2023 Toyota Supra GT manual review: First Australian drive

It’s always an occasion sinking down into a Toyota Supra.

The low, curving roof requires respect in the form of a deft head tilt as you descend into the sports seat, then cast your eyes over the long bonnet that nestles a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six beneath.

The sense of occasion only gets better with the arrival of the 2023 GR Supra’s six-speed manual transmission, something punters and journos alike begged for despite initial calls it would never be done.

Skimming over Toyota’s press release may have you believe it’s a whole new gearbox from the ground up – it isn’t.

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The six-speed manual in question – dubbed GS6L50TZ – sources parts from ZF’s ‘S6-53’ series of transmission, with its six ratios identical to those in an F87 BMW M2 or F80 BMW M3 (that box codenamed GS6-53BZ).

Toyota has tailored the ZF ’box with a host of little tweaks, so in a way, it is unique. There’s a newly developed clutch, less sound-deadening material in the transmission, revised linkages and a 200g weighted shift knob (painstakingly selected after BMW’s 68-gram unit was deemed too flighty).

It results in a 17kg weight reduction over the eight-speed automatic GR Supra – it now tips the scales without pilot at 1503kg – not to mention ultimate control for the driver and a more satisfying (if still very much BMW) shift feel than in the thankfully short-lived BMW Z4 sDrive20i manual. It’s better than an F87 M2 as well.

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To save the driver’s knuckles, Toyota had to carve out some extra space ahead of the shifter and redesign the carbon-wrapped centre console. The outcome is mostly effective; just don’t rush that change from second to third as you’ll still tap your knuckles on the HVAC controls.

Other revisions are made to the colour palette (including the tested Azure Blue), along with suspension tweaks, updated electronic power steering programming, a revised ESC tune to flatter dodgy clutch releases and auto rev-matching on downshifts.

Toyota Supra GT: The basics

JUMP AHEAD

• How much is it, and what do you get?
• How do rivals compare on value?
• Interior comfort, space and storage
• What is it like to drive?
• How is it on fuel?
• How safe is it?
• Warranty and running costs
• VERDICT
• Specifications

How much is it, and what do you get?

The 2023 GR Supra retains the same two variants as at launch, kicking off with the tested $87,000 (before on-road costs) GT and rising to $95,000 (before on-road costs) for the GTS. We don’t get the limited edition tan interior in Australia.

If you’ve caught the coverage of the GR86 and BRZ there may be some raised eyebrows that Toyota has priced manual and automatic at parity again.

The good news is, with the Supra you retain all-speed front auto emergency braking, lane-keep assist and blind-spot monitoring on the GT, only losing adaptive cruise and reverse AEB from the automatic’s spec sheet.

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It’s also harder to knock Toyota down for this, as the development and homologation processes for a new gearbox (that we were all so hungry for) probably won’t see the same return on investment as the GR86; it’s really chief engineer Tetsuya Tada’s passion project, with only a third of European buyers expected to get the six-speed.

Australian Supras also differ somewhat from those found elsewhere, particularly the USA. Our base GT is equipped with luxuries such as heated, electrically adjustable leather seats with memory whereas North Americans get Alcantara upholstery and manually-adjustable buckets.

However, GTs sold in Australia are fitted with downsized 18-inch alloy wheels that look gaudy on ‘our’ Azure Blue test car – one reason to step up to the GTS with its sexy forged 19-inch alloys.

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The GTS also gets its four-piston front brake calipers finished in red, and 345mm rear brake rotors to the GT’s 330mm items. The standard 10-speaker sound system in the Supra GT also does a decent job, helping feed into the grand tourer vibe of the car.

BWM takes care of in-car technology with an 8.8-inch touchscreen running previous-gen iDrive software, although the pictures and animations are at least Supra-centric. The digital driver’s display is also pleasingly different from any BMW with a focus on the rev counter, speed and gear selection.

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How do rivals compare on value?

