FOR driving purists the world over, one of life's simplest pleasures is getting behind the wheel of a two-seater sports car while the sun is shining, with a full tank of fuel and no particular place to go.

And that's just what the Toyota GR Supra can bring to the mix.

In a day and age when car makers are looking to a cleaner future with vehicles powered by electricity and hybrid technology, it's a pure delight to get behind the wheel of something a bit different.

The Supra is in its fifth generation now but has only just been offered with Gazoo Racing (GR) technology.

Initially, it was on sale with a straight-six, 3.0-litre petrol engine but Toyota has introduced a four-cylinder 2.0-litre version for 2021, delivering 254bhp and 400Nm of torque, and that's the car we sampled.

Those figures translate into nice reading when it comes to performance with a 0-62mph sprint time of 5.2 seconds and maximum speed that's limited to 155mph.

The GR Supra costs £45,995 and according to official figures, under WLTP testing, can deliver a combined 38.7mpg with carbon emissions of 167g/km.

If you're thinking the pocket rocket Supra looks kind of familiar, then you wouldn't be wrong.

That's because this car is the result of a joint venture with BMW to help cut costs, and hence the striking resemblance to the Z4.

But Toyota has put its unique mark on the car with its very own styling traits and it is also only available as a hard-top coupe rather than a roadster like the Z4.

Viewed from any angle, the rear-wheel drive GR Supra is very easy on the eye with beautiful streamlining and a muscular, athletic stance. There are LED daytime running lights, twin exhaust pipes with chrome finishers, 18-inch alloy wheels and red brake calipers with the Supra logo.

Move inside and the cabin is snug, but there is ample space for a couple of tall adults to sit comfortably enough. The black Alcantara sports seats can be heated and there are sporty aluminium pedals and scuff plates.

The focal point is an 8.8-inch touchscreen display with DAB radio, Bluetooth and USB port to connect a smartphone for Apple CarPlay. There is the iDrive control system that will be familiar to any BMW fans to navigate the set-ups, but that's not a bad thing as it always works really efficiently.

When it comes to performance, the GR Supra is guaranteed to make you smile. Okay, so it's not the quietest or most refined vehicle you will ever come across, but it boasts raw power and the acceleration is blisteringly quick as the car fires through the eight-speed automatic gearbox.

The driver can take control of the gear changes via steering wheel paddles for added fun and there is a Sport mode that sharpens the dynamics up even further, but you will feel more bumps and dips in this setting.

It cruises at motorway speeds although you feel a tad vulnerable alongside huge juggernauts, but the car really comes alive as it hits the country lanes.

The road-holding is nice and confident, but it does tend to lose a little traction if cornering too hard on poorer road surfaces.

And it's also nimble and easy to manoeuvre through busier town centres where it attracts attention wherever it passes.

The cabin is also pretty well insulated against outside noise too which means you don't have to crank up the sound system to maximum levels to drown out the engine and road surface din or scream at your passenger to be heard.

Visibility is not brilliant as is the case with all two-seater coupes but there is a reversing camera with guidelines to help when parking. And the storage levels are fairly compact too with a boot capacity of 290 litres.

Safety features are comprehensive on the GR Supra with a pre-collision system with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure alert, with steering control, automatic high beam, road sign assist, sport braking system, active sports differential, adaptive variable suspension and emergency brake light signal.

All in all, the Toyota GR Supra is the perfect proof that there is still plenty of scope for enjoyment in our day-to-day driving⦠if allowed!