First Drive: Toyota GR Supra
- Colin Cumming
- May 25, 2019
- 3 min read
Updated: May 29, 2019
Seventeen years since it's last incarnation and seven years in the making...the all-new fifth generation Toyota Supra is here.
Deriving from the Latin word 'above', the Japanese car maker set to strive above the competition with its original sports coupe in the late 1970's. Fast forward several decades and encapsulating the spirit of the original, that pursuit of the ultimate sports car, has now become a state-of-the-art 21st century reality.
Toyota President, Akio Toyoda said "Supra is like an old friend that holds a special place in my heart. Just like a lot of other diehard Supra fans around the world, I secretly wanted to make it happen".
For the sleek, eye-catching, new generation Supra, Toyota partnered with BMW. Although not unusual in itself - many marques do it, this collaboration and development was different, because the iconic Supra name has a pedigree and history behind it, as well as staying true to the heritage of the famous in-line straight-six cylinder engine.
Sharing several characteristics and underpinnings with the next-generation BMW M range, both companies developed their own cars respectively, based upon their agreement - Toyota with its hard-topped GR Supra coupe, and BMW with the open-topped Z4.
Being built in Austria, the new rear wheel drive, eight-speed automatic Supra, is the first GR model to be produced by Toyota Gazoo Racing for the global market.
Under the bonnet lies a turbocharged 335bhp, 3.0-litre straight-six petrol. Fuel consumption is 34.5mpg, CO2 emissions at 170g/km, 0-62mph is 4.3 seconds with a limited top speed of 155mph.
Tested and developed at the Nurburgring, the new two-seater GR Supra has been designed with a 50/50 weight distribution, low sense of gravity and shorter wheelbase - to give it better grip and stability - and it shows.
I got to test it to its limits at the former F1 Circuito del Jarama race track, north of Madrid. The chassis gives you a sense of confidence, allowing you to push the car. Under heavy braking and tight hairpin bends, bodyroll was none-existent.
Responsive steering made cornering easy and driving almost effortless. Put the throttle down heavily and the turbo will lag very slightly, but how often will that happen on your everyday commute?
The Supra proved to be a very agile sports car with impressive grip. You get the sense the car could handle even more power very easily. If anything, the engine noise could've been louder inside the car, to give it that "sports car" sound.
On the track I was very impressed, but billed as an everyday sports car - how practical would it be on the open road?
Driving hundreds of miles through lush Spanish countryside, the new Supra caught the eye of many. Evoking the sense of a bygone era, the new GR Supra with its impressive lines, long bonnet and stylish body drew attention in nearly every town and village we drove through.
As we pulled up to take pictures, we ended up fielding questions from locals.
The wide, high performance 19-inch tyres absorbed the road, with almost no road noise inside. The smooth ride made for a very enjoyable drive. Paddleshifts also let you control the car manually.
The cabin does share some components with BMW, but it's well put together and the 8.8-inch infotainment screen is easy to navigate.
A thoroughly capable all-round coupe, it has an excellent driving position, and although you sit low, visibility up front is good, with the "double-bubble" roof ensuring plenty space inside for driver and passenger.
The 290-litre boot, houses shopping and luggage with ease, making it usable for everyday use.
Base price is £52,695, and includes a rear camera, 10-speaker audio, Sat Nav, adaptive cruise control, adaptive suspension and Bluetooth. Blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, parking sensors and autonomous braking are standard.
90 percent of sales are expected for the top end Pro edition - costing £54,000; which adds electrically adjustable leather sport seats with heating and memory, a JBL 12-speaker audio system, wireless charger and heads-up display.
First deliveries are expected in September. The UK's allocated 300 units are already sold out, with a waiting list for 2020.
The new GR Supra is a very accomplished sports coupe.
Blending practicality, good engineering and performance, along with looks and tech...it's a grown-up everyday sports coupe. However, should you feel the need to let loose, then you're in for a Supra time.
The Toyota GR Supra review as published in the national press.
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