Toyota adds manual gearbox option to GR Supra

Toyota has introduced a coveted manual gearbox to its GR Supra sports car, as the brand aims to cater further to the driving enthusiast market.

Introduced in 2019, the GR Supra saw a return of the legendary nameplate after a number of years. Developed alongside the BMW Z4, the Supra debuted with a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine before being joined by a smaller and more affordable 2.0-litre unit in 2020.

Until now Toyota has purely offered the GR Supra with an automatic gearbox but is now building on the success of its GR Yaris and GR86 performance models by introducing a manual transmission. This means all of the Japanese brand’s sporting models can be specified as a manual, either as standard or as an option.

The manual gearbox is said to be 40kg lighter than the standard automatic, and is fitted purely to the six-cylinder engine. Toyota says it features an uprated clutch to deal with the additional performance of this more powerful engine, and has been developed to optimise torque at the moment the clutch is engaged and released.

All Supra models now feature a retuned steering and suspension setup too, while versions equipped with the manual gearbox feature a revised traction control system, as well as a ‘Hairpin+’ function that is designed to maximise agility on steep uphill stretches of road with tight corners by allowing more ‘free’ wheelspin.

A new ‘Pro’ specific for the GR Supra also focuses on reducing weight, fitting lighter 19-inch alloy wheels, changing the audio system and deleting the seats’ leather upholstery, electrical adjustment and lumbar support. Two new colours are also now available for the GR Supra – Moareki Grey and Dawn Blue.

Toyota says the addition of the manual gearbox came from ‘listening to sports car fans and customers’ and that this transmission will ‘delight drivers who love the control and rewards offered by precisely timed manual shifts’.

Full UK pricing and an official on-sale date are yet to be announced.