It's more complicated than that. Look at the the G37, there is virtually no difference in braking between the BBK S and sliding caliper Journey and the S gets more aggressive tires. Pad composition, and thus noise and brake dust are all considerations the manufacturer has to balance. Brake feel and caliper flex, absolutely, number of pistons matter. It would be interesting to track down the total pad contact area. I was surprised how small the pads were in the Akebono brakes.

 

Been on a Golf R/S3 kick the past couple of days and it had me thinking, would it be such a bad idea to get a 2015 Golf R here in a few years for a good price, then go stage 2 right away? All in all, it would be the same price territory as some of the cars I've been eyeing, if not cheaper. It's just hard to ignore how easy it is to squeeze power out of those things, all the while being a practical daily. Started to consider this idea more after I found a reputable VW tuner about an hour away in Joplin. Would you choose a stock 2016 Camaro 2SS or stage 2 2015 Golf R?

 

Golf R hands down. I would even pick a GTI.

 

You don't necessarily need to go the tuner route. Piggyback units like the JB4 can add 45-100 horsepower depending on mods. There is, of course, APR (which isn't the aftermarket leader anymore), the Cobb AP, and a couple other tuning platforms. DSG cars can easily handle the extra power, 6MT cars will most likely need a clutch upgrade, even at stage 1, although there are 'clutch saver' maps that only ramp up boost above 4K.

If the infotainment system is of importance, research the different versions, as there are 3, each one increasingly faster and more user friendly.

Mute the volume before watching, because the music is horrific, but here is a 0-60 comparison on a 6MT R stock vs stage 1:


Pretty impressive for $425 and warranty friendly.....

VS a Camaro SS? Daily driver? Golf R or S3. Weekend or toy car? Camaro SS.

 

That's a strange comparison to make and one that is difficult to compare. About the best I could do was Car and Driver tested a G37 coupe Sport in 2008 that stopped from 70 in 164 ft. In 2009 they tested a non-Sport that stopped from 70 in 175 ft. The more pistons you have, the more bite the brakes have and usually the larger the pad/surface area too. You also mentioned another important factor, the caliper flex and brake feel. So yes, I would prefer bigger calipers and bigger rotors.

Both good choices. If you want a track car and can give up some practicality, get a Camaro SS 1LE. If you need practicality, want AWD and nicer fit and finish, and like the kick of a turbo, then get the Golf R.

 

So the new supra was unveiled. 335hp & starting $49k for the 3.0t model.

3400 lbs
50/50 weight distribution
8 speed zf only
shorter wheel base than the current scion frs/toyota 86
275 rear tires, 255 fronts.

I see this car having great potential in making lots of power. The b58 motor is already in current bmws and have available turbo upgrades.

I was asking about a 2012+ 335i a few weeks ago but now i think I'll wait a few years for the new supra to depreciate a bit in value.

Crossing my fingers maybe by 2025 a used 2020 model will be $30k.

 

$49k until the dealers mark them up by $20k. I have a feeling that's going to impact the resale value 3 years down the road as well.

In related news, the 2020 GT500 was unveiled. Looks pretty good IMO.

 

Am I the only person disappointed by the Supra? It's been what, 20 years, and we get a tarted up Z4 clone

 

The new Supra does absolutely nothing for me. I look at it the same way as I looked at the 4th Gen, with ho-hum disinterest, performance be damned.

The 3rd Gen Supra, however... quarter century later, and it still makes me catch my breath with its timeless design. This is one of those cars I occasionally find myself trolling for online.

 

Weird that they market the new Supra as the ultimate drivers car but yet no manual option. Even if the manual is slower, I'd want the full experience of blasting through the gears during a pull or downshifting while canyon carving.

I'm sure it'll be a great car but no manual is a meh. Don't see anyone really buying one as a daily so why not offer a manual. And that starting price yikes. That's creeping on Cayman and M2 money ranges.

 

Gorgeous car

Somewhere in my man cave, I have a brochure from the 1988 Toyota Supra. I wonder if there is a picture in there I could frame and hang up......

 

No way it sells for the 49k price tag either. This thing is going to go for over $70k easily and be garage queens for most owners. It'll resurface once the production stops for a cool $100k+

Ugly car + BMW drivetrain...This thing isn't the Ferrari smoking machine of my beloved F&F 1.

They should've went with a different name designation but I guess you can't cash in on that sweet nostalgic name then.

 

I was just looking at the alfa romeo stelvio for the wife. I can choose between 3 brake caliper colors, 5 interior colors,1 of them in red. And 12 exterior colors.
I think that's unique for a car under 50k.

 

All of you talking about the Supra being marked up by dealerships may be right, but look at the 2017 Civic Type-R. When that thing was released it was marked up exponentially.

Now you can find a used 2017 Civic Type-R for $36k.

Prices will drop in time. I'm not one to buy a car when it newly releases. I let it depreciate for 3-4 years before considering buying one. I prefer my cars slightly used and 1-owner.

As long as this Supra isn't a limited production run I can see the 2020 models dropping to low $30k by the year 2025.

full bolt ons and tune it will probably be close to 400whp.

Turbo swap, full bolt ons & tune that thing will be in the 500-600whp territory.

400whp in a 3,400lb car with a shorter wheelbase than the Scion FRS/BRZ/GT86 sounds fun to me.

Also you guys must have forgotten the old 1993-2002 Supra Turbo had a MSRP of $40k.... Nearly 20 years later taking account for inflation + updated technology and features and the new msrp is only $9k more isn't a huge surprise.

Keep in mind that the 2020 Z4 has a msrp of $65k and it has the same drivetrain but makes slightly more power stock...

 

I guess I'm the odd man out - I think the new Supra looks pretty dang good. It's like a leaner, quicker, more nimble version of the RC-F. I bet it'll be easily tunable too.