Toyota is expected to unveil an all-new, sixth-generation Supra in 2027. This time, rather than collaborating with BMW, the new model will be an all-Toyota development, according to Japan’s Best Car magazine, as reported by Forbes.
While the Toyota Supra lineage has historically always featured an inline-six engine, the next-generation model will reportedly feature a 2.0-litre inline-four hybrid, breaking away from its long-standing convention.
Toyota chose to stick with an inline-six engine for the fifth-generation A90 Supra due to customer feedback, as many felt it was essential to retain the engine layout used in all previous Supra generations. The easiest way to obtain one, at that time at least, was through BMW – their B58 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six engine has already been widely used in cars such as the BMW Z4 M40i, M340i, X5, and many more.
The A90 Supra will go on to share a similar platform with the Z4, which had initially upset Supra fanboys. Both brands promised that the cars would feature distinct identities that go far beyond body styles, and as they say, the rest was history. The A90 Supra even went on to outsell its sister car, with Forbes reporting that Toyota delivered over 24,000 units of the sports car in the five years since its debut, nearly double the Z4’s 13,000 units in the same five-year span.
Well this time, it seems set that the iconic inline-six won’t be returning. But at least, the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid mill will still be producing around 400 hp, according to Best Car. The sixth-generation Toyota Supra will also reportedly receive a new rear-wheel drive platform, moving away from BMW.
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It’s a bittersweet change, as every generation of the Supra has been offered with an inline-six. Even though the A90 Supra was also offered with an inline-four, being the first model in its lineage to do so, the six-cylinder remained the more popular engine choice.
Interestingly, Best Car speculated that Toyota has also been testing another Supra prototype powered by a Mazda e-Skyactiv G turbocharged mild-hybrid 3.3-litre inline-six engine that’s seen in the CX70. However, they predict that this engine will most likely not make it to the next-generation Supra due to its weight. For now, they (still) believe the lighter, more fuel-efficient, and nimbler 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine is the most sensible choice for both Toyota and the Supra.
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