Review: Toyota GR Supra 6MT – Finally A Worthy Successor To The A80?

Is That A Supra?

Yes, but not exactly. Ever since its 2019 debut, the fifth-gen Toyota Supra, now known as the GR Supra, has struggled with an identity crisis. For the recent 2023 model year (2023 MY) update, Toyota has introduced a new 6MT variant of the GR Supra locally, thus bringing it closer to the legendary A80 Supra Mk 4 many locals fondly remember.

For the uninitiated, the GR Supra was co-developed with the G29-gen BMW Z4 roadster, with some key parts of the car, namely powertrain and chassis, ‘borrowed’ from the Bavarian marque. As a result, this supposed JDM legend’s successor is often labelled as a ‘fake’ Supra, simply because of its shared Germanic roots.

The fifth-gen Supra comes with some design cues inspired by the legendary A80 Supra Mk 4.

That being said though, at least the new GR Supra manages to ‘honour’ its predecessor in terms of design. From the get-go, you’ll notice similarities between the two. Key amongst which are its headlights and taillights, rounded coupe body style with muscular fenders, and the unique double-bubble roof.

New for 2023 MY update are the 19-inch forged alloy wheels, each of them shod in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres for our market.

Not only the GR Supra is smaller, this Japanese-Bavarian sportscar actually weighs closer to the A80 Supra, and that is despite all the moderen tech and safety bits it carries.

Due to its tie with the BMW Z4, the fifth-gen Supra is actually smaller than the A80 Supra. And despite harbouring tons of tech and safety equipment over its predecessor, the new model’s weight is seemingly close to the A80 original mentioned at 1,570 KG.

Yes, you may argue about the lack of the large rear wing, the plethora of fake air vents, or even this new model’s ‘un-Japanese’ looks. But in the day-and-age of ridiculous performance SUVs and crossovers, we really ought to appreciate the existence of sporty coupes like the GR Supra here.

How’s Life Inside The Supra?

Compared to other GR-badged models, the GR Supra’s Germanic roots garner it a pretty livable cabin space, at least by modern performance car standards.

Compared to other GR-badged cars we've tested prior, the GR Supra is certainly the most well-equipped one.

Upon entering the car, both driver and passenger are greeted by two snug semi-bucket seats wrapped in plush leather, both featuring 8-way power adjustments with lumbar support. The rest of the cabin features a blend of carbon fibre and soft-touch leather trims, with the sole GR badge we can spot here being on its gear knob.

Tech bits are quite plentiful here, with the centrepiece being the 8.8-inch central infotainment screen that’s actually the BMW iDrive suite all in name and virtual badge. It does offer Apple CarPlay connectivity at the very least.

Other key equipment present include an 8.8-inch TFT instrument cluster with a head-up display (HUD), a dual-zone automatic climate control, wireless charging pad, multiple USB ports, and a thumpy 12-speaker JBL sound system.

Featuring a strict two-seat configuration, the GR Supra’s cabin space is limited in terms of storage spaces, with the latter measuring only 290 litres. Perhaps this is the price one pays for a properly focused driver’s ergonomics, said trait evident at how many of the essential controls are within easy reach for the driver.

Keeping it friendly for the daily roo are standard active and passive safety equipment, which includes some ADAS functions such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), Lane-Keeping Assist (LKA), Front- (FCW) and Rear Collision Warning (RCW), and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA). Opt for the 6AT variant instead and said package gets ‘completed’ with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) as standard – the 6MT model only makes do with passive cruise control suite.

Since the car was initially launched solely in 6AT variant, some driving ergonomics like the gear shifter and clutch pedal locations are slightly off.

Our only gripe with the GR Supra’s cabin is the slightly odd positioning of both the manual gear shifter and the clutch pedal, and this greatly depends on your physique – specifically your height and perhaps frame width too. Fortunately, most drivers will get used to it pretty quickly, so this is no big worry.

So, There’s A Bimmer Hiding Inside This Toyota?

Peeling off the GR Supra’s nostalgia-driven exterior reveals much of its Germanic backbone. For starters, both the GR Supra and the Z4 share the same platform co-developed by Toyota and BMW, featuring a classic front-engine and rear-wheel drive (RWD) layout.

The GR Supra shares its power plant with many BMW performance model, including the legendary BMW M3.

Under the hood is a familiar 3.0-litre twin-turbo 6-cyl B58 mill – BMW’s signature straight-six mill that’s primed in many of its performance models. For the 2023 MY GR Supra, this BMW six-shooter outputs 383 HP and 500 NM, allowing a rapid 0-100 KM/H sprint time of 4.4 seconds – if you shift quickly – and a 250 KM/H V-Max.

And just like its six-shooter, the GR Supra’s new ZF-sourced 6-speed S6-53 manual box is also the same used in many BMW models, including the new M3. Paired with its RWD setup with an electronic limited-slip differential (LSD), the GR Supra 6MT actually mirrors the A80 Supra’s setup, in a way...

