THINGS ARE REALLY LOOKING up at Toyota, with more and more exciting vehicles being offered. The latest is Toyota’s hotly anticipated GR Supra sports car, reigniting a Toyota performance car heritage that stretches back to the 1967 2000GT.
The all-new Supra will spearhead Toyota’s new GAZOO Racing performance brand as its first global model that was developed in collaboration with the brand’s motorsports arm and offers the performance to provide a thrilling drive experience on the road or track.
Toyota Vice President Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley said the all new GR Supra used Toyota’s learnings from motorsport and applied them to a stylish sports coupe that would give customers a taste of Toyota’s true performance potential.
“The Supra has a long lineage in Toyota’s sports car heritage and while it’s been 17 years since the badge last graced a Toyota sports car, this all-new model offers the legendary performance traits of its predecessors and is very worthy of being the first global product under our GAZOO Racing brand,” Mr Hanley said.
“Under the GAZOO Racing brand, we will deliver a whole raft of sports and high performance cars that will offer technologies and ideas developed under extreme motorsport conditions to provide a whole new breed of exciting and fun-to-drive Toyota cars.
“With its straight six turbo engine, rear-drive configuration, low-slung compact dimensions and perfect 50/50 weight distribution, the GR Supra has been designed first and foremost as a driver’s car with no compromise.
“Priced from under $100,000, it also offers exceptional value rivalling far more expensive European sports cars with its truly engaging driving experience and high level of specification,” he said.
Powered by a 250kW/500Nm turbo 3.0-litre straight six, the GR Supra is offered in two grades priced from $84,900 for the Supra GT, with the top-of-the-range GTS variant starting at $94,900.
As Toyota’s new performance car hero, the Supra arrives with a long list of standard comfort, convenience and safety features and a vast array of performance hardware to deliver an outstanding driving experience (as you’d expect at the price).
Drive to the rear wheels is through a new quick-shifting, sports-tuned eight-speed automatic transmission with Normal and Sport modes and a launch control function that enables a 0-100km/h sprint in just 4.3 seconds.
To deliver outstanding handling and agile, dynamic driving characteristics, the GR Supra is fitted standard with an active limited slip differential and adaptive suspension.
Riding on 18-inch (GT) or 19-inch (GTS) wheels wrapped with specially developed Michelin rubber, the GR Supra features a low, wide stance and perfect 50/50 weight distribution to ensure the ultimate in traction, stability, responsiveness and balance for the road or track.
A comprehensive suite of driver assistance features includes active cruise control (ACC), front collision warning with brake function and daytime pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, lane departure alert, speed limit info (SLI) and active speed limiter.
Additional safety features include seven airbags, blind spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, rear view camera, front, clearance and rear parking sensors with rear end collision warning (RECW), and tyre pressure monitor.
The GR Supra’s interior marries a high level of features with a contemporary race-bred design.
Standard features include dual zone climate control; keyless smart entry and start; heated, eight-way electrically-adjustable leather-accented sports seats with lumbar support; a 10-speaker multimedia system incorporating Bluetooth connectivity, AM/FM/DAB+ radio, satellite navigation and voice recognition; and a wireless phone charger.
A step up into the GTS variant adds sports pedals, head-up display, and premium JBL audio system with 12 speakers.
The GR Supra GTS is also available with two exclusive options – Alcantara interior .rim and upholstery and a matte grey paint – each priced at $2500.
TOYOTA GR SUPRA MODEL BY MODEL
GR Supra GT
Mechanical
3.0-litre turbocharged direct injection petrol engine with eight-speed automatic transmission
Electronically-controlled limited slip differential
Adaptive front double-joint MacPherson strut and multilink rear suspension
Drive Mode Select with Normal/Sport and VSC-off modes
Rack and pinion steering with electric power assistance
Ventilated 4 piston front and ventilated, single piston rear disc brakes
Electric parking brake
Exterior
Auto LED headlights, taillights and daytime running lights
Adaptive high beam headlights
Rear LED fog lamps
Heated and folding electric exterior mirrors
Automatic rain-sensing windscreen wipers
18-inch machined alloy wheels with tyre repair kit
Dual stainless-steel tailpipes
Interior
Leather-accented, heated and 8-way power sports seats
Leather-accented three-spoke steering wheel with steering wheel controls
Tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment
8.8-inch Multi Information Display with digital speedometer
Carbon fibre-look trim
Electrochromatic rear view mirror
Safety
Front collision warning (AEB) with daytime pedestrian and cyclist detection
All-speed active cruise control
Lane departure alert with steering assist
Speed limit info
Front and rear parking and clearance sonars with rear-end collision warning
Speed limiter
ABS with brake assist, vehicle stability control, traction control, active cornering assist and brake standby, fade and drying functions
Blind spot monitor
Rear cross-traffic alert
Hill-start assist
Tyre pressure monitor
Seven airbags (driver and passenger front, front side, side curtain, driver knee)
Pop-up bonnet system
Reversing camera
Comfort and convenience
Dual zone climate control
Auto transmission paddle shifts
Keyless smart entry and start
Wireless phone charger
Front and rear 12-volt accessory sockets
USB power socket with input for infotainment
Infotainment / Multimedia
8.8-inch touchscreen display
Ten speakers
AM/FM/DAB+ radio
Bluetooth connectivity
Satellite navigation
Voice recognition
Supra GTS
(additional features over Supra GT)
Exterior
19-inch forged alloy wheels with tyre repair kit
Sports brakes with red brake calipers
Interior
Sports accelerator and brake pedals
Safety
Head-up display
Multimedia
Premium JBL Surround Sound Audio system
12 speakers
Options
Nurburgring Matte Grey paint
Alcantara upholstery
Red leather-accented upholstery
Thanks for the detailed list of features. Photos show the cars on the road: did you drive it and if so what are your impressions? What are the driving ergonomics like and how well do the controls and instruments integrate with the driving experience?
Thanks for your question, Douglas. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet driven the Supra, and you can bet I’m just dribbling at the prospect. It’ll need to be good to justify its $100k price tag, but all the indications are that it is and will. And it’s considerably cheaper than the almost identical BMW (what price a badge?) Of course, testing it on the road will only hint at its abilities (or otherwise) so I’m hoping I can convince Toyota to let me loose on a track to really discover some of the limits.