This has got to be one of the most anticipated new cars of the year, the 2023 Toyota GR Supra GT manual. It’s a car that Toyota said wouldn’t happen when the current-gen Supra was launched.
There’s a chorus of naysayers who bemoan the fact that the latest Supra is, essentially, a BMW product. The intonation being that, because of the strong heritage of the Supra, that the A90 lacks authenticity or the right pedigree.
We dispute this heavily. The Supra name deserves a robust engine and talented chassis. For starters, the BMW-sourced B58 engine is proving to be just as tuneable as the old 2JZ was. There are many tuners achieving insane power numbers from this platform, just have a look on YouTube.
Secondly, Toyota had significant input in this joint-venture platform. A derivative of BMW’s CLAR architecture, it is a very solid foundation to build a sports car upon. Right. Now we’ve got that one out of the way, let’s dive in.
2023 Toyota GR Supra GT – THE SPECS
[column width=”47%” padding=”6%”]Engine: 3.0-litre turbo inline-six petrol
Output: 285kW@5800-6500rpm / 500Nm@1800-5000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Drive type: Rear-wheel drive, limited-slip diff
Wheels: F: 18×9.0, 255/40 R: 18×10, 275/40
ANCAP: Not tested
Tare weight: 1471kg
Power-to-weight: 5.16:1 (kg:kW)
Official fuel economy: 8.9L/100km
Economy during test: 11.2L/100km[/column] [column width=”47%” padding=”0″]Fuel capacity/Type: 52L/95 RON
Power efficiency: 32.02kW:L/100km
0-60km/h: 2.74 seconds*
0-100km/h: 4.59 seconds*
0-200km/h: 14.30 seconds*
60-110km/h: 2.61 seconds*
1/4 mile: 12.86 seconds at 189.0km/h*
Max acceleration: 0.944g*
100-0km/h braking: 2.82 seconds at 35.30 metres*
Max deceleration: -1.231g*
Decibel at idle: 55*
Peak decibel at 60-100km/h: 92*
Priced from: $87,000[/column][end_columns]
* Figures as tested by PerformanceDrive on the day. Factory claims may be different
2023 Toyota GR Supra GT – THE PACKAGE
To coincide with the addition of the manual transmission to the range, Toyota has revised the colour chart and also made some changes to the suspension and steering for the 2023 model year.
One thing’s for sure, this beast grabs attention and turns heads. Kids, adults and elderly alike seem to be drawn to the Azure Blue colour on test, clamshell bonnet, wide hips and futuristic head and tail lamps. That colour, though. Who knew blue could have so much depth and vibrancy. Tailgaters are treated to alien-esque ovoid taillamps, as well as an F1-style central reverse lamp positioned in the middle of an F1-style diffuser. From a visual point of view, it looks very special, in our opinion.
At 4379mm long, 1854mm wide, and just 1299mm tall, it has low-to-the-ground sports car proportions, and with a wheelbase of 2470mm, your butt is not positioned far away from the rear axle line. With 119mm of ground clearance, it may be challenging to get in and out of for the mobility impaired, with the side bolsters of the seats also impeding ingress. To be fair, there is a large door aperture to help with this.
Although it only has two seats, they are extremely comfortable and there is a pass-over area behind them to access the 290L boot, with two massive speakers betwixt them. The boot is accessible via a hatch-style lid that provides a long but narrow opening. The boot is able to transport a large suitcase and luggage with no problems. We think golf clubs might even be possible, resting on the shelf between the seats and luggage area.
The interior is one place where the car does not feel like a Toyota. There are plenty of reminders of this car’s modern origins inside. These include the left-mounted indicator stalks, BMW switchgear and, most notably, the iDrive controller for the infotainment screen. You can use this to write navigation inputs with your finger, but this will only feel natural if you write with your left hand.
Curiously, there is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which means no Waze either – you will need to make judicious use of the speed limiter button on the left spoke of the steering wheel. You still get Bluetooth connectivity and streaming as well as an integrated navigation system. Audio quality is expectedly crisp, but we’d stop short of calling it remarkable. If you don’t have your own tunes, there’s AM/FM and DAB to choose from.
The centrepiece of the cabin is definitely the GR-branded stubby six-speed manual shifter, perfectly positioned and contoured for short throws. We admire the way the gear knob and boot are seamlessly stitched, and as a whole it is very aesthetically pleasing.
Toyota offers its vehicles with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, and servicing intervals are every 15,000km or 12 months.
2023 Toyota GR Supra GT – THE DRIVE
Now onto the fun part. The 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six BMW ‘B58’ engine develops 285kW at 6500rpm and 500Nm from as low as 1800rpm, all the way up to 5000rpm. Sport mode disables auto stop-start and artificially amplifies the engine sound into the cabin, as well as sharpening throttle response. Why they feel the need to artificially amplify such a nice-sounding engine has us perplexed.
