Legendary cars BMW Z4 and Toyota Supra look different but are the same underneath with advanced tech and high-powered engines

WE are taught from an early age that “sharing is caring”.

It starts with toys, sweets and bath water — then, later in life, it eventually leads to wife-swapping.

Well, that’s what I read on Dear Deidre.

What you may not know is that sharing is pretty commonplace in the car world too.

And by that I mean equipment, not throwing your keys in a bowl. Many cars and vans have the same bones to keep costs down.

The Citroen C1 is a Toyota Aygo is a Peugeot 108, much like the Vauxhall Vivaro is a Renault Trafic and the Fiat Fullback is a Mitsubishi L200.

As for little sports cars, the Toyota GT86 is a Subaru BRZ and the Fiat 124 Spider is a Mazda MX-5 in drag.

Now let’s applaud BMW and Toyota for playing nicely together because 2019 will see the return of two legends . . . the BMW Z4 and Toyota Supra.

The Z4 is a drop-top, the Supra isn’t, so they’ll look quite different. But under the skin they will use identical BMW engines and hardware.

I haven’t got near a Supra yet — it’s not unveiled until January — but I can tell you the third-gen Z4 is an absolute peach.

Faster than a standard M2, dripping in tech, lush, loud — and all the while, you’re roof-down juicing up on vitamin D.

This isn’t a car you really need, my friend, but you’ll want one all the same.

For the record, the turbocharged 3-litre straight-six in the M40i sends 340hp to the rear wheels via an eight-speed paddle-shift gearbox and bangs out 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds. That’s Porsche Boxster S territory but six grand cheaper. In truth, speed is the easy bit. What impresses most is the balance.

BMW has widened the front track, shortened the wheelbase, lowered the centre of gravity, reduced weight, given it perfect 50:50 weight distribution and added adaptive M Sport suspension to smooth body-roll and pitching and sharpened turn-in.

There is also a Traction mode that widens the wheel slip in low and mid-speed corners. In other words, oversteer. That’s a lot of fun. You can play with it without getting punished.

Or you can switch everything off, as in crashy-slidey-off, if you’ve got the cojones.

Tip. You could always save yourself nine grand and get the 2-litre, four-cylinder sDrive30i at £40,000. That has more than enough power at 258hp and, being lighter, will be even more nimble on a twisty road. That’s just physics. But it hasn’t got the M Sport kit.

Last observation. The Z4 cabin has the same advanced tech as the new 8 Series — at half the price.

That means head-up display, digital instrument display, stop-go adaptive cruise control, reverse assist, over-the-air software updates and so on.

As for looks, that’s your department. But I promise you one thing.

Put the keys in the bowl on Friday night and you’ll be the first one upstairs.

DON’T KNOCK IT ON THE Z YET

NISSAN introduced the 370Z in 2009. Ten years ago. Enough time, then, for little Yoshihiko to start primary school and finish secondary school.

Which means the next Z car is long overdue.

Will Nissan finally indulge us next year, 50 years on from the very first Z car, the Datsun 240Z?

Let’s hope so.

Because we’re not ready to drown in a dreary vat of eco-porridge just yet.

No, sir. Balls to that. We demand one last simple, naturally-aspirated, tail-happy, rear-drive, manual sports coupe for the people.

Just like the 240Z from all those years ago and continued by the 260Z, 280Z, 300Z, 350Z and 370Z.

The six-cylinder 240Z you see here cost £2,000 new in 1971. That’s £29,000 in today’s money, the same price as a 370Z.

It’s fast, handsome and extremely rare – mostly because the others were eaten by tin worm (rust).

There’s only 226 UK survivors and they’re fetching up to £35,000 on the t’interweb.

Give it a bit of choke from cold (ask your parents) but once it is warmed up it is a joy to behold. And that skinny steering wheel. Oh yes.

As for the 370Z, that is also fast and rorty and has just been updated with a sports clutch and Nismo wheels. But it is getting long in the tooth now. It needs to be pensioned off and replaced by a new Z.

Come on, Nissan. We buy the Leaf. Play fair.

MIGHTY MUSSO’S PULLING POWER

YOU might have seen the ad with a rhino squaring up to a pick-up truck.

It has the tagline: “The new Musso. Korean for rhino.”

Which it is.

But what SsangYong should have done is show a Musso pulling one, two, THREE fully grown rhinos on a trailer. With a FOURTH sat in the load bed.

Because that’s how strong this thing is.

It is the only pick-up that can tow 3.5 tonnes and carry a one-tonne payload at the same time. That’s a 6.75 gross train weight.

Now, that’s sure to impress Britain’s grafters. Almost as much as the price.

The Musso starts at a bargain-bucket £19,995 excluding VAT and all versions are powered by a 2.2-litre turbo diesel with selectable 4×4, high/low ratios, good clearance and hill descent control.

The double cab is big, surprisingly comfy and loaded with kit. This mid-spec Rebel had phone-mirroring touchscreen, hot/cold ventilated seats and a heated steering wheel. Yes, really. You big softies.

It’s basically the front half of a Rexton SUV and the back end of a pick-up truck.

Now, there is a problem. The ride quality is crude – and SsangYong knows it.

That’s why it arrived with ten bags of sand in the back to calm the rear-axle hop.

Other irritations. No footrest. No third brake light. Naff cupholder ashtray.

But all that’s low-priority for a pick-up, it must be said.

If you are looking for strength, value and a seven-year warranty, start here.

Win

NOW Bonfire Night has been and gone, I’ll happily mention the C-word. Christmas.

Put this £225 Tamiya R/C car on your Santa list. Better still, WIN it. To enter my free draw for this Toyota Yaris WRC self-assembly kit, and tag a friend by 6pm on Sunday. Note: This is proper. It’s 4WD and can do 20mph.

For ages 10+. Winner chosen at random.

Go

CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW – tomorrow until Sunday, Birmingham NEC.

More than 3,000 classic cars, autojumble, auction, dream rides, live restoration. Day tickets from £26.50.