have similar exhaust notes (although Engelsman can tell the difference between them with a blindfold on). If you look at the interiors of the Supra and Z4, you’ll see even more similarities. However, instead of focusing on those (which many have already done for them online), Holland and Engelsman try to determine which car is more fun to drive and a better value.
That reveals how different the German and Japanese machines are from one another. It quickly becomes apparent that the Z4, even though it’s more powerful with 382 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque (the Supra has figures of 335 and 365, respectively), is more of a cruiser. Engelsman finds it “smoother, more reserved” than its Toyota counterpart.
It’s quiet inside the Z4 whether its top is up or down, but Holland finds the suspension to be oddly nervous and harsh at times. For better or for worse, the Z4‘s interior is distinctly BMW. Holland complains about how it looks like what he’s seen in every other BMW. The upside to that BMW-ness is that the materials are high-quality and everything feels well built…with the exception of the Apple CarPlay system.
The Supra, on the other hand, is the sports car of the duo. Despite its lower output levels, it’s actually a tenth of a second faster to 62 mph (100 kph) than the Z4, taking only 4.4 seconds to hit that speed instead of the Bimmer‘s 4.5. Engelsman says, “It is so usable – the power in this car. And it’s not so much that I can’t use it on the road. This on the road is a joy.” He gets even more of that driving enjoyment on back roads. “The front-end grip is excellent. The turn-in is wonderful.”
The BMW’s badge and added power equate to a substantially higher price. At $85,000 CAD (~$64,000 USD) as tested, Holland’s and Engelsman’s Z4 press vehicle is a whopping $20,000 CAD (~$15,000 USD) more expensive than their Supra media loaner. They both pick the Supra as their favorite car of the two. But if you want a powerful, comfortable, luxurious roadster, the Z4 M40i sounds like the way to go…no matter what people in the comments section of multiple websites say.
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