The first Toyota Supra sports coupe, introduced in the late 1970s, broke cover as a 6-cylinder extension of the Celica line to provide the automaker with an answer to the then highly successful Datsun/Nissan Z car. It’s history that after healthy sales over four generations of the Supra, buyer interest in SUVs increased in the 1990s and declined for sports cars and 2-seat GT sports coupes, with Toyota discontinuing the Supra after the 1998 model year.
But with auto-racing enthusiast Akio Toyoda at the helm and on a mission to inject some excitement into the Toyota product lineup, the company collaborated with BMW and, in conjunction with Gazoo Racing, introduced an all-new fifth-generation Supra for the 2020 model year, the first in 22 years.
The 2023 GR Supra celebrates its fourth year on the market by adding a key product feature enthusiasts have been lobbying hard for—a manual-transmission option. I recently had a chance to put a 2023 GR Supra equipped with its newly available 6-speed manual transmission through its paces on the road courses and surrounding roadways at Utah Motorsports Campus west of Salt Lake City.
The 2023 GR Supra arrives at U.S. Toyota dealerships this September. The 2023 lineup includes the 4-cylinder, automatic-only GR Supra 2.0, the 6-cylinder GR Supra 3.0 Base and Premium trims available with manual or automatic transmission, and the limited-production, manual-only GR Supra 3.0 A91. Prices range from $43,540 to $58,345. The destination charge is an additional $1,095. There is no upcharge for a manual or automatic transmission.
I drove a GR Supra 3.0 Premium with the new 6-speed manual transmission and Stratosphere Blue premium paint—a $425 option. The test car’s MSRP was $57,170, including the destination charge.
Photo: Ron Sessions
For 2023, the GR Supra continues with the same attention-grabbing design as the 2020 model, with its long hood, snorkel-like center air intake, prominent liftgate spoiler, and body side scallops recalling the 1993-98 Gen 4 Supra and double-bubble roof conjuring the late 1960s 2000 GT.
Stepping over the wide, structural rockers, the driver and front passenger slip into supportive, comfortable, power-operated front buckets. Fit, finish, and materials are excellent, as you’d expect from a product sharing the BMW parts bin and crafted by master Austrian contract assembler Magna Steyr.
The GR Supra is a grand touring coupe, so interior storage is not its strong suit. The center console has a storage tray ahead of the shifter, there are two cupholders in the center armrest, and the doors have some pockets. However, the 10.1-cubic-foot cargo bay under the liftback door is roomier than you might expect and can handle three airport roller bags—four if they’re small—for that weekend couples’ getaway.
Photo: Ron Sessions
A horizontal-format 8.8-inch infotainment screen is now standard across all GR Supra trims, up from the 6.5-inch unit that previously graced the base model. The control interface uses a BMW iDrive-like remote control wheel on the console. Wireless Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring is standard, but there’s still no Android Auto, even though BMW now offers it in the mechanically near-identical Z4 Roadster. That’s a bummer for the non-Apple users among us. Toyota equipped the GR Supra 3.0 Premium test car with an immersive 500-watt, 12-speaker, JBL surround-sound premium audio system, a color head-up display, and a wireless phone charger.
In addition to eight airbags, the GR Supra comes standard with a reversing camera and a basic portfolio of advanced driving assistance system features, including a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, automatic high-beam headlights, and lane-departure warning with steering assist. The GR Supra’s low seating position, sloping roofline, and small back window mean that rearward visibility is in short supply. A wise choice is opting for the $1,195 Driver’s Assist package, which adds blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning systems as well as parking sensors that beep with greater intensity the closer the car gets to a nearby object. Adaptive cruise control is also optional, but only for cars equipped with an automatic transmission.
Photo: Ron Sessions
For daily driving, a pragmatist might argue that ditching a smooth-shifting and perfectly modern 8-speed automatic transmission in favor of a do-it-yourself 6-speed manual gearbox that requires constant attention and skillful coordination of the driver’s left leg and right arm to deal with driving routes and the ebb and flow of traffic is a step back technology-wise and a lot of unnecessary work. Besides, from a pure performance standpoint, manual-transmission cars are generally less fuel-efficient and a few ticks slower to accelerate than their auto-shifted counterparts. Such is the case with the 6-speed manual 2023 GR Supra, which comes up three-tenths of a second short from zero-to-60 mph. It also has an EPA-estimated 4 miles per gallon fuel-economy deficit in combined city/highway driving compared to the wider-ratio 8-speed automatic-equipped GR Supra.
What those arguments miss, however, is the involving nature of a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission. There is, after all, the human/machine engagement of a stick-shift car, the satisfaction of picking just the right moment of engine rpm and road speed to swap gears based on the sound of the engine or the reading of the tachometer, and of course, considering traffic and what lies ahead on the road.
In the case of the GR Supra 3.0, that engine sound is a satisfying one, not only from the basic sweetness of the 382-horsepower, turbocharged inline 3.0-liter BMW 6-cylinder but also the variable exhaust with a sound profile that’s driver-adjustable with the console-mounted drive-mode button. The 3.0-liter turbo-6 builds boost quickly and offers a healthy 368 pound-feet of torque over a wide engine-speed range for no-waiting throttle response across a broad spectrum of driving situations.
The new ZF 6-speed manual transmission is a willing partner with the straight-6 engine. Shifter effort is just right—light enough to suggest minimal friction, but with just enough mass to feel durable and precise in its strokes between gates. Clutch effort is well weighted, with easy take-up and predictable engagement.
In addition to the mechanical excellence, Toyota adds Intelligent Manual Transmission (IMT) programming software that manages throttle input to ensure the right amount of engine torque for smooth, positive engagement during upshifts. On downshifts, the system rev-matches engine speed for optimum smoothness control because who wants a jerky downshift mid-corner that might kick out the rear end in a tight corner? For those bare-knuckle drivers out there, you can turn off IMT in vehicle settings.
As with any short-wheelbase, high-powered, rear-drive car, the fastest line around a road course is a smooth one that doesn’t upset the balance of the machine. Toyota and Gazoo Racing tweaked the traction and stability control of the 2023 GR Supra to enhance its ability to do just that. But to inject some fun, they added a new driver-selectable Hairpin+ function that allows a bit more wheelspin differential between the right and left rear tires around tight uphill curves.
As the flagship of the now three-strong Toyota GR performance-car lineup, the 2023 GR Supra is a worthy successor to a near half-century of sports coupe driving fun. While some drivers may consider shifting a manual transmission unnecessary work, for those enthusiasts who relish the opportunity to work it a little, it’s key to becoming one with the machine. The new GR Supra—as well as the GR 86 and new-for-2023 GR Corolla—provide that opportunity for those interested in taking it.
Ron Sessions is a seasoned vehicle evaluator with more than three decades of experience. He has penned hundreds of road tests for automotive and consumer websites, enthusiast magazines, newsletters, technical journals, and newspapers.
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