The new 2019 Toyota Supra has been revealed and people haven’t quite reacted with the enthusiasm Toyota were hoping to see.
The bar was well and truly set back in 1993 when the 4th gen Supra was released and quickly became an immortal icon and timeless classic, adored by countless car enthusiasts. This older Supra is still considered as one of the greatest Japanese cars ever to be made. Prices have been on the rise for years and you’d struggle to find a good one for less than £25,000. Perfect examples can cost up to £90,000 and above.
It’s been 17 years since Toyota ended production of the MkIV Supra in 2002 and fans have been waiting patiently for the return of the legend. Now that it’s finally here, Toyota seem to have angered more people than they’ve pleased. So what’s wrong with it, you ask?
The BMW Interior
The first thing a lot of people have picked up on is that the inside of the 2019 Supra is not a Toyota at all, it’s a Bimmer. BMW are notorious for their copy and paste interiors seen in the majority of their models and it looks like they’ve been able to outdo themselves this time. They’ve managed to put one of their duplicate interiors in a Toyota!
BMW interiors are actually quite nice, but fans of the Supra were probably expecting something a bit more original and interesting. The classic Mark IV Supra featured a cockpit-style interior where the centre console and all of the various dials, buttons and gauges were tilted to face the driver to make them feel more like they were piloting a jet, rather than driving a car. Sitting in the classic 4th gen Supra is unlike sitting in an ordinary car. Even though all of that plastic hasn’t aged too well, it still offers something different to other cars. Something unique. The new 2019 Supra, on the other hand, offers the same experience you would get by sitting in a BMW Z4, 1 Series, 2 Series, 3 Series, 4 Series…you get the point. Hence the disappointment.
It’s not like the concept
When the Supra FT-1 concept was shown off, a lot of fans (old and new) were quite excited and pleased with the design. The weather soon changed when Toyota revealed what the car would actually look like. Although we shouldn’t be at all surprised that the concept doesn’t reflect the final product, that hasn’t stopped a lot of people from being disappointed.
There’s really not that much difference between the FT-1 concept and the production model Supra, but there are little things that have changed and those little things have been enough to completely change the opinions of many motoring enthusiasts.
The FT-1’s front bumper was quite beautiful with its large air intakes sleekly incorporated into the curves of the body. The production model, on the other hand, looks a lot more like the GT86 with large (and much more visible) plastic grilles and just a more dulled down face shape, making it less eye-catching overall.
The wide-looking body was also toned down to be less exaggerated. And the retracting spoiler? Completely removed.
One commenter, William, had this to say on our Facebook post: “How can such a beautiful concept arrive so hideous !“
Some think it’s ugly
Like any car, there will be people that will call it ugly and the 2019 Supra is no exception. Take the commenters on our Facebook page for instance:
Ben S. said “I think it’s ugly” – plain and simple. Hamish, on the other hand, commented “Front reminds me of an 80’s Transam. Can’t be good…”.
Tony Y. said it’s “Not the best looker …” and Michael S. went one step further and said “It’s a Z4 in fancy dress…”.
There’s no denying that the 1993 Mk IV Supra was a handsome machine. The soft edges and sleek line have given it a timeless look that is still appreciated decades after release. Toyota had a lot to live up to with this new Supra, and some think that they’ve fallen short.
No manual transmission announced, as of yet
For many, the legendary Mk IV Supra makes us think of many things. Fast and Furious, drifting, racing. This is exactly why fans have been angered with the fact that the new Supra has no manual transmission option! It’s like if Range Rover were to stop offering AWD in their cars, it just doesn’t make sense. C’mon Toyota, how can you not have 3 pedals on a Supra?
So what do you think of the new 2019 Supra? Is it just a GT86-Z4 hybrid or have Toyota done well? Do you think it’s an utter fail or are you one of the few who can appreciate it for what it is? Let us know!
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Thank you for this post.I have strong feelings on this issue
The old Supra was faster than the Ferrari and Porshes of the time.
The new Supra is as fast an Rs focus /Mustang / Kia I think a modern sorted diesel will give it a run for its money.
What a load of Shit; in comparison to the Supra of old.
This Article covered some good points, but what I think most people are upset about is that the chassis design is different than the older Supra, further cementing that this is not a Supra replacement. It went from being a GT 2-door 2+2 to a Roadster 2-door 2-seater.
There has been far too much focus on people’s opinions of how it looks. Yes the mk4 has become a real classic, and this MAY follow suit. But what it looks like shouldn’t really be all that we talk about.
This car is built to be a drivers car. When driven properly you shouldn’t really even be thinking about what it looks like. Your focus is not about what you can see, it is what you can feel. I genuinely enjoyed the drive of the GT86, but was disappointed with its lack of power. If this takes the 86 drive-ability and adds it’s additional power then it should be a genuine drivers car.
Do I care one bit that it looks a bit like a BMW, nope.
I don’t have the finances for one of these, nor any of its predecessors. But if I did I would definitely consider one. But one of these versus A Lotus ExigeV6 is a tough tough call.