The response towards Toyota’s release of the 2020 Supra has seemed to be a let down to the die hard fans. The response to the beloved tuner car of the past 20+ years is important for a few profound reasons. Whether it be the likeness of the BMW Z4 in mind, body and soul, or just the fact that the spirit of the Supra seems to have evaded them entirely- We understand the heartbreak. This got us to thinking, if Toyota didn’t want to reproduce the 2JZ, why not go with what the tuner and performance world has been calling the “German 2JZ” for years and use the N54 instead of the new B58? We have lots of questions, but we won’t squander on them. Instead we’ve analyzed the Toyota Supra Engine and compared another three top-notch motors that could’ve done the new Supra some justice.
In early 2019 rumors about a new Supra where starting to catch like wildfire. The main question being, “Will Toyota bring back the 2JZ?” you know, that famous Fast and Furious one liner, “2JZ- No S***!”. This motor came in the Mark 4 Supra and became a petrol head favorite almost right away. The top of the line performance 2JZ came in the Mark 4 Supra and was named the 2JZ-GTE. It is a twin turbo, inline-six, 3.0-liter, with 325 horsepower at 4800 rpm. and had torque of 324 ft/lbs at 4800 rpm. Moreover, this motor is easily modified, tuned and holds a significant amount of power. The 2JZ really put the tuning world of the mid 90’s and early 00’s on the map.
The 2020 Supra released with the BMW Z4 B58 motor. Toyota decided to go with this power plant as they have taken a step out of the performance ring to focus on passenger cars. Much to the dismay of the purists, they decided that developing their own in-line 6 for a less produced car would be a financial back step. It is heartbreaking that the heart of the Supra is not Toyota. But, we are happy they honor the 2JZ platform and utilize an in-line six 3.0 liter with twin turbo power. However, you do not get the option for a manual gearbox.
We continue to wonder why they didn’t chose the infamous “German 2JZ”, the BMW N54. Here are the comparisons between the 3 motors. We’ll let you be the judge:
Toyota produced 2JZ between 1991-2002. It varied between production street and performance applications. The top of the line performance 2JZ came in the Mark 4 Supra and was named the 2JZ-GTE. It is a twin turbo, inline-six, and 3.0-liter. The 2JZ had a 325 horsepower at 4800 rpm and a torque of 324 lb-ft at 4800 rpm. It is hailed as the tuner king because of its ability to take so well to performance modifications and tuning. To this day, 2JZ continues to be a sought after motor. It is swapped into everything from Volvo’s to Porsches to Pro Formula Drift cars.
Furthermore, the N54 debuted in 2006 in the 335i model of the E90/E91/E92/E93 3 Series range. It debuted as a twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six making 340 horsepower at the crank and almost 332 ft/lbs of torque. While the 300 horsepower peaks at 5800 rpm, the torque remains at 295 ft/lbs, from 1300 to 5000 rpm. The N54 is the “German 2JZ” because of its likeness in power and most notably its popularity for performance modifications and tuning. It is still on a system that will allow modifications and tuning, unlike its current predecessor the B58.
The B58 engine makes 335 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 365 ft/lbs of torque at 1,600 rpm. The B58 comes out of the 2020 BMW Z4 which will get the 382 hp version of the engine. This makes the same 365 ft/lbs of torque, and at a cheaper price than the new Supra. Just a fun fact. The B58 currently comes with an automatic 8 speed transmission, which makes swapping a manual gearbox in the new Supra a difficult and expensive task.
Between all 3 platforms, we think the closest similarity is between the 2JZ-GTE and the N54. Both of these motors take very well to bolt-ons, modifications, turbo swaps and tuning. Both of these models also came in manual options. Between the likeness in the platforms, power comparison, upgrade options, ability to tune, and the option for a manual Supra in 2020, we think the N54 is what Toyota and BMW should have opted for in the 2020 Supra. Hell, it might have made the price and availability for the new Supra a little easier for us too!
- What are your opinions on the new Supra and the N54?
- What is your opinion on the N54 as the “German 2JZ”?
Let us know below!