‘Top Gear’ host defends controversial resurgence of 'The Fast and the Furious' car
Top Gear’s Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness got into a spirited debate over the 2020 Toyota Supra, which just returned to the international market for the first time since 2002. Controversy has surrounded the resurgence of the legendary nameplate because the new Supra shares an engine, transmission, and interior with the new BMW Z4.
The previous fourth-generation Supra is among the most coveted Japanese sports cars. In fact one with almost 70,000 miles on it just sold for a whopping $176,000, which isn’t bad considering it was about $40,000 when new. One of the main reasons for the cars popularity is that the 2JZ engine can withstand a massive amount of aftermarket turbo boost.
Another big reason for the popularity is because actor Paul Walker drove one in the original The Fast and the Furious. This film not only launched one of the most successful movie franchises in history, it also helped launch the foreign tuner market in the U.S.
So with all the pedigree of the Supra, many were disappointed that Toyota chose to heavily outsource components from BMW. “It's like finding out that Charles Dickens wants to write the best book ever, and he phones up Emily Bront? and says, ‘Can you do this and then just send me the manuscript afterwards?’” said Chris Harris, adding,”It's wrong.”
But Paddy McGuinness made a strong argument, saying, “Can you imagine Charles Dickens and Emily Bront? writing a book together? It's a bestseller, Chris.” Harris ultimately agreed that the car is good and worthy of the $50,000 starting price. But he also insists that it is not a proper Supra with all those BMW parts.
Top Gear airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on BBC America.
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