The New Toyota Supra

TOYOTA

GR SUPRA

From most reference points, including overall production, Toyota is the world’s biggest vehicle manufacturer (though when it comes to market capitalisation, Tesla leads easily). Toyota is so predominant in the manufacture of family saloons, SUVs and light trucks that the company’s achievements in the sports car field are often overlooked.

WORDS TONY WHITNEY PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF TOYOTA SPONSORED BY C. DE SALAMANCA

If this is so, the new 2022 GR Supra should be a solid reminder that Toyota has a proud heritage of building sports cars and of course, it’s worth adding that the Japanese megabuilder has won the last four Le Mans 24-hour races. The Supra name dates back to 1978 when it was marketed as a variant of the Celica coupé. It became a model in its own right from 1986 and from then on, models became increasingly more powerful and technically sophisticated. Sports cars from Toyota go back even further than the Celica/Supra series with one major standout being the 2000GT of the 1960s, famously driven in the 1967 James Bond classic movie You Only Live Twice.

One thing to get straight right off the mark is that the Supra was co-developed with the BMW Z4 and that both cars are produced at the Magna Steyr plant in Graz, Austria. It reflects modern automotive business trends in that the Supra is thus a Japanese nameplate car co-developed with a German maker and manufactured in Austria by a company that is a subsidiary of Magna International, a Canadian company. ›

The 2022 GR Supra is being marketed as ‘track ready’ and is certainly the fastest and most agile product in the model’s history. The exterior styling is a mass of curves and there’s more than a superficial resemblance to the old 2000GT, which few will object to. Configured as a fastback coupé in the best traditions of 1960s competition cars, the Supra even has a couple of ‘bumps’ in the roof of the type that were once included to provide helmeted drivers with better headroom and were a feature of the 2000GT. With its huge frontal air ducts, side intakes and rear spoiler, it certainly looks the part and also follows 60s convention by using a front engine and rear wheel drive.

You can buy your Supra with a choice of two engines – a 2.0-litre single turbo four-cylinder developing 255-horsepower and a 3.0-litre single turbo inline six-cylinder with 382-horsepower. It’s interesting that Toyota should choose an inline layout for the bigger engine when so many rivals opt for a V-6 but it is a reminder that the classic 2000GT used a straight six. At one time, inline sixes were found in all kinds of performance cars from Jaguars to BMWs, but they’re now quite rare. Inline sixes do have a very satisfying smoothness and response that V-6 designs have never

quite matched in my view. The transmission is an 8-speed automatic with paddle shifters for manual operation when desired. There’s also a launch control system for drivers who really want to get off the mark quickly. Other dynamic features include Italian Brembo brakes, the number one choice for race cars from F-1 downwards.

Inside the car, ambiance reflects the Supra’s ‘road or track’ capabilities with hiphugging seats and very well placed and easy to reach controls. Of course, Toyota has not forgotten that today’s drivers demand a lot more than performance and comfort so the car comes with the usual array of 8-inch touch screen infotainment display, Bluetooth connectivity, push button starter, wireless device charging and innumerable other benefits. If you want to order one of these purely for racing, Toyota will supply the car without cruise control, parking sonar and blind spot monitor. Added to these interior goodies is Toyota’s wide array of safety systems that are more or less what you’d get in a luxury saloon by Lexus. ›

What the Supra lacks in an exotic nameplate it makes up for and exceeds in performance, build quality and Toyota’s famed durability and resale value. It draws on the best traditions of the marque as far as sports models go and packs in every element of current technology. For many buyers, this carmaker’s reliability record alone will nudge them in the direction of Toyota when a sports car purchase is on the cards. After all, what would be the best choice for real GT motoring, a product with a Toyota badge or a limited production exotic not even boasting a dealer network in many European countries?

g This article is sponsored by C. De Salamanca, official dealers for Bentley, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Jaguar & Land Rover. Tel: (+34) 952 785 250. www.cdesalamanca.com Z ENGINE:2.0-litre 4-cylinder; 3.0-litre inline 6-cylinder. Z TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual override. Z ACCELERATION: Zero to 100 km/h in 4.0-secs (6-cyl). Z TOP SPEED: 250 km/h. Z I LIKED: Toyota’s impressive level of homage paid to the company’s classic sports cars from the 1960s. Great looking car with performance to match the styling. Working with BMW on the design could have done nothing but good. Z I DIDN’T LIKE: Not the easiest sports car to get in and out of, but most owners will manage it without a problem. All-wheel drive would have been a plus, but there is no appropriate platform available with that feature right now. Z MARKET ALTERNATIVES: BMW Z4, Jaguar F-Type, Porsche Cayman, Nissan Z, Ford Mustang Bullitt, Alfa Romeo 4C. Z WHO DRIVES ONE? Buyers who already own Toyotas and would like to stay with the marque for their sports car choice. Buyers who have tired of high prices and questionable reliability associated with more exotic sports cars. Z PRICE AND AVAILABILITY: €48.953 – €64.341.

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