No more teasers, no more leaks ... in short, no more BS. The new Toyota Supra has been unveiled overnight at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and with it plenty of previously unknown details were confirmed.
Engine details are the big one. As previously reported the Supra will come with a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six cylinder that shares DNA with the unit that powers the upcoming BMW Z4. It makes a claimed 250kW and 500Nm — the latter coming as early as 1600rpm (and up to 4500rpm), meaning a very wide power band for those wanting to push their cars hard.
Acceleration from 0–60mp/h is a claimed 4.1-seconds (0–100km/h will assumedly take a few more tenths). Pace is aided by the eight-speed automatic transmission that the Supra gets as standard. Yes, as speculated, there will be no manual variant. Those figures make for interesting reading when compared against its BMW cousin. Power is identical, but it can hit 60mp/h a few tenths quicker.
Perhaps most curiously though is the presence of a second engine. While North American-based outlets have been reporting that the 3.0-litre inline six is their only option, local press releases cite the addition of a turbocharged four-cylinder engine added to the mix. No output figures have been supplied, but assume that it will be less than the larger 3.0-litre engine.
So skint is the reference to the four-cylinder engine that it only gets seven words of attention in a press release that's thousands of words long. After some digging, we found that the four-popper also utilises a twin-scroll turbocharger set-up, and will be released in some markets in a base 145kW/320Nm format (ick), or a 190kW/400Nm format. Four-cylinder models will be known as Supra SZs in Japan, although we don't know which of these performance configurations will come to New Zealand.
On the topic of naming conventions, the Supra's name in full has been confirmed as the Toyota GR Supra — the GR standing for Gazoo Racing, Toyota's motorsport division.
One of the other big confirmations is cabin styling, which had been unseen until now. There are several touches that are distinctly Toyota, like the steering wheel, most of the button layouts, and elements of the digital cluster.
But there are plenty of parts that look straight from a BMW too, like the shapely automatic shift knob, the BMW-looking infotainment system (housed in an 8.8-inch screen), and its subsequent interface.
Beyond the engine range, Toyota notes the Supra's minuscule wheelbase as one of its distinctive features. Despite the Supra carrying quite a visual heft, the wheelbase is actually 100mm shorter than that of the Toyota 86. Weight hasn't been confirmed, but Toyota have said that it features 50/50 weight distribution.
“We set out to create a pure sports car that would attain the ultimate in the fun of driving," said Chief Engineer Tetsuya Tada.
"Rather than only working toward specs such as horsepower and circuit lap times, we emphasized sensitivity performance, such as the degree to which driving could be felt to be fun, with car and driver becoming one."
It uses a much stiffer platform than the 86 as well, thanks to a skeletal chassis formed out of a combination of aluminium and steel. Although numbers aren't provided, Toyota also claims that it's stiffer than the Lexus LFA, too.
Helping the power of the engine and the stiffness of the chassis communicate to the driver is a new suspension set-up featuring double-joint spring struts in the front and and multi-link in the back. This is complimented by an active differential. Some models will feature adaptive suspension too, for more customisation while on the move.
No New Zealand pricing hasn't been confirmed just yet, but we have asked and we will update when we can. In America a price of US$49,990 (NZ$73,250) has been confirmed for the six-cylinder model, while in the UK prices for the same model start at £52,695 (NZ$99,361).
What has been confirmed for our market is arrival times, with the first Supras slated to hit in the third quarter of 2019.
“The revitalisation of the iconic Supra name and spirit is very exciting for Toyota as a brand,” said Neeraj Lala, Toyota New Zealand General Manager of Product Planning and New Vehicles.
“It shows the potential for a car that can deliver high performance both on the road and track.”
“As the halo model for Toyota sports cars, Supra points to a new-generation of driver focused vehicles that will offer dynamic styling and faithful handling, even at the limits of its performance.”
There will undoubtedly be some who hoped the Toyota GR Supra would produce more power, given the high expectation that the old 2JZ power-plant has set. For reference sake, the Mark IV Supra's iconic 3.0-litre inline six engine made 243kW and 441Nm at its peak from the factory.
Those figures are smaller both respects than this new Mark V Supra, but it's worth noting that at the time the previous Supra was pitched as a rival for mid-level Ferraris and Porsches. This new car struggles to do the same on paper, and arguably sits in a different slot in the market than its predecessor.
Still, time will tell whether the new fifth-gen Supra can live up to the hype and to the legacy before it. But, all the ingredients are certainly there for it to be a wonderful driver's car.
We can't wait to take one for a steer.
