Toyota GR Supra Finally Revealed
If you listen carefully, you’ll hear the rejoice of millions of petrolheads around the world as Toyota lift the veil off the fifth generation A90 Toyota GR Supra after what has felt like an eternity. The coupe marks the first globally produced GR model by Toyota GAZOO Racing, and carries the torch from its predecessors and the 2000GT sports car with its signature front-mounted, straight-six, rear-wheel drive layout.
The heart of the new Supra takes the form of a 3.0-litre in-line 6-cylinder engine coupled to a twin-scroll turbocharger that allows it to produce 250kW of power and 500Nm of torque. Power is fed to the rear-wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission with launch control functionality, allowing the coupe to thrust from 0-100km/h in 4.3-seconds.
The Supra makes use of various driving modes that adjust engine response, steering, shift pattern and active differential performance. There is Normal mode, Sport mode and a new Track setting that reduces the amount of driving aids at the disposal of the driver, providing greater driver involvement.
“Even though Toyota had no plans to make a new Supra, just like a lot of other die hard Supra fans around the world, I secretly wanted to make it happen,” says Toyota president Akio Toyoda. “The new GR Supra was born through testing at Nürburgring, and I can honestly say that it is a car that is fun to drive and better than ever.”
The design philosophy of the Toyota GR Supra is based on the FT-1 Concept that was revealed five years ago and is built on three pillars: a short wheelbase, wide stance and large wheels; a rigid two-seat cabin; and a long bonnet with a compact body. The result is an overall design that is reminiscent of the classic sports cars that feature in the Supra’s heritage.
The interior features a few bits that BMW drivers may be familiar with, such as the iDrive infotainment system. There are also sport seats, a low dashboard and clustered controls all aimed at improving the driver’s line of sight.
The new Toyota GR Supra will be launched in South Africa by mid-2019, with pricing and specifications to be released closer to the time.
