While news outlets everywhere are praising the 2021 Toyota Supra for its updated powertrain and improved performance, Europeans are stuck looking in from the sidelines. Due to the ever-increasing and near-impossible to hit emissions regulations, Toyota is being forced to withhold all the updates that just made the 2021 Supra that much better here in the States. What can we say, Euro 6 emissions regulations are a real bitch when it comes to getting cool, fast cars.

The 2021 Toyota Supra’s Performance Hike is a U.S.-Only Affair

The 2021 Toyota Supra is the recipient of a new turbocharger m revised pistons, updated exhaust, and a few other goodies that boost its power output up to 387 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque – a 37 pony and three pound-foot increase over the 2020 model. At four pounds heavier for 2021, it’s also two-tenths of a second faster to 60 mph, now making the sprint in 3.9 seconds as opposed to 4.1. Unfortunately, this is an American affair because Euro 6 emissions standards effectively make it impossible for Toyota to make the same modifications without taking a significant hit.

In fairness, the BMW Z4 M40i is also in the same boat, sharing its power cap of 340 horsepower with the Supra – at least until emissions regulations require both companies to make things even worse. Remember what happened back in the 70s and 80s in the U.S. when muscle cars became turds over the very same ideals? Welcome to the new war on cool cars, I guess.

Of course, as things sit now, the Toyota Supra isn’t exactly a slouch. It’s able to sprint to 62 mph anywhere in Europe in 4.3 seconds and tops out at 155 mph in typical Euro-limited fashion. On top of that, it matches the competition in Europe pretty well too. When you put it up against, say, the Porsche 718 Cayman, the Audi TT, or the now-discontinued Alfa Romeo 4C, the Supra, even at 340 horsepower, can hold its own. In the States, a power increase was much more necessary as it has to compete with models like the Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, and Dodge Charger – all of which can be had with powerful V-8s.

Either way, the fact of the matter is that the European market won’t have access to the updated Supra. How does that make you feel?