Which Toyota has a BMW engine?
The Toyota GR Supra is the notable model that uses BMW engines. In the current generation, Toyota relies on two BMW-sourced powertrains in the Supra: a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 and a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6.
Developed through a formal collaboration with BMW, the GR Supra shares its platform with BMW's Z4 and uses engines built by BMW, with Toyota tuning and electronics to shape the driving experience.
GR Supra: a product of Toyota–BMW collaboration
Explaining the collaboration helps readers understand why a Toyota sports car carries a BMW engine and platform. The two companies co-developed the sports car platform and the powertrains to deliver a responsive driving experience that neither could easily achieve alone.
Two engine options used in the GR Supra
Below are the BMW-sourced powertrains that have powered the GR Supra since its launch.
- 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (BMW B48) used in the GR Supra 2.0 model; produced by BMW and integrated with Toyota’s tuning and electronics.
- 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 (BMW B58) used in the GR Supra 3.0 and higher-performance variants; produced by BMW with Toyota calibrations for performance characteristics.
In short, Toyota's vehicles with direct BMW engines are limited to the GR Supra line, reflecting a unique partnership rather than a broader cross-brand engine strategy.
How the partnership shaped Toyota’s sports-car strategy
The collaboration with BMW has been a strategic move for Toyota to bring a modern, performance-oriented driving experience to its lineup while sharing development costs with a well-established engine builder. The GR Supra's joint engineering also extends to the transmission and chassis tuning, resulting in a balanced package that appeals to enthusiasts who value drivetrain precision.
- Shared platform with BMW: The GR Supra and BMW Z4 use near-identical underpinnings, allowing both cars to benefit from BMW's engineering and supply chain.
- BMW-built engines: The two engines in the Supra family are designed and manufactured by BMW (B48 inline-4 and B58 inline-6), with Toyota concentrating on tuning, electronics, and infotainment integration.
- Production collaboration: The Supra is assembled in Magna Steyr's facility in Graz, Austria, alongside the BMW Z4, underscoring the joint venture's physical reality.
The result is a Toyota model that leverages BMW's engineering prowess while preserving Toyota's approach to balance, reliability, and daily usability.
Summary
In the end, the Toyota model most associated with a BMW engine is the GR Supra, which uses two BMW-sourced turbocharged engines and shares its platform with the BMW Z4 as a product of a collaborative venture between Toyota and BMW. This partnership demonstrates how cross-brand cooperation can produce a sports car that benefits from both companies' strengths.
Which Toyota uses BMW engines?
Supra
The Supra is powered by two BMW-sourced engine options: a turbocharged B48 2.0-litre inline-four or a turbocharged B58 3.0-litre inline-six. The 2.0-litre engine was initially offered in Japan, some Asian countries and Europe; the United States received the engine in 2020 for the 2021 model year.
Why does Toyota Supra have a BMW engine?
The Toyota GR Supra has a BMW engine because the two companies collaborated on the project, and Toyota, lacking its own modern inline-six engine, decided to leverage BMW's powerful and established B58 engine instead of developing one from scratch to save costs and time. Toyota and BMW jointly developed the car and its platform, and while they used BMW's engine, Toyota had significant input in its tuning and software for the Supra.
Reasons for the partnership
- Cost and time savings: Developing a new engine platform is extremely expensive and time-consuming. By partnering with BMW, Toyota avoided the costs associated with creating a new inline-six from the ground up.
- Customer demand: Toyota's market research indicated that customers wanted a new Supra to feature an inline-six engine, a staple of the Supra's history. Using BMW's engine allowed them to deliver this without the development cost and delay.
- Shared platform: The Supra and BMW's Z4 share a co-developed platform and were built in the same factory, allowing for further cost efficiencies through shared components and manufacturing.
- Corporate exchange: The partnership was a result of a corporate exchange where BMW gained access to Toyota's hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell technology (from the Mirai) in exchange for the engine and platform for the Supra.
How Toyota adapted the engine
- Toyota did not simply use a BMW engine out of the box.
- Toyota engineers had significant input into the engine's design and software, fine-tuning it to meet the Supra's specific performance goals.
- The Supra's B58 engine has a slightly different configuration (such as integrating the exhaust manifold into the cylinder head) and compression ratio compared to the one in the BMW Z4.
Which car brand uses BMW engines?
BMW B58 3.0L Turbo Inline-six
A Toyota car with a BMW engine might've been controversial when it came out, but it has grown to be a much-loved sports car.
Does the Toyota RAV4 have a BMW engine?
The RAV4 is the latest to benefit from a BMW diesel engine transplant, this time with a 2.0 litre turbo-diesel engine. This engine is more powerful than the previous Toyota version and also cleaner.
