Photo: Sam CarLegion on YouTube
Who's faster in a quarter-mile drag race: a stock Toyota GR Supra or a slightly modified Nissan Z? As you might expect, the answer is Toyota.
But first, let’s get to know the contenders, starting with the blue-painted Supra. Pictured at the Dunnville Autodrome in Ontario, the BMW-powered sports car uses an 8-hp ZF Friedrichshafen torque converter automatic and BMW-spec Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.
The single-turbo B58 engine is good for 382 horsepower and 368 pound-feet (499 Nm) of torque on paper, but in the real world, everyone and their dog knows it makes a little more. BMW is also conservative with the crankshaft ratings of the M-exclusive S58 twin-turbo I6 and S68 twin-turbo V8.
Sam CarLegion says the GR Supra 3.0 weighs 3,343 pounds or 1,516 kilograms with the automatic transmission, while the Nissan Z is rated at 3,507 pounds or 1,590 kilograms. The weight difference between them obviously favors the Supra, and there's also the matter of peak torque and peak torque band.
The Yota develops 368 lb-ft between 1,800 and 5,000 rpm, versus the heavier Z's 350 lb-ft (475 Nm) between 1,600 and 5,200 rpm. As for light modifications, the Nissan sports a better intake system (from Z1 Motorsports) and much better tires (Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S versus the factory Bridgestone Potenza S007 tires).
Photo: Sam CarLegion on YouTube
The Pilot Sport 4 S can be thought of as the successor to the Pilot Super Sport, with the PS4S boasting an improved tread design and rubber compound for both dry and wet driving conditions. However, it should be noted that the Supra’s Pilot Super Sport tires were modified by Michelin specifically for this application and the BMW Z4.
Sam CarLegion previously recorded bests of 4.3 seconds to 60 mph and 12.9 seconds in the quarter with the stock Z, while the modified Z in the video below improved to 4.1 and 12.7 seconds. That’s a big difference just from the tires and intake, that’s for sure! However, it sadly couldn’t keep up with the Toyota GR Supra.
The owner clocked 4.0 seconds flat and 12.4 seconds, respectively. Needless to say, 0.3 seconds is a long time, and you can be sure the Supra didn’t flinch in rolling that Z into submission. Whether it was a manual shift from second to a fully automatic, the ‘Yota made easy work of the modified Z.
Available with a six-speed manual transmission or a Mercedes-based automatic with nine advanced ratios, the Z starts at $42,970 for the 2024 model year. Its 400-horsepower V6 increases to 420 in NISMO spec. As for the Supra with the inline-six engine, that would be $56,250 with the eight-speed manual or automatic transmission.
