Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

We pitched the new GR Supra against an Alpine A110, Porsche Cayman T, Audi TT RS and BMW M2 Competition, but the newbie didn't quite hit the mark...
Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

Pros

Cons

Sports cars, we’re told, just aren’t in right now. The business case to make one is shaky at best, car makers constantly remind us. And yet, I’m in a car park with five brand new sporty coupes. They’re just a snapshot of what’s available right now, and the differences between them are startling.

There’s the front-engined, all-wheel drive Audi TT RS, the mid-engined Porsche 718 Cayman T and Alpine A110, and representing the good old front-engined, rear-drive sport coupe, we have the BMW M2 Competition and - the main reason for being here - the Toyota A90 Supra.

Looking at the prevailing conditions, however, I can’t help but wonder if we should have also brought along a few sets of oars. I’m calling bullshit on the weather forecast’s claims of ‘showers’, because what we’re actually in, is a deluge.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

That’ll favour the Audi, but the car I want to start with is the Alpine, as it’s so different to everything else here. Even in loaded-up Legende trim it’s still nearly 400kg lighter than the TT, the M2 and the Supra, and 250kg lighter than the Cayman T.

The development of the A110 resulted in the opposite of a vicious cycle of sports cars. That’s because the decision from the outset to give the car a small and light structure meant a smaller, less bulky engine could be used. And with less power than its rivals, it can get away with little brakes and skinny tyres, dropping the weight even further.

Lined up next to the others, the A110 really does look tiny. But it’s not just its dinky size and pithy weight figure of just over 1100kg that sets it apart from the others - it also has a proper, supercar-like double-wishbone front and rear suspension setup. This kind of arrangement allows engineers to go for a much softer chassis than the usual MacPherson Strut front/multi-link rear deal.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

All of which, I’m sure, sounds quite dull. But what you need to know is these core ingredients come together to make a sports car that blows you away from the off, and in a way that nothing else does for this kind of price. It flows beautifully with the road, no matter how bad it is, that extra give in the chassis making it a weirdly comfortable way to go quickly.

The skinnier tyres mean it moves around quite a bit at speed, but with so much information being transmitted from the road through your arse cheeks, you know exactly what the A110 is up to. The steering is fast and satisfying, with the column-mounted gear-shift paddles just behind the wheel being hugely enjoyable to use.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

It may have the smallest, least powerful engine, but the Alpine offers up plenty of aural drama. Surprisingly brawny intake noise is ducted through the rear bulkhead and into the cabin, and from the exhaust, there’s a pleasing cacophony of pops and bangs each time you lift off.

You know what this is? It’s a grown-up, modern Lotus Elise. A lesson in how much more you get from being given less, in a package you genuinely could daily.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

After a soggy session capturing another set of statics - the famous Shropshire Hills we’ve driven all this way for almost entirely hidden by the wretched conditions - it’s time to move to the next, hopefully drier location. Cue a switch to the most important car we’ve brought with us, the Porsche Cayman T.

The Cayman S was Toyota’s main benchmark, but with a base price of £51,145, the new Cayman T is just over a grand cheaper than the Supra’s starting point. Factor in some options and you’re looking at £57,904, a grand more than the most expensive A90 Edition version of the Supra. It’s in the right ballpark, in other words.

Like the Alpine, it ticks many a box within the first few hundred metres. The driving position, the weights and spacing for the three pedals (yep, it’s a manual), the predictability of the steering - no mainstream player can rival Porsche in this area. The only thing is, the more I drive the Cayman T, the less I like it.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

The 2.0-litre flat-four is oddly flat wherever you place it in the rev range. It barely does anything below 3000rpm, and after that point, you’re waiting for the boxer to finally wake up and give you a right hook. But it never does.

