This German SUV Is A GR Supra For The Whole Family
Let’s face it, there is a chance you will never headline Coachella, beat Rory McIlroy at the Masters, or get 10 million subscribers for your X-Files appreciation YouTube channel. Likewise, that epic Fast and the Furious ride that you have hankered after since high school may have to remain a dream, with the demands of life, kids, and an actual job requiring a more sensible set of wheels in the driveway. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t have Brian O’Conner vibes in your sleeper daily, just without anyone noticing. Who knew that one German SUV packed Toyota GR Supra firepower, all wrapped in the bodywork of a school-run workhorse? This could be the ultimate family hack.
The Fifth Generation Supra Was Shocking For A Lot Of Reasons
In July 2018, a slightly familiar-looking low, long-hooded Toyota sports car wearing full-body camouflage with mysterious “A90” markings sliced its way up the curvy hill-climb circuit at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in front of tens of thousands of people. It may not have been a mid-engined supercar, or a wild restomod, but for many of those watching, this was the realization of their dreams. The moniker A90 could mean only one thing: the Toyota Supra was returning.
The beloved Japanese sports car had been discontinued for 17 years, signing off with the A80, a car that had become a legend thanks mostly to its starring role in 2001’s unexpected hit and zeitgeist capturing The Fast and the Furious. In a world of fast-approaching EVs and hybrids, the idea of a new turbocharged Supra sports car was the shock that fans of 2000s car culture badly needed.
Under The Skin The Supra Had Unexpected Ingredients
The A90 Supra certainly looked the part, with many elements creating a direct link to its legendary predecessor. The GR Supra looks modern with sharp lines and crisp, compact proportions, but the similarities to the older car are there. Side by side, the two cars look almost identical, with the A90 obviously referencing the A80s long hood and roofline. The lights front and rear are different, but there is a deliberate evolution between the two cars.
But what really got enthusiasts talking was the hardware. The A90 Supra was the result of a collab with BMW, meaning that many parts are shared with the Z4 (although there are some detail differences). The fact that a lot of the mechanical components are Bavarian meant that, at first at least, a lot of people questioned the Supra’s DNA. But when the dust settled, it seemed that not only is the Supra an excellent sports car in its own right, but it could be argued that it is even better than the A80. Another interesting byproduct of all of this is that fans of the GR Supra can also find a surprising family car that offers up a lot of the same thrills.
The BMW X3 M40i Is A Supra For The Whole Family
Er, the what? You could be forgiven for not having the BMW X3 M40i on your performance car radar — but you should. Launched in 2017 as the X3 lineup’s first M Performance model, the BMW X3 M40i G01 was a feisty small SUV wrapped in fairly ordinary soccer-run clothing. At the heart of the X3 M40i is the twin-turbo B58 3.0-liter unit, which went from 360 horsepower to 382 hp (and 369 lb-ft of torque) for the 2020 model year. That’s the very same engine you’ll find in a Supra, albeit starting at 335 hp, with the 382 hp version a later option.
Toyota even pointed out that this linked it to the A80, adding that “like the pinnacle of the previous Supra series, the 2020 model will be powered by a turbocharged inline-six engine.” You also got essentially the same eight-speed ZF gearbox in both the Supra and the X3 M40i. According to Hagerty, even the steering column in the two cars is the same.
The X3 M40i Is Also Sports Car Fast
But if you thought the X3 M40i was just another cumbersome SUV that easily blunted its powerplant, think again. The small German SUV has an impressive turn of speed. The 335-hp version could hit 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, but the later, more powerful M40i was considerably quicker.
Even with a 48-volt hybrid system that aids the engine’s powerband, the M40i weighs just 70 pounds more than its predecessor, hurtling to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and ticking off a quarter mile in 12.8 seconds. That’s faster than a Ferrari F40 to 60 mph. Or to put it another way, the upright BMW five-door would smoke a twin-turbo A80 Supra, which reaches 60 mph in (an impressive for the time) 4.6 seconds, and covers the quarter in 13.1 seconds. The 382-hp A90 Supra is naturally quicker than the M40i SUV, but not by much, reaching 60 mph in 3.9 seconds.
The X3 Packs Supra Power Into A Sleeper Package
Despite all this sports- and supercar-bashing speed, the X3 M40i makes a perfectly sensible package for the daily commute. There is a well-made cabin, space for five people, and a trunk volume of between 550 and 1,600 liters. The X3 can even carry an additional 220 pounds on the roof. This makes the BMW X3 M40i G01 a compelling combination of sportiness and everyday practicality. The X3 M40i also gets M Sport disc brakes and BMW’s Adaptive M dampers as standard.
The BMW B58 Powertrain Can Also Be Found Elsewhere
It’s not just Toyota sports cars and sleeper German SUVs that have the B58 powerplant. Firstly, there are BMW models such as the Z4, M240i, and 850i that have this reliable unit stuffed under the hood. But then you will find it in some more unlikely places. The Ineos Grenadier, an off-roader built in France, also has a specially tuned version of the B58. The Morgan Plus Six also uses the BMW B58 TwinPower Turbo inline six-cylinder engine.
The X3 M40i Offers Supra Power For A Lot Less Cash
When new, the BMW X3 M40i and the 3.0-liter turbocharged GR Supra had similar pricing, in the $50,000 range. But now the two cars command different prices on the secondhand market. You’ll be lucky to find a 3.0-liter Supra from 2020 for much less than $50,000, with a few cars sitting around the $45,000 mark. Prices for the X3 M40i of the same year sit around the $30,000 area, with some higher mileage cars going for just a little over $20,000.
Of course, they are different markets, different specs, and very different cars, but they still share a lot of mechanicals. Chances are that the A90 Supra will continue to win fans and develop a cult following, while everyday SUVs tend to get replaced and slightly forgotten. This could mean that good X3 M40is will continue to become even more affordable. With such a potent, iconic engine and true sleeper looks, the M40i is a car that demands respect, whether on the used car lot or pulled up next to you at a stoplight.
Sources: Hagerty.com
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