BMW Vows to Differentiate Z4 From Toyota Twin

BMW AG says its next-generation Z4 sports car will be “absolutely unique” in terms of design and driving characteristics from Toyota Motor Corp.’s Supra, with which it will share a platform.

The jointly developed architecture provides some economies of scale in the low-volume roadster market, Marc Werner, the head of BMW's Australian division, tells CarAdvice.

Otherwise, he notes, it would be difficult to recoup product development costs that likely would have been several billion dollars for each company.

Werner vows that the Z4 and Supra will look much less alike than the Toyota 86 sports coupe and its Subaru BRZ twin. Unlike the 86 and BRZ, which both are powered by Subaru’s 2.0-liter “boxer” 4-cylinder engine, the BMW and Toyota convertibles are expected to get different powertrains.

Based on recent spy photographs, the new Bimmer roadster will closely resemble the Z4 Concept unveiled this summer at the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach, Calif. The Supra is expected to be modeled after the carmaker’s stylish 2014 FT-1 concept.

The BMW model is expected to be introduced in 2018, which would put it a year ahead of the Supra’s launch.