Toyota launches GR Supra manual

The addition of the GR Supra to the line-up means that Toyota now offers all four of its GR models in South Africa, including the GR Yaris, GR Corolla and GR86, with a manual transmission or the option of a manual transmission.

Toyota has listened to the requests of sports car fans and is introducing a manual version of their GR Supra.

The addition of the GR Supra to the line-up means that Toyota now offers all four of its GR models in South Africa, including the GR Yaris, GR Corolla and GR86, with a manual transmission or the option of a manual transmission.

True to Toyota’s thoroughbred engineering standards is the fact that a new transmission along with a new clutch has been engineered specifically to suit the power and torque characteristics of the GR Supra 3.0-litre engine. The engineering team was able to modify the existing transmission housing, driveshaft and gear set and remove elements that were not required in the interests of weight reduction.

At the heart of the transmission is a newly engineered clutch with a larger diameter, larger friction area and reinforced spring ensuring that it has the capability to manage the high torque of the GR Supra’s engine.

In addition to the launch of a manual model, the power output of the straight-six 3.0-litre engine has been increased from 250 to 280kW on both manual and automatic derivatives.

Retuned suspension

All GR Supra versions benefit from retuned suspension including more rigid front and rear anti-roll bar bushes and re-tuned shock absorbers. The mechanical components in the electric power steering and the systems operating parameters have also been re-tuned.

With the manual gearbox comes a greater chance of wheelspin, especially when pulling away on slippery surfaces, necessitating engineers to retune the car’s traction control to achieve smooth operation, like that experienced with the automatic, while also being optimised for the GR Supra’s high engine torque, wide tyres and rear-wheel drive.

The cars behaviour when exiting a corner is a key component of its fun to drive characteristic and on the manual derivative the traction control has been optimised to ensure an ideal balance of agility and stability when exiting a corner. TRC intervention has been calibrated to maintain stability, while allowing the right amount of power for a sporty feeling.

In addition, a new Hairpin+ function is designed to allow more freedom and reward, specifically when negotiating tight bends on an uphill gradient where more free wheel spin can make such routes more enjoyable to drive.

In addition, Track mode has been tuned to allow for easy drifting with freedom of throttle control where the vehicle remains agile but there is less risk of spinning thanks to specific engine and torque control.

Inside story

The interior has been treated to several updates to accommodate the manual transmission, with specific consideration given to ensuring the gear knob was optimally placed for precise, rapid and rewarding gear changes. To achieve perfect ergonomics, the console unit and the control for drive mode selection has been redesigned.

The feel of the gear shift in the hand and the weight of operation are part of the human connection so particular attention was paid to the weight and shape of the gar knob and the quality of shift engagement.

Model range and pricing

A five-services/100 000km service plan and three-year/100 000km warranty is included in the purchase price.

Toyota GR Supra Manual                  R1 417 500

Toyota GR Supra Automatic              R1 451 800