The current Toyota Supra, BMW Z4, and M2 have one important thing in common: they’re all BMWs under the skin, and therefore share theoretically similar underpinnings and drivetrains. Sure, some of the engines are slightly different, but they all originate from the same lineage, and are all comparably-powerful turbocharged inline sixes. Each model looks very different, but one doesn’t have to look particularly hard to find parts commonality—and perhaps driving experience commonality—between them.
On the same coin, these three cars are also remarkably different, as there are a myriad of ways automakers can tweak something as seemingly innocuous as bushing density to produce differing outcomes. Which car is for who, though? Is the current BMW-based Supra a worthy successor to one of the most legendary modern classics out there, the fourth-generation Supra? Where does the soft top G29 Z4 slot in, and what about the M2 CS, with its 444 horsepower and manual transmission? We’ve asked a few similar questions on this site before, but there’s no substitute for a back-to-back comparison of all three. Badge engineering dates back to the genesis of the automobile, but is that really what’s going between these three cars?
In a recent video for Hagerty’s YouTube channel, veteran auto journalist and BMW devotee Jason Cammisa drives all three around Willow Springs to see how they all stack up, and which one is a true successor to one of the most lusted-after cars in a generation. Whether or not you’re in the market for a G29 Z4, Toyota Supra, or M2 CS, the video below features great production value and is an exhilarating way to get an expert opinion on each.—Alex Tock
[Photos and video courtesy BMW AG, Hagerty.]
