It was necessary to wait for the beginning of 2019, at the Detroit Motor Show, to finally see the new Toyota GR Supra , its fifth generation, the A90. Now it finally arrives at the “Old Continent” — but production for this year has already sold out… —, so Toyota has revealed all the specifications of its sports car.
True to the architecture that has marked the Supra since its inception, we find an in-line six-cylinder, longitudinally positioned at the front, which sends power to the rear wheels.
Relative to the other Supra it differs in the number of seats available; only two, against the 2+2 configuration that marked the predecessors. The result is a very compact car — shorter than the GT86 — with Toyota showing more sports than GT genes for this new iteration of the Supra.
Tetsuya Tada, the chief engineer of the Toyota GR Supra, points to the importance of this two-seater configuration for which he has fought so hard. It was the only way to get a perfect relationship between the wheelbase (2470 mm) and the rear track (1589 mm), achieving a ratio of 1.55 between the two dimensions — a value between 1.5 and 1.6 is considered the golden ratio in this field (golden ratio) — which guarantees the best possible balance between agility and stability.
Chassis
The chassis foundations of the new Supra couldn't have had a better starting point, presenting not only a perfect weight distribution (50:50) and even a lower center of gravity than the GT86, as well as a high structural rigidity, even surpassing that of the Lexus LFA, the Japanese supercar mostly built in carbon fiber — which is surprising considering that steel and aluminum are the predominant materials in the Supra.
Developed by Toyota GAZOO Racing, it has tested the Supra around the globe, always looking for the most challenging roads, including also development on circuits such as the Nürburgring. The front suspension scheme is a MacPherson type, while the rear is a multilink system with five connection points.
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Suspension is adaptive type (Adaptive Variable Suspension or AVS), having two modes to choose from: Normal and Sport. These alter multiple parameters that affect the car's attitude — more stability and comfort in Normal mode and less body roll and more agile response in Sport mode, for example.
For Europe, all Toyota GR Supras come equipped with forged 19-inch wheels as well as a active self-locking differential , which can be blocked up to 100%. There is also a Track mode in the stability control (VSC) options that reduces the intervention level of the multiple electronic aids present when in circuit.
brakes
The braking system consists of ventilated discs — 348 mm x 36 mm at the front and 345 mm x 24 mm at the rear — with red four-piston aluminum Brembo calipers at the front and floating type at the rear with only one piston.
Toyota GR Supra brakes also have an anti-fatigue function , where the brake pressure automatically increases when the discs have a high temperature.
Not a 2JZ-GTE in sight…
… but it would be mission impossible for such a block to comply with current emissions regulations. As we know, the Toyota GR Supra was born out of a partnership with BMW, also giving rise to the new Z4 — it seems to be the only way to develop sports cars today —, with both models sharing a large part of the hardware, which includes o six cylinders in line.
The Bavarian origin of the Supra heart is no reason for embarrassment, as the B58 has proven to be excellent in all its applications. The 3.0 l capacity block is turbocharged (a twin scroll turbo), and debits 340 hp and 500 Nm.
There is only one transmission available, an eight-speed automatic transmission (torque converter). Toyota says that the first gears are shorter, to always ensure the best possible acceleration. With the contribution of a Launch Control (start control), the Toyota GR Supra reaches 100 km/h in just 4.3s.
The response and even the sound of the engine, as well as the performance of the transmission, change when the Sport mode is engaged.
versions
The Toyota GR Supra will be available in seven colors and two trim levels, Active and Premium, not counting the very limited special edition A90 Edition —only 90 units destined for Europe —, which stands out for the presence of an exclusive exterior color, Matt Storm Grey, and red leather inside.
Toyota GR Supra A90 Edition
Among the various equipment available at the level Active we have bi-zone air conditioning, adaptive cruise control, start button, leather steering wheel, adaptive LED headlights, rain sensor and rear camera. The sports seats are covered in Alcantara, electrically adjustable and heated. The audio system consists of 10 speakers and the infotainment system features an 8.8″ touchscreen that can be controlled by a rotary control — effectively BMW's i-Drive system. It also has Apple CarPlay.
The level Premium exchange the seats in Alcantara for leather ones — always in black —, the audio system is by JBL with 12 speakers, there is now a head-up display, wireless charger for the smartphone.
Naturally, the Toyota GR Supra comes equipped with the latest safety systems and driving assistants: Pre-Collision system with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane maintenance system or adaptive lighting are standard equipment.
At the moment, prices for Portugal are not available.
