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It would seem Toyota has redeemed some cred with the Toyota Supra at SEMA 2021. As we all know, the brand caught a good deal of flak for bringing the Supra badge back with a BMW engine in it. However, perhaps a targa top model will soothe those wounds. Or perhaps those concerns are a little overblown in the first place.

The targa Toyota Supra of your F&F dreams

The front and rear of two new Toyota Supra Heritage models in white and red respectively, one a targa and one a coupe
Don’t go jumping onto any semi-trucks | Toyota

First, let’s be clear on one thing. This Supra isn’t “new,” at least not in the normal sense of the word. Instead, as is the spirit of SEMA 2021, this Supra is a modified version of the ones you can go buy off the showroom floor right now. That makes for an enticing future full of open-roof Supras, but more on that later. For now, we’ll focus on the modifications, of which there are plenty.

The majority of the mods to these Toyota Supra “Heritage Editions” are ones that hark back to the styling of the legendary MK4 Supra of Fast and Furious fame. Obviously, the biggest change is the lack of a roof, which should have made its appearance last year. C’est la Coronavirus. Then, of course, there’s the wing, taken right off an old Supra. There’s also retro four-dot tail lights and a different aero package on the front. Oh, and inboard suspension. Why not?

Does a Targa top a Supra make?

The front of two new Supra Heritage models in white and red respectively, made for SEMA 2021
The Supra Heritage edition gets special nostalgic cues | Toyota

As an aside, if these two Supras look familiar, that’s because the renderings made their rounds through the media a while back, but only just made it to the showroom floor at SEMA 2021. Regardless, this host of changes makes us question why this isn’t the Toyota Supra that rolled off the production line in the first place. Larger brakes, a lower, more aggressive stance, and those nice MK4 Supra nods sure make that BMW engine seem like less of an issue.

Sure, the obvious argument here is cost. Toyota was already wary of the profit margins on their joint BMW venture, and adding big changes like the inboard suspension would compromise the car’s usability and MSRP. But the wing? Anyone can bolt on a wing. At least give us that and the taillights, right?

SEMA 2021 makes up for last year

The Toyota Supra Heritage edition with Targa top in white and red, premiering at SEMA 2021
The Toyota Supra Heritage Edition was made for SEMA 2021 | Toyota

Thankfully, because this is SEMA, a lot of these parts, like the big brakes, wheels, and coilovers are available for purchase from Brembo, HRE, and Tien respectively. As for the targa top, we’ll have to hold our breath. That’s likely an option that’s simply too costly for Toyota unless demand proves especially rabid. While the new Supra may not be a driver’s masterpiece, at least it can be a nice slice of rose-tinted nostalgia in modern clothes for the rest of us.

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Chase Bierenkoven

Chase Bierenkoven has been obsessed with cars his whole life and now finds joy in sharing what he’s learned from his own daily drivers. Chase earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Criminology with a focus on legal studies from the Metropolitan State University of Denver and quickly became an automotive journalist. When he isn’t writing, Chase is either driving his passion project, a 2004 BMW M3 in Carbon Schwartz Metallic, or playing around Colorado’s terrain, mainly mountain biking and skiing.