It feels slow and uneventful compared to the Alpine, despite its 296bhp being way up on the A110’s 246bhp. It’s easily the least pleasant-sounding car here, too. The burbly exhaust note is characterful and quirky, but for a sports car? It just doesn’t fit.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

I’m also not really sold on the ‘T’ concept. It worked for the 911 Carrera T, with its thinner rear glass and soundproofing reduction, but there’s something a little cynical about what’s been done to this Cayman. It has token weight reduction measures consisting of fabric door pulls, lighter seats and an optional infotainment delete, which together merely counteract the new petrol particulate filter.

There’s no sound-deadening reduction, and although it’s nice to have the 20mm lower PASM sport suspension setup (not normally available on a 2.0-litre Cayman), plus a standard-fit Sport Chrono pack, I can’t help but think a basic non-S Cayman befits the T ethos better.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

Those systems make for a fine-handling car, however, as the Cayman T devours corners in a stable, unflappable way that still keeps you feeling wholly involved in the process of driving. It’s noticeably firmer than the Alpine, but the T makes that work even on these less-than-forgiving bits of tarmac. As the road we’re driving down seems to rapidly be turning into a river, it’s also handy that traction from the rear wheels happens to be stellar. I just wish the engine driving them was more fit for the purpose.

A bi-lingual sign emerges in the mist, welcoming us to Wales/Cymru. It’s time to switch to a different cockpit: the Supra’s. We’ve nicely sandwiched the A90 in the middle of this sports car quintet, and my, what a meaty filling it is: after being in the Alpine and Porsche, it feels huge, with its long bonnet seemingly stretching out forever in front of the windscreen.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

At the launch in Spain, the GR Supra felt lighter than its lardy 1570kg kerb weight suggested, but getting behind the wheel after sampling the two featherweights of the group has done the Toyota no favours. The extra mass is immediately obvious. Combined with comparatively soft damping, the Supra is starting to feel more like a GT.

Dig deeper, however, and the Supra will reveal itself to be a proper sports car. Yes, the damping’s on the soft side, but the body control is brilliantly resolved. The initial turn-in to each corner is decent, despite there being a big straight-six at the front, and even with the traction control on, it will move around plenty at the rear.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

Turn it off, and the Toyota reveals its mischievous side. It loves to light up the rear wheels, this thing - whether you want to lay down some fat 11s as you leave the line or use the throttle to adjust your line, the A90 will oblige.

The steering is acceptable rather than exceptional, with reasonable weighting, a good amount of speed and a lack of any real feedback. It feels very BMW-ish actually, which is, you may not be pleased to hear, a prominent theme for the car.

Sure, Toyota has gone to the effort of fitting its own dashboard, but this is hard to notice when it’s loaded to the hilt with BMW tech and BMW switchgear. Then there’s the biggest Munich-borrowed bit of all just in front of the cabin: the engine.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

The ‘B58’ inline-six is a familiar lump, powering the Z4 with which the Supra was jointly developed along with scores of BMWs of all shapes and sizes. It has an absurdly punchy mid-range (which is why it’s easy to overload the rear tyres), it shows a complete lack of interest in being revved out, and emits one of the most disappointing noises I’ve ever heard from a six-cylinder engine.

It’s so whiney and apologetic. BMW has so much experience in making big sixes, it’s hard to understand how this happened. Some upshift ‘farts’ would at least liven up proceedings a little bit, but there’s nothing to enjoy other than some light burbling when you lift.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

Speaking of the gearbox, it’s worth pointing out the eight-speeder is the only conventional torque converter auto in this test. It suffers for that, offering neither the fun of the manuals nor the brutally efficient shifts of the dual-clutch ‘boxes - there’s a noticeable delay each time you demand a new gear, whether you’re going up or down.

We’ve snaked up into low cloud cover, with the visibility dropping dramatically. Now seems like a good chance to try on the Audi TT RS for size. And sweet Jesus, is it fast. It’s probably the laggiest of the five cars, and it takes a good while to get going, with its full fury not being felt until about 4000rpm. Once there, though, the king of TTs makes stomach-churning progress akin to a supercar.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

With a 0-62mph time of 3.7 seconds it’s by far the fastest-accelerating car of the five, but it’s not just during the four-wheel drive-assisted launches off the line that it feels quick. A scarily rapid increase in speed is possible whenever you venture near the throttle pedal.

