We test the new Toyota GR Supra at Jarama: the myth returns

It has been almost 20 years since the fourth generation of the Toyota Supra stopped being manufactured. That model has remained in the minds of the most passionate sports car enthusiasts as one of the greatest exponents of Japanese high-performance cars, sharing the throne with the Mitsubishi EVO and the Subaru Impreza.

After this long period, in which the automotive sector is walking the path of electrification, creating a car with the spirit of the Toyota Supra seemed like a total utopia. However, Gazoo Racing (the motorsport department of the Japanese brand) has entered the spotlight in recent months to demonstrate that Toyota is something more than hybrid cars.

Toyota has had an enviable racing legacy, with great successes in the World Rally Championship, in endurance races and good performances over several seasons in Formula 1. We all thought this had been forgotten, but in view of what Toyota has revealed in recent months, we can say we could not have been more wrong.

A few months ago, the Japanese brand presented, through GR, the new Toyota Yaris GRMN, a radicalized version of the brand’s city car. It had 212 horsepower and a behavior based entirely on the car Ott Tanak drives in the WRC.

A few months later, Toyota has shown us the culmination of this rebirth: the Toyota GR Supra, a reissue of one of the most legendary models in the brand’s history. We have known for some time about the existence of this new sports car, through some images, prototypes and the knowledge that it was developed together with BMW.

This news did not please the brand’s fans at all. However, those who think that the fact that the two brands have joined forces to create the new Toyota GR Supra and the BMW Z4 is a problem have not driven it. We, who have, can make one thing clear after the controversy of recent months: we want more collaborations like this!

A design that leaves no one indifferent

The Toyota GR Supra is one of those cars you park in the supermarket lot and turn your head 180º just to look at it again before going in. What catches our attention most is its elongated bonnet, much larger than the rest of the car’s elements.

The new Supra is a car with a reduced length (4,379 mm), which combines perfectly with a considerable width (1,854 mm) and a very short wheelbase (2,470 mm). Furthermore, as a good sports car, it is a low car (1,292 mm). All these dimensions make the car’s image truly aggressive and seductive.

The profile of the new Toyota GR Supra is the kind that makes the hair on your neck stand up, with a stylized figure that reminds us of the classic Toyota 2000 GT. This attractive silhouette is completed by the “duck tail” spoiler and beautiful 19-inch forged steel wheels in a matte/chrome finish. These wheels are fitted with 255/35 tyres on the front axle and about 275/35 on the rear axle.

We cannot say the rear is one of the car’s strong points, and not because it isn’t beautiful, but because the car is very beautiful from every angle. Elegant teardrop-shaped taillights draw attention, along with an aggressive dual exhaust outlet, a diffuser with a triangular-shaped reversing light in LEDs and, as could not be otherwise, the “Supra” badge adorning the whole.

When opening the door, the interior is in no way out of tune with the rest of the car. This is where the hand of BMW is most noticeable, which is in no way negative. The Toyota GR Supra is a two-seater, so the brand chose not to include the typical token rear seats found in its smaller sibling, the Toyota GT86.

Once we sit in the driver’s seat, the ideal driving position is found quickly and easily. The seating position is very low, so when we sit down we almost have to drop to the floor. Visibility is good, although it is true that the A-pillar can become an obstacle when we want to see the next bend we are about to take.

Toyota has done a very good job with the interior of the new Supra, so all the controls are within easy reach. The steering wheel is also a comfortable size to handle and, behind it, there are paddle shifters with good feel and a reasonable size to shift up and down without any problem, even with the wheel turned. The seats have a very attractive design, although it is true that they could offer better lateral support: you don’t slide around in the corners, but you are not held 100%.

On the other hand, the Toyota GR Supra has an 8.8-inch digital cockpit in which both the rev counter and the gear we have engaged are the stars. On the left there is another section for speed and, on the right, a configurable one that offers a good amount of information to the driver.

Another point where it is clear that BMW has been very present is in the materials used in the interior of the Toyota GR Supra. Both driver and passenger are surrounded by good-quality materials with an impeccable feel. In addition, some elements such as the gear lever, the infotainment system controls or the climate controls are identical to those found in some BMW models.