The GR Supra was christened by the Toyota Gazoo Racing motorsport division, led by Master Driver Morizo himself.

Typical of any GR-badged car, the GR Supra gains a GR-specific variable suspension setup. More importantly, Master Driver Morizo (a racing pseudonym donned by Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda) himself was involved in the final testing of the GR Supra, which took place at the infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife track – the very same venue Toyota benchmarked to develop the A80 Supra.

Despite its apparent Germanic roots, it is safe to say that the GR division’s involvement in the development of the GR Supra is enough to warrant the Toyota badge it wears. But more importantly, what’s the result of this Japanese-German collaboration?

Enough Talk, How Does It Drive?

To no one’s surprise, the GR Supra is a true delight to drive, especially in 6MT form as tested – it brings stick-shift fun on top of its already impressive drive dynamics.

Driving the GR Supra is both a visceral and aural experience, especially when the car's six-shooter mill sings at higher RPMs.

Raising fun factor levels here is how the BMW-derived straight-six mill mentioned screams, providing a delightful aural experience every time you floor the pedal. The decibel levels are evidently higher and the delivery more robust when engaged in Sport driving mode, unleashing a more visceral feel too.

Besides that, Sport driving mode also tweaks the GR Supra’s adaptive dampers and steering, the latter becoming heavier and the latter tightened in feel. Altogether, it grants the GR Supra the feeling as if it could take corners like it was on rails – a testament to the decent work done by the GR team on this ‘German’ sportscar.

The presence of rev-matching, garnered by the Toyota iMT system makes the GR Supra a bit more 'drivable' for amateur drivers.

Compared to the GR Corolla’s Toyota-sourced 6-speed manual unit, the ZF-sourced 6-speed manual box the GR Supra is primed with feels better and more robust, and that’s despite the awkward positioning of both the shifter and clutch pedal. Said ZF gearbox is also paired with Toyota’s proprietary iMT (intelligent manual transmission) technology that comes with rev-matching, enabling quicker downshifts while also making the car more ‘accessible’ to those with poor heel-to-toe skills – like yours truly.

Of course, being a rear-wheel-driven sportscar with a stick shift, you can also have some serious tail-wagging action. Disengaging the traction control (TCS) lets the six-shooter unleash all its power to the rear wheels with minimal restrictions, allowing you to do some burnouts and donuts with relative ease.

However, a little precaution is required before you disable the TCS. Due to the sheer power output this car harnesses, we advise you to always keep the traction control on unless you absolutely know what you’re doing.

For better or for worse, the GR Supra’s high power output also makes it somewhat difficult to enjoy on normal roads and highways. Unlike its other GR-badged sibling that boasts more modest outputs, drivers with less experience in performance cars may find 383 HP and 500 NM to be slightly ‘overwhelming’ for normal roads.

Just like a good ‘ol performance car, you can feel that the GR Supra wants to be driven aggressively. Compared to other GR models we’ve tested prior, upshifts need to be done at higher RPMs, preferably as close you can get to its redline. Otherwise, this car may feel quite sluggish and rough.

That said, the Toyota GR Supra 6MT is still a marvellous driving machine, despite some very minute shortcomings. With pure ICE-powered sportscars now fast becoming ‘endangered’, we’re certain that the GR Supra will be a future classic, regardless of the legendary status currently held by its predecessor.

So, Is It A Worthy Successor?

Rowdy yet refined straight-six mill, robust stick-shift gearbox, motorsport-tuned damper setup, all packaged in a tried-and-tested RWD form, the Toyota GR Supra 6MT is truly an engineering marvel by itself. So much so that after driving them for a week or so, it has made us forget about the heritage issue that loomed over it since its 2019 birth.

Call it what you want, it is simply hard to deny the great job done by both Toyota and BMW in developing this proper sportscar, especially in the day-and-age of impending electromobility. And unfortunately, all this goodness delivered by the GR Supra comes at a rather hefty toll.

Officially brought in by UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT), the 2023 MY Toyota GR Supra retails at RM645,000 for the 6MT variant as tested, while the 6AT version is tagged at a higher RM655,000. By any performance car’s standards, these prices are undeniably high, especially after considering how other GR-badged beasts are more accessibly-priced in contrast.

Truthfully, you’ll need equal amounts of love for the GR Supra nameplate and lore as you would the funds warranted to acquire one.

Whether you think of it as a rebadged Bimmer or a worthy successor to the A80 Supra, the Toyota GR Supra will certainly go down in history as one of the best performance models ever made by Toyota. Above all, it also stands as a shining beacon of true driving nirvana, especially in this age of looming electromobility…

SPECIFICATIONS

2023 MY TOYOTA GR SUPRA 6MT