Toyota Supra 2.0 Pro Auto

The latest incarnation of Toyota’s Supra is eye-catching. Whenever I parked there were admiring glances, thumbs-up and people just wanting to know more about it. You can see from the pictures it really is a stunning design. I am reliably informed that Toyota has collaborated with BMW on this particular vehicle, and those who are familiar with the Z4 will be surprised at the equipment and features that are comparable.

There are two engine derivatives – a beast of a three-litre borrowed from the BMW stable, a six-cylinder turbo producing a huge 330bhp, but the test car had the smaller two-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 251bhp, more performance than this humble scribe could use. That’s 0-60 in marginally over five seconds, and a top speed – where legal and permissible – of 155mph.

Let’s get the fuel aspect out of the way early. Toyota suggests 38.7mpg; in my 400 miles with the Supra over a variety of twisty B-roads, A-roads and motorways the computer said 39.7mpg, which I found astounding for a vehicle of this pedigree and performance. The CO2 emissions are given as g/km of 167, which is on the high side, but you don’t buy this type of vehicle if you want economy.

Access is good if you are a limbo dancer – narrow door apertures really do make it an awkward car to get into. I thought my MG was low but this is even lower. But once you’re in, the cabin is spacious and the sport seats very supportive, there’s a tremendous range of adjustment for both steering wheel and seat, and it does have a superb driving position.

You don’t expect to find a huge boot in a sports car but 290 litres is not too bad; enough to fit a couple of picnic chairs and a small weekend bag.

On country roads the Supra is an easy, able, willing companion. The

The Supra has been around for more years than Shire’s motoring expert Bob Hickman cares to remember. It’s always been a handsome, exciting vehicle, he writes suspension and steering are tight and taut. The automatic gearbox may not suit purists, but it seemed to always be in the correct ratio at the right time and doing the right speed. Visibility is good over the lengthy bonnet and, while around town the large pillars can restrict the view a little, Toyota have equipped the Supra with a very important piece of kit – a reversing camera, with sensors that help when parking.

The entertainment system had a nine-inch screen, sharp sound and worked well. The intuitive menu system is very much BMW, with a circular control you can enable on the transmission to navigate your way through the options. The driver has all the information you could wish for, with a digital display that can be split to give the speedo and rev counter in the middle – I always like to know how many miles I’ve been, how many I have to go and what fuel is left in the tank.

My particular Toyota Supra 2.0 Pro derivative came with an on-the-road price of £50,545, but this did include the optional metallic Dawn Blue paint, which when allied with the black diamond-cut alloy wheels, I really think set the vehicle off.

“I thought my MG was low: this is even lower. But it’s a superb driving position”

Toyota offers a three-year, 60,000-miles warranty, and servicing is suggested yearly or at 10,000 miles, whichever comes soonest.

Bob Hickman is a lifelong motoring fan. After a 30-year career as a police patrol officer, latterly as a sergeant patrolling the Midlands motorways, retirement beckoned and he embarked on writing about his love of cars and motorbikes. Bob is a member of the Guild of Motor Writers and the Midland Guild of Motor Writers. He rides a Royal Enfield Continental GT and drives a 1994 MG RV8.