The 395bhp 2.5-litre inline-five engine is easily the most interesting, most exotic-sounding engine here. Even this new emissions and noise regulations compliant version has no trouble belting out that classic ur Quattro symphony.

Many will tell you the TT RS can’t offer a whole lot beyond the warble-tastic, weapons-grade engine, but they’re wrong. The days of hot cars from Audi being understeering pigs are long gone, and the razor-sharp front end of this TT is Exhibit A for the defence. It laps up fast changes of direction, and although the four-wheel drive system is generally front-biased, it will rotate slightly under the right conditions.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

The steering felt great in isolation when we drove the refreshed TT RS for the first time a few weeks ago, but alongside cars like the Cayman, it seems light and aloof. You’re pushing ahead using your knowledge of the four-wheel drive system’s capabilities, rather than the feedback the car is giving you. Not necessarily an issue, but it does make the TT RS less involving than the Cayman, A110 and Supra.

The rain is, at last, starting to dissipate. To ensure I’ve had a go in each car in similar conditions, I nab the keys to the M2 Competition. Like the TT it isn’t a sports car built from the ground up, rather a jolly quick version of a coupe. It’s far too heavy at 1625kg with fluids, and the body control still isn’t quite there - the damping lacks finesse, thumping over imperfections in the road and giving off a near-constant vertical ‘bob’.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

I don’t care, though. I adored the M2 Competition when I first tried it last year, and in this company, it’s enhanced further, as opposed to being made to look like an overweight fool. The S55 inline-six engine is a big part of why the Comp works so well - the twin-turbo unit has oodles of mid-range thrust, but unlike the B58 in the Supra, it’s happy being revved out. All the way to 7000rpm, in fact. And the noise? Well, it’s not as good as what’s fired out of the TT’s tailpipes, but the sound made by the M2 is one of anger and purpose.

You can hook that straight-six up to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, but this particular M2 Comp is a manual. And the S55 with a stick is a damn good combination. It’s just a pity you can’t turn off the auto rev-matching feature without also binning all the other electronic aids.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

That being said, with all the safety nets gone, the M2 is not a scary, wayward thing. Exploitable though the Supra is, it can occasionally be a bit snappy. Not so the M2 Comp - it’s a £49,285 facilitator of smooth sideways silliness.

As the final shots are taken, it stops raining. Typical. Tempting though it is to shout a big FU to the weather Gods, now’s the time to consider how these cars should be ranked. And that’s not easy.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

It was a tough call, and one that gives me no pleasure to do this, but the Cayman T has to be placed - admittedly only just - at the bottom of the pile. Had this been the stronger 2.5-litre-powered S, it would have been a couple of places higher. The gruff 2.0-litre doesn’t feel the right fit for the sublime chassis, which is probably the second-best of the lot.

And then we have the whole ‘T’ thing. You’d hope it would be the driving connoisseur’s choice, but in reality, it seems more a car for boorish types to point and brag about the fabric door pulls and the missing infotainment screen. The Cayman is an amazing sports car - this just isn’t the right version to go for.

In fourth is our reason for coming out here to be drenched - the Toyota A90 Supra. As with the Cayman, its chassis is paired to an engine that just doesn’t inspire, but at least the A90 does - unlike the Porsche - encourage you to press on.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

The TT RS may be at odds with the rest of this group, but it’s managed to carve out its own niche. It’s exciting in a different but no less valid way, and for its incredible powerplant and all-weather ability, it sits in the middle of our quintet.

At number two, we have the hooligan of the group. The tearaway. The kid who likes to light up behind the bike sheds. I’m referring to the BMW M2 Competition, which corrects what the original M2 didn’t get quite right, thanks to a suitably dramatic engine sitting in the most entertaining, fun-focused underpinnings of all five cars. The icing on the cake is that there’s an extra seat bench for two people to join you for the fun/terror, and a sizeable boot for all four occupants’ accessories.

