After last year showing the GR Supra Heritage Edition at SEMA, a tribute to the Supra A80 of the 90s and which “removed” from it a series of stylistic elements, Toyota returns to honor the predecessor of the current GR Supra with the GR Supra Sport Top.
The name “Sport Top” refers to the removable roof it brings, transforming the GR Supra coupé into a targa, just as it did in the 90's and even 80's predecessor. It was the only element missing from the 2019 GR Supra Heritage Edition to be the perfect evocation of the predecessor.
It was almost two months ago that we anticipated it, when Toyota announced it along with other modified Supras destined for the SEMA360 — the online event possible in this troubled year of 2020 that replaces the conventional event.
What appears to be a simple job of cutting the roof is actually far more complicated than it sounds:
Marty Schwerter, chief builder"Toyota really wanted the Heritage Edition (2019) to stay with us. But this was not an easy build and we had to think a lot about cutting the roof and removing a significant part of the car's structure. It was a lot more complicated than we originally thought. Removing the roof was extremely difficult and required some innovative work to retain the structural rigidity of the GR Supra. I loved the result and hope others will love it too."
The modifications
The new removable roof of the GR Supra Sport Top consists of two panels in composite materials, manufactured via 3D printing at Toyota Motor North America's research and development facility, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan (USA). The panels feature the same contours as the GR Supra coupé we know, and the car itself retains the windshield frame of the original car.
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To maintain the coupé's structural rigidity, the structural elements that are in front of and behind the original roof, which remains, have been reinforced; just as the bottom of the car was reinforced, from the engine compartment to its rear section.
With the roof in place, it's hardly distinguishable from the coupé
The modifications of this GR Supra Sport Top are not limited to its removable roof, as can be seen in the images. This unique model now features a new bottom and rear diffuser — both handcrafted — to optimize airflow. The exhaust system is also unique, which now has two central outlets.
As a tribute to the Toyota Supra A80 (4th generation) there was no lack of an expressive rear wing and, as in the GR Supra Heritage Edition, the rear optics now contain circular elements. It is precisely from this model that many of the unique elements pass through to this transformation that serves as a tribute to the Supras of the past.
Toyota GR Supra Sport Top and the GR Supra Heritage Edition, known last year.