Needless to say, this three-pedal, rear-wheel-drive sports car will fly off the shelf
When the Toyota GR Supra was first launched back in January 2019, it was only offered with an eight-speed automatic transmission, which understandably upset more than a few purists who have been eagerly waiting to get their hands on the car.
Fast forward three years and the revered sports car is finally available with a manual transmission. That being said, it is only offered as an option on the six-cylinder models, namely the 3.0, 3.0 Premium and a limited-run A91-MT Edition – more on this later.
According to Toyota, the development wasn’t simply a matter of using an off-the-shelf solution as the engineers had developed it specifically to suit the power and torque characteristics of the BMW-sourced B58 engine. Following an update in 2020, the 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six unit makes 382 hp and 500 Nm.
For that purpose, the engineers modified an existing transmission housing, driveshaft and gear set and removed the acoustic package, among other items, to reduce weight. Also in the mix is a new clutch that has a larger friction area and a reinforced diaphragm spring.
The manual transmission has six gear ratios and an intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) programmed with new software for consistent sporty performance. The iMT is set at default but the drivers can switch it off when in Sport mode. The final drive ratio has been shortened from 3.15 in the automatic version to 3.46 in the manual.
A91 MT-Edition
Available only for the 2023 model year and limited to just 500 units, the A91-MT Edition gains a red ‘Supra’ badge, red callipers with the ‘GR Supra’ logo, red strut tower braces, forged 19-inch wheels in Frozen Gunmetal Gray and a choice of two exterior colours – Matte White and CU Later Gray. Inside, you’ll find Cognac leather-trimmed seats, an Alcantara shift knob and a 12-speaker premium JBL sound system.
Additionally, the entire six-cylinder GR Supra range has also been given an update that brings about retuned shock absorbers and electric power steering, as well as recalibrated traction control system. Toyota is also introducing a new Hairpin+ function to allow more freedom when taking tight bends on an uphill gradient.
Working alongside the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) now is an Anti-Roll Program (ARP) that is tasked to intervene at an earlier point with the VSC to cover any sudden loss of grip. Finally, the Track mode has been tuned to allow for easy drifting with freedom of throttle control.