"The A110 doesn't run with the pack. That's why it upsets the order - something the Supra isn't able to do"

This, of course, means the Alpine A110 is our winner. With sports cars continually increasing in weight and power, it’s come along to prove that less is indeed more. Its small, light frame is endlessly chuckable, and I really dig the looks. The only real minus point is practicality - there aren’t many places to put things in the interior, and the ‘boot’ is so hilariously small it requires quotation marks. But this car could have some hideous imperfections (it really doesn’t), and it’d still be the one I’d want.

Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment

The key with the A110 is it doesn’t run with the pack. That’s why it upsets the order, which the Supra isn’t able to do - it’s too conventional, while held back by its engine and slightly confused identity.

It is, however, a solid, handsomely-styled and fun starting point, and also a starting point it seems Toyota wants to build on with a potential GRMN version and other derivatives. When the A90’s final form is here, perhaps we’ll have a rematch.

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Comments

Elliot.J99

The other have nowhere near as much potential as the Supra however

07/03/2019 - 17:25 |
14 | 4

The TT RS does tho

07/03/2019 - 18:02 |
26 | 2

I digress heavily with this, the Alpine A110 would be an absolute weapon if fiddled with even slightly. With such a light car and great chassis EVERY single mod is going to have an impact which can make turning it into the king of anything twisty with some straight line grunt a thing of ease. The M2 already has the better engine and anything you can do for the supra you could probably do better for the M2, the TTRS is already an all out weapon, a few tweaks would be all you need but aftermarket is in fact there to make it give plenty supercars some headaches without much work. The supra’s “potential” is mostly based on tunkng companies buying into the nameplate hype and going all out for it. If the afformentioned 3 had that many tuning companies lining up for them that Z4 wouldnt stand a chance.

07/03/2019 - 18:47 |
14 | 0

the S55 is already hitting over 1000hp with mods…dont write off the M2C.

07/11/2019 - 21:34 |
2 | 0
The best looking car in the world

The main reason why the A90 Toyota Supra falls behind the rest of the cars is because Toyota was only involved in tuning the chassis.Compared to the MK3 Supra in which they only got help from Yamaha in tuning the engine because Toyota made the engine as well as everything else in and on the car.With the new A90 Toyota the car has more BMW badges than Toyota, and the excuse they use for being cheap is the “aftermarket” when really they just wanted to make a lot of money on a household name by making as little parts for the car as possible and rebadging it as a Supra.

P.S Before you call me a keyboard thug or a fanboy for the old Toyota Supra, I like the Nissan R32-R34 GTR more than I liked the Supra.

07/03/2019 - 17:50 |
48 | 8

I agree with you on most parts. But let’s imagine toyota kept this money in order to create a GRMN version that is over the top. The A90 is still young, and we had to wait 2 years to get an A110 S, wich imo is the best sports coupe right now

07/03/2019 - 18:35 |
10 | 0

Oh come on! this whole bs won’t continue endlessly ffs :D The MK4 Supra was a total pos from factory. Period.
The only Supra we like (made famous by hollywood btw) were overly modified one with tens thousands $ on them (but come on I can make a supercar out of a Jetta if you give me 100k$ to throw on it). This car was basically just a motor, the 2JZ : period. Now we have a MK5 that for the first time has a proper sport car chassis (sub 7:50 Nurb in stock form anyone? It’s quicker than the M2) and a B58 motor that can easily get pushed to 700whp on stock internals, while meeting the polution regulations necessary for the Supra rebirth. The ONLY reason the A90 falls behind there is because all EU versions are equiped with this damned particular filter. Strangely most US tests were absolutely loving the sound and how the B58 revved…but all EU felt the countrary. It has all to do with it. It muted the engine and killed it’s revvy character (for example, all B58 before the filter are well known to be more rev happy than all N55 cars).

ps: I don’t call you a mk4 fanboy but you are definitely hating on BMW products :D Tuning the chassis is arguably the best thing Toyo could have done to it because this is really the weakest side of BMW (even more for non M cars…oem dampers/bodyroll and brakes are actually terribles…as noted their steerings are not really good either…but they have amongst the best possible turbo 6 cylinders on the planet, and their interiors are topnotch. Really not sure Toyo would have made a better work on those two points).

