Supra's revival is Toyota's spin on German engineering

In today's world of rationalized product lines with optimized bills-of-material sharing for maximum scale, the corporate case for low-volume sports cars is tricky. A desire to return its Supra (last produced in 2002) to production led Toyota to partner with BMW, sharing the CLAR architecture, underpinnings and drivetrain from that company's latest (G29) Z4 roadster and contracting assembly to Magna Styr's Graz, Austria plant.

It makes for a strong example of the benefits of global markets, as this arrangement lets Toyota return a flagship sports car to showrooms. It even features an inline 6-cylinder engine, which was a hallmark of earlier Supras. But all this sharing of parts leaves fans wondering whether the 2020 Supra is a real Toyota, or just a BMW in disguise.