Toyota has updated the GR Supra in South Africa with a more powerful engine, new standard features, and the introduction of a manual gearbox.
Previously, the two-seater sports car was only offered in automatic spec, but now it provides a more purist driving experience thanks to the debut of the manual option.
Additionally, the Supra Matte Grey and Track variants have reached the end of their production cycle, and as a result, the Supra family now consists of two models priced from R1,417,500.
What’s new
As before, the Supra is still equipped with a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine, but output has been raised by 35kW to a total of 285kW while torque remained unchanged at 500Nm.
The power unit can now be paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission or, for the first time, a six-speed manual, with both boxes delivering drive to the rear axle only.
Moreover, the updated sports car benefits from fine-turning of the shock absorbers, power steering, and traction control systems, as well as more rigid vulcanised rubber in the front and rear anti-roll bar bushes, specifically to work in harmony with the new driver-controlled shifter.
“For the new manual version, the traction control has again been the focus of measure to ensure an ideal balance of agility and stability when exiting a corner on the throttle,” said Toyota.
“TRC intervention has been calibrated to maintain stability – the car keeping faithfully to the driver’s intended line – while allowing the right amount of power for a sporty feeling.”
Further to the ambition of making the Supra “fun to drive” – it receives a new Hairpin+ function that allows more “free wheel spin” around tight bends with high-friction surfaces, and Track Mode has been tuned to allow for easy drifting with less risk of spinning out, said the manufacturer.
The anti-roll programme was upgraded, too, thus reducing the risk of “snap-off oversteer” when entering corners.
The installation of the new gearbox and redesigned, lightweight 19-inch alloy wheels save 21.8kg over the outgoing automatic, which along with the other enhancements, allows the new Supra to sprint to 100km/h in 4.4 seconds in manual guise and 4.1 seconds in auto – 0.2 seconds better than before.
Top speed is still limited to 250km/h.
Inside the passenger compartment, improvements encompass a redesigned centre console with more space for the driver’s hand for ultimate comfort and efficiency when changing gears, as well as a new gear knob that is 200g heavier for a more engaging feel.
Standard fittings across the line-up comprise keyless entry and start, adaptive LED headlights with daytime running lights, dual-zone climate control, a heads-up display, a wireless charger, a central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12-speaker JBL stereo, heated seats, a reverse camera, all-round parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure alert, and hill-assist control.
A sporty atmosphere is also provided by means of Alcantara upholstery, a GR-branded start button and gear lever, a model-specific multifunction leather steering wheel, and aluminium scuff plates.
The only thing that visually differentiates the manual from the automatic is then a set of red Supra badging.
Price
The South African pricing and revised model line-up for the GR Supra are as follows:
- Toyota GR Supra Manual – R1,417,500
- Toyota GR Supra Auto – R1,451,800
Each purchase includes a 3-year/100,000km warranty and a 5-services/100,000km service plan.
Toyota GR Supra Manual
Keyword: Toyota updates Supra in South Africa – New manual transmission and more powerful engine