A little while back, I had the chance to test drive the 2020 Toyota Supra 3.0T, the pre-update model. While it wasn’t the newest model at the time, with the slightly updated suspension and engine, it was still great to see what both Toyota and BMW were able to come up with for the newest generation of a legendary sports car. Admittedly, the Supra is about 85-percent BMW Z4, so it’s not exactly the legendary sports car that its predecessors were. That said, I was still excited to drive it and I’m still happy it exists.

It doesn’t hurt that the Supra is flat-out stunning in person, especially in my test car’s Nitro Yellow paint. I don’t know if “gorgeous” or “beautiful” are the right adjectives for the Supra, as I’m not quite sure it’s a pretty car in the manner that a Jaguar F-Type is. However, there’s something so magnetic about its incredible styling; it just sucks you in and you can’t avert your eyes. There are lines and curves everywhere, like a typical Japanese sports car, as it looks both incredibly aggressive and elegant. What’s also fascinating is that, despite not looking anything like any previous generation Supra, it’s instantly recognizable as one.

Once on the road and one the move, the Toyota Supra feels a lot like the BMW Z4. In fact, my first thought was “this is a BMW Z4 Coupe”. While that feeling doesn’t necessarily ever leave, there is a bit more of a fun-factor to the Supra than the Z4. Its suspension is a bit firmer, but never stiff, and it feels as if its turn-in is a bit sharper, giving it a dartier feeling. It still feels fundamentally like a Z4, just one with slightly faster reflexes.

That’s both good and bad. It’s objectively a good sports car; it’s quick, capable and fun to drive; and that’s largely due to its Z4 underpinnings. However, it lacks the sort of unique Japanese feel that you get from, say, a Lexus LC500, which also comes from Toyota. Having said that, I like that the Toyota Supra exists. It might not be the car we all hoped it would be but I’m happy it’s here and the world is better off with the Supra in it.