New Toyota GR Supra is one for the purists

General Guides  New Launches 

After recently telling you about the Toyota GR86 you can't have because it sold out in 90 minutes, we can now tell you about a tuned Toyota you might be able to get your hands on. If you're a bit of a driving purist you might want to think about leasing the new manual version of the Toyota GR Supra.

Since launch, Toyota has offered the GR Supra with a straight-six 335bhp, 3.0-litre engine matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission. A year later a new 254bhp, 2.0-litre engine was added to the range, again with automatic transmission as standard.

So, this isn't a new car as such, it's more of a case of Toyota listening to its customers and confirming that a new GR Supra with six-speed intelligent manual transmission will be introduced soon.

This isn't a quick fix of bolting in an existing gearbox either. A new transmission, including a new clutch, has been engineered specifically to suit the 3.0-litre engine. At the same time, braking control systems and suspension have been retuned for even better performance. Toyota even fiddled around with the centre console design to make sure the manual gear lever is optimally placed for quick changes.

There will be two manual versions: the 3.0-litre Pro and the standard 3.0-litre joining the line up very soon. Both feature the same six-speed manual gearbox, and both feature lots of other little tweaks to ensure the perfect performance.

Losing the automatic transmission and adding new alloy wheels also knocks around 40kg off the weight of the standard car, and that makes a big difference to both performance and handling too.

As well as the improvements to the suspension and steering, and the alterations to the centre console the GR Supra's traction control system has also been optimised for manual transmission.

That's allowed the addition of a new Hairpin+ feature that allows a bit more wheel spin – and significantly more fun - when climbing twisting mountain passes. There are also upgrades to the stability control systems, and another little tweak to the software means Track mode has now been tuned to allow for easy drifting when you get the GR Supra out on track.

So, if you fancy a car that you can commute in five days a week and then tear around with your pants on fire at weekends, look no further.

In the UK, the 2.0-litre Pro automatic will still be the entry-level GR Supra model, alongside the 3.0-litre Pro automatic. The 3.0-litre manual is expected to be the most popular GR Supra version, with the 3.0-litre Pro manual and automatic models sitting at the top of the range.

Full pricing and release dates are yet to be revealed, but as soon as Toyota makes that announcement you might want to be ready to give us a call to lease your own GR Supra.

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