07/04/2019 - 00:40 |
42 | 2

Soooo youre not a supra fanboy but a gtr fanboy…

07/04/2019 - 19:22 |
0 | 2

rip r31 and r33, the r35 is cool too just fyi (the best generations)

07/17/2019 - 08:07 |
0 | 0
Mr.Roberts

I am not the biggest fan of the Alpine’s looks but i 100% agree with this exquisite article Matt, that car is really shaking up the hierarchy whether people like it or not. The M2 comp does what the Supra should have done so well and despite being heavier the chassis is by no means lacking, the TTRS is an absolute undisputed weapon and easily holds its own no matter if you’re up against a tuned civic or a Ferrari. The Cayman lacks any and everything when it comes to the engine department, lets hope thw new GT4 can capitalize on that iconic porche chassis though, and the Supra just missed the mark entirely despite being a half decent car, it just cant hold a candle to the firing squad.

07/03/2019 - 18:53 |
4 | 0
A Car Guy

Great article Matt. I agree with almost all of that, the only difference is that I think id go for the TT RS out of that lot, mostly because of the gorgeous noise, purely because in not a big fan of BMWs in general and the Alpine just isn’t practical enough (unless it was just a weekend car).

07/03/2019 - 19:35 |
4 | 0

Thanks! Only wish the weather was a little better for the photos…

07/03/2019 - 21:52 |
4 | 0
LukeyWolf

Just like the original car then

07/03/2019 - 19:55 |
2 | 0
Wogmidget

No Lotus Elise?

07/03/2019 - 22:11 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

wait….I own a 240 with a b58 and literally spent a year of my life working in an exhaust shop. It is FAR from the “whiney and apologetic” noises you seem to be hearing. I don’t know if it’s the UK regulations that might change it, and I admittedly have an M exhaust on mine, but even stock everyone seems to generally agree that it sounds great. Not knocking your opinion, as it’s just that…but driving it everyday.. I can’t fathom what you were hearing in the car based on that description

07/03/2019 - 23:07 |
10 | 0
cjcronin

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

My guess is yours doesn’t feature the extra particulate filter? I don’t know when that started being fitted on cars with the B58; was it with the new Z4? That filter kills all of the character of the sound it makes.

07/04/2019 - 11:45 |
0 | 0
Toyota Supra Vs The World: Why The A90 Fails To Disrupt The Establishment
TheCuttingboard

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

The Supra did absolutely get regulation hit in the UK.

07/06/2019 - 14:21 |
0 | 0
That_1_Guy

I think that the supra looks the best. It looks the sharpest and focused even though it really isn’t as sharp and focused as it’s competitors. I do think that it should be placed in 3rd but one thing that really bugs me is the bit of plastic between the lower spokes of the steering wheel. My dad’s 2015 Toyota Camry hybrid also has that bit of plastic

07/03/2019 - 23:10 |
0 | 0

I personally think the bmw looks better, not saying the Supra doesn’t look good, because it’s beautiful.

07/04/2019 - 17:53 |
0 | 0

I personally think the bmw looks better, not saying the Supra doesn’t look good, because it’s beautiful.

07/04/2019 - 17:53 |
0 | 0
thatboy_landon

Why was the jag f type not included?

07/03/2019 - 23:21 |
0 | 0

Because it would absolutely destroy everything there, not to mention it costs so much more😂

07/04/2019 - 17:52 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Imo, the TT is the best of these cars, I’d put the a110 in second, and the Beemer in third, keep in mind my opinion is based off of videos and articles, and not driving experience.

07/04/2019 - 17:51 |
0 | 0