Stepping into the Supra undoubtedly feels special. The seating position is low-slung, with a fantastic view out through the low windscreen line and over a long, curvaceous bonnet. It feels like you’re sitting over the rear axle too, which is always an interesting attribute, while quality levels feel high.
It doesn’t half feel gloomy though. If the Supra is a Japanese car with BMW underpinnings, built in Austria, then its interior design sensibilities are American – specifically 1920s-era Henry Ford. Black is your only choice here, and with those small windows means there’s not a lot of natural light in here.
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It’s not long before you start playing ‘spot the BMW bits’ either. The steering wheel looks like one of BMW’s older designs, the gear selector is very obviously a BMW-sourced component, and the minor switchgear and central infotainment screen are straight out of the parts bin too. Even Toyota’s stalwart 1980s-style LCD clock is nowhere to be found…
The overall shape of the dashboard is pleasing enough though, and the instrument cluster is more unique. We’ve found its tachometer needle a little difficult to see, but otherwise it’s all clear enough. The seats are great too, both supportive (particularly in the standard car with grippy Alcantara) and comfortable.
Because the tech is BMW-sourced though, there’s very little to complain about here. The iDrive-style controller is effective, the shortcut buttons useful, and the menus easy to navigate. For that matter, the physical controls for the heating and ventilation are similarly useful.