A great chassis that needs no more power

If we lift the long bonnet of the new Toyota GR Supra, we find a 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder inline engine mounted longitudinally. The brand’s engineers placed great importance on keeping the centre of gravity of their new sports car very low and on achieving the ideal weight distribution. For this reason, this type of configuration is ideal to achieve this goal.

This six-cylinder engine is another of the many points shared between BMW and Toyota. It produces 340 horsepower and is capable of delivering 500 Nm of torque, so it propels the Toyota Supra to 100 km/h in just 4.3 seconds and allows the Japanese sports car to reach an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h.

The Toyota GR Supra engine reaches its maximum power between 5,000 and 6,500 rpm, so making the needle touch the red zone of the tachometer and hearing the six-cylinder roar along with the faint whistle of the turbocharger becomes a pleasure for all the senses.

Toyota has paired this engine with an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox with torque converter. Although I personally am not a fan of this type of gearbox and prefer a dual-clutch one, it must be said that its behavior is impeccable. When pushed, the shifts between gears are quick and if we use the paddles, the gearbox is obedient, engaging the requested gear without hesitation.

Another key point that cannot be missing in a car with the character of the Toyota GR Supra is the limited-slip differential. Gazoo Racing, the Toyota division responsible for developing the car, has fitted an active differential that adjusts continuously from 0 to 100% lock.

All these ingredients together in one dish make the Toyota GR Supra an exquisite recipe. When tackling a mountain pass, the car offers a sense of absolute stability and security, also demonstrating a very neutral behavior. Much of the credit for this goes to the steering, which has a firm and direct feel that gives the driver perfect feedback.

In addition, Toyota gave us the opportunity to test the car at the Jarama Circuit. The Toyota GR Supra’s behavior was brilliant throughout, once again demonstrating that it is an easy car to drive with predictable reactions at all times. Proof of this is that it is simple to correct the slight oversteer the car showed at some critical points, such as the tricky descent into the bend Bugatti.

However, one area where the Supra could be better is in braking. It fits ventilated discs of 348 x 36 mm at the front and 345 x 24 mm at the rear which, after the punishment received over several laps of the Madrid circuit, showed some fading.

Another negative point of the Toyota GR Supra is that the handbrake is electric. This is not a problem as such, but we maintain that this type of car should have a conventional handbrake lever, as it is an instrument that may be missed if you want to unsettle the rear of the car.

Setting aside the negative points, it is worth highlighting that, in addition to its impeccable sporting behavior, the car can also be comfortable enough for a long-distance journey. The cushioned seats together with the adaptive variable suspension, which changes its calibration depending on the driving mode selected (Normal or Sport), make covering long distances no hardship.

How much does the new Toyota GR Supra cost?

Toyota offers two equipment packs for the Toyota GR Supra: Active and Premium. The Active trim already comes with fairly comprehensive equipment, thanks to features such as the 19-inch forged wheels, the adaptive variable suspension, the active differential, the Alcantara sports seats or the navigation system.

On the other hand, if the customer chooses the Premium trim, they will receive, in addition to all the equipment that the Active already includes, features such as black leather seats, a JBL sound system, a front camera, a wireless phone charger or an interior lighting pack.

A feature common to both trims is the Toyota Safety Sense+ pack. This includes elements such as adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection, traffic sign recognition, a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection or adaptive headlights with LED daytime running lights.

Prices have already been announced: to get a Toyota GR Supra in Active trim you will have to pay 69,900 euros, and you can also enjoy 4 years of completely free maintenance. If this option does not convince you, the brand offers a renting deal under which you pay a monthly fee of 1,250 euros for 48 months. Deliveries of the new Japanese sports car will begin in October of this year.

In conclusion, the Toyota GR Supra is not a cheap car, as proof of this the brand intends to sell between 40 and 50 units per year. However, cars of this kind are not rational purchases but rather passionate ones: it has a captivating style, it is wildly fun and it will put a smile on your face similar to the one a Porsche 911 would put there. Compared with the 911, the price of the new Supra is half, so from that perspective, it is cheap. What do you think?