At 1503kg (1471kg tare), the Supra is pretty light by modern standards, helped by an 18kg advantage of the manual transmission over the auto. Aside from that, as well as, potentially, a slight change in weight distribution, the manual and indeed 2023 model Supra is mechanically identical to the previous model.
We drove the GR Supra GT in a variety of conditions, ranging from highway cruising, everyday city commuting and sinuous bends to assess not only its handling capabilities but liveability.
Around town and in heavy traffic, it never feels like a chore to drive thanks to the flexibility of the motor. The twin-scroll turbocharger comes on boost at such a low rpm, but even before then, it is muscular enough to pootle around in higher gears. The easy-to-modulate action of the clutch and short throw of the gearstick are rewarding enough to dispel the myth that driving a manual in traffic is hard work.
While you would expect a bit of harshness in a sports car in terms of ride, the Supra is rarely upsetting. There is a tautness to it but overall we feel well isolated from all but the nastiest bumps. The front chin is low, but not as susceptible to scraping as you might expect.
A claimed figure of 8.9L/100km demonstrates impressive efficiency, with mid 9s achievable when a light foot is used in the real world. We saw an average of 11.2L/100km during our week, and we drove fairly enthusiastically. The fuel tank’s 52-litre capacity is disappointingly small in terms of touring range, with a theoretical range of 584km based on the official consumption.
The gear ratios are short and optimised to keep the engine in its sweet spot, seeing as there are two-less than the eight-speed automatic. This means freeway revs at 110km/h may have been a whisker higher than we expected, but the engine is a quiet and smooth operator. At 110km/h it requires about 2400rpm in sixth gear.
It’s when you take the exit to the backroads that the car truly comes alive. The pedals are perfectly positioned for heel-and-toe footwork, with an organ-type accelerator pedal as well. When you squeeze it against the firewall, there is a muscular surge as the turbo (audibly) spools up, as revs build as freely as a highly-tuned naturally aspirated motor. You are pushed back into your seat and can’t help but grin.
The steering is truly magic, managing a consistent feel from just off-centre all the way to full lock. The sensation can be best described as clean and uncorrupted. Being a sports car, you sit inside and it is refreshing to feel the front wheels ahead of you, rather than beneath, as in an SUV. This inspires confidence to lean harder on the Michelin Pilot Super Sports (staggered width 255 front, 275 rear). When you do, you can follow an extremely tight cornering arc, with the outside wheels feeling magnetically glued to the road.
If you are feeling game enough to turn off the stability control and test the limits of adhesion, you will find a level of throttle adjustability which belies the 2470mm wheelbase – long a hallmark of the greatest BMWs. It is just so user-friendly no matter how hard you punt it, but it does not feel sanitised for it. Very meticulous attention has clearly been paid to weight distribution and balance, and that’s what separates a fun car from an outstanding one.
Onto performance figures. We achieved a 0-100 time of 4.59 seconds, shy of Toyota’s 4.4-second claim – we think the claim is possible in cooler conditions (currently a hot Aussie summer). These times are quicker than its main rival, the 2023 Nissan Z, which develops 298kW (our best in the manual Z was 4.69 seconds on the same piece of tarmac). This is despite the same staggered tyre widths and even a similar kerb weight. We can only chalk this up to the BMW having better power-down abilities and a more sophisticated chassis than the Z’s ageing but entertaining FM platform.
2023 Toyota GR Supra GT – THE VIDEO
2023 Toyota GR Supra GT – THE VERDICT
There are some very minor flaws to speak of here; the fuel tank could be bigger, there are some minor ergonomic foibles and would it kill Toyota to add Apple CarPlay and Android Auto? The thing is, though, they just don’t matter. As a whole, this is something very civilised and liveable on a daily basis, which can also blow you away with its intricate dynamic talents and superb engine.
Best of all, it gives a six-figure driving experience for $87,000 (before on-road costs). Is it worth the jump over the Nissan Z? Undisputably, yes. The Supra proved to be an uplifting experience for drivers and onlookers alike. We want to see more cars like this.
[column width=”47%” padding=”6%”]PROS:
– Flexible, smooth, robust and muscular turbocharged inline-six engine
– Impressive fuel economy for this type of car
– Amazing chassis balance and agility, with excellent steering feel
– Head-turning looks
– Manual transmission available[/column] [column width=”47%” padding=”0″]CONS:
– No AppleCarPlay or Android Auto
– Small fuel tank
– Artificial engine sound in Sport mode[/column][end_columns]
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