BMW powertrain opens Japan’s latest sports car up to top German tuner
AC Schnitzer is intrinsically linked with BMW, so it doesn’t take a great leap of imagination to see why the German tuner has turned its attention to the Toyota GR Supra.
While Japanese tuning firms have been working on their own variants of the Supra for months, the Supra’s BMW componentry means the market has been opened up to firms like Schnitzer too, providing an even wider breadth of parts for the platform.
Schnitzer has focused on improving the already plentiful performance, and taken the opportunity to further beef up the sports car’s styling with an aero kit and alloy wheels, with suspension upgrades also available to tighten up the Supra’s handling.
A performance upgrade lifts the Supra’s output from 335bhp to 394bhp, with torque increasing by 74lb ft to 443lb ft overall. No straight-line figures are quoted, but it’s fair to assume a small improvement on the Supra’s healthy 4.3-second 0-100kph time. The company notes that its performance upgrade is warranted for 36 months too, which should give buyers peace of mind.
Toyota has already tuned the Supra’s exhaust note to let the straight-six BMW motor sing, but Schnitzer goes a step further, offering a twin-exit sports rear silencer that fully complies with the engine’s petrol particulate filters. The tailpipe tips are available in carbon or black anodised stainless steel.
An RS coilover suspension setup allows for both height adjustment and damper compression and rebound tweaks, with Schnitzer promising not just an improvement in handling but also good comfort – hopefully retaining some of the standard car’s pliancy in this area.
Two 20-inch wheel options may still give the ride a firmer edge (19 inches are the largest diameter available from the factory) but combined with a body styling package contribute to a sharper look in Schnitzer spec. A racing-style carbon rear wing is available, either with or without a Gurney flap, while a front splitter contributes to the front-end aero, and both integrate well with the Supra’s existing front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser.
The bonnet sports some carbonfibre air vents, helping break up the Supra’s large expanse of bonnet and allowing for some extra ventilation, while inside AC Schnitzer will jazz up the cabin with aluminium gearshift paddles, a pedal set with footrest, and Schnitzer’s unique cover for the BMW-sourced iDrive controller.
This article originally appeared at evo.co.uk
Copyright © evo UK, Dennis Publishing
