Toyota prices manual GR Supra

SHIFTING gears manually is considered by many driving enthusiasts as the only form of ‘real’ driving. Automated manuals might be OK for some as they are technically still a manual but aren’t really. Full autos are for the unworthy it would seem.

Toyota understands this passion from die-hard, rusted-on, hard-core, petrol heads and has moved to satisfy demand for a manual ‘box in its high performance, highly desirable Supra sports coupe, renamed the GR Supra in line with the use of the GR nomenclature in other enhanced Toyotas.

Committed drivers can now specify a six-speed manual in GR Supra or an eight-speed auto at no cost differential. In the GT that’s $87,000 plus on-road costs and in the GTS it’s $97,000 plus ORCs – a $500 increase on the previous price for both models.

The GR nomenclature now prefaces Toyota’s 86 and Supra coupes along with enhanced Yaris, LandCruiser 300 Series, and soon the Corolla. It stands for Gazoo Racing… for want of a better description, Toyota’s racing arm.

However, GR Supra isn’t like GR Yaris or Corolla in that it isn’t a spartan, track-oriented car that can be driven on the road rather it’s just a better, faster ‘mousetrap’ with available manual transmission, some weight reduction, and other minor changes to lift performance, handling and drive feel.

Mind you, Supra already has a mighty reputation on the race track in all permutations thanks to its prodigious power and tenacious handling. With carefully tailored gear ratios, the new six-speed manual transmission features a short-stroke shift lever for a direct and smooth feel.

“It has been specifically developed to match the performance characteristics of the 285kW/500Nm 3.0-litre straight six, rear-drive engine to deliver superlative driving thrills for enthusiasts,” said Toyota in a statement.

Compared to the eight-speed automatic, the manual transmission is 18kg lighter, helping to improve driving dynamics. A Gear Shift Assistant feature (rev matching) has been adopted for manual transmission, synchronising engine speeds with the selected gear to allow for smooth up and down shifts. Owners also have the choice to disable Gear Shift Assistant when Sport mode is engaged.

Along with the introduction of the manual transmission, Toyota engineers have taken the opportunity to apply considered changes to improve steering feel and dynamics. The GR Supra’s electronic power steering and vehicle stability control systems have been more finely tuned to enhance turning response during initial steering input, complemented by changes to the suspension bush characteristics that promote greater steering feel.

All GR Supra grades now have ventilated sports brakes with red callipers, while the 19-inch dark silver forged alloys on GTS grades are now 1.2kg lighter per wheel for further dynamic improvement.

Three new exterior colours have been added to the GR Supra's palette, with Copper Grey, Azure Blue and Matte White replacing the existing Suzuka Silver and Goodwood Grey. GTS grades can also be had with a new tan interior colour scheme, replacing red while the manual variants will be denoted by a red-coloured Supra badge on the rear.

The new GR Supra range will arrive in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2022.