Compared to the other two-door Japanese sports cars on sale, the Supra is helpfully the most modern – even if teaming up with BMW did bring its fair share of internet controversy.

The latest Nissan Z ($73,300 before on-road costs) is effectively a re-revamped version of the 350Z that launched in 2005. The GR86 GTS ($45,390) is also a heavy facelift of the 2012 original, while the Supra was truly all-new for Toyota at its 2019 launch.

People who want a bit of American muscle will have to wait for the next-gen Mustang to launch later this year with pricing to be confirmed. If you want Supra’s sweet ‘B58’ straight-six in a more practical but softer-edged package then there’s also the luxurious M240i xDrive ($94,900), though it really misses the Supra’s sense of occasion. It’s the same with the ludicrously rapid Audi RS3 sedan ($93,900) and Mercedes-AMG A45 S ($106,900) – all before on-road costs.

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Interior comfort, space and storage

Unlike a Porsche 911, Mustang or GR86, the two-seat Supra is a car only for two.

With Tada-san’s focus on the ‘golden ratio’ of track width to wheelbase, the Supra’s 1854mm breadth makes for generous shoulder room with a broad transmission tunnel separating driver and passenger.

There’s a good amount of headroom for those above 180cm thanks to that double-bubble roof, too, and seat comfort is ace. Where the Supra continues to be a touch frustrating is in the inconsistent plastic graining.

For example, the Supra's dash is distinctly BMW in its sharp design and grained plastic, but the swoopy door cards look more C-HR than sports car.

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Cabin storage is not great either. The Supra’s door pockets will fit a phone, a tube of paw paw ointment and your fuel receipts, but not much else. There are two cup holders in the centre and, providing the water bottle is in the rear of the two you can still easily operate the ’box.

There’s a clever wireless charging pad ahead of the shifter that cradles your phone properly under acceleration, braking and cornering but only one USB-A charge point.

Boot space is an interesting one for the Supra. Rated at 290L (VDA) there’s room aplenty for a couple’s weekly shopping or some pretty decently-sized soft bags. Unlike the practical GR86, though, longer items will be hard to carry due to the intrusive strut brace and speakers.

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What is it like to drive?

Harnessing the Supra with a manual transmission changes things.

Instead of the anonymous wall of speed, the added punctuation between each ratio lets one savour each hit of turbocharged glory from the 285kW/500Nm 3.0-litre turbo-petrol inline-six.

It’s not a tricky manual to drive, either. There’s that long and forgiving (typically BMW) clutch pedal (though it’s Toyota’s own, lighter clutch, which you can feel when shifting quickly) and well-matched control weights with well-spaced pedals for heel-and-toe downchanges.

In default Comfort mode, Toyota’s iMT system is there to help smooth changes too. Not only does it blip the throttle on downshifts, but also blends the throttle in on upshifts for serene urban operation.

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It’s easy to disable rev-matching in Sport Individual mode. In fact, with the manual transmission, the Supra is delightfully devoid of drive mode complication. It’s Comfort for cruising, Sport Individual for going quickly, and there is an easily accessible ESC button for the track.

Does going manual make the Supra better? It definitely makes the experience a little slower as the claimed 0-100km/h drops from 4.1 to 4.4 seconds (though if you’re equipped with mechanical sympathy the manual will likely be slower again).

And it’s not like the ubiquitous ZF eight-speed automatic is in any way a bad transmission. It may not have the alacrity of a Porsche PDK, but it’s damn good.

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So good is the automatic Supra that the manual really does need to be perfect in its action to be a winner.

It is, but there’s still a lot of BMW feel in the shifter’s action. It’s slicker, with tighter gates and less rubberiness than the M2’s slightly disappointing affair, but it’s not quite a match for Porsche’s benchmark of slick yet mechanical-feeling satisfaction.

Leaving the gearbox aside for the moment, the Supra remains a serious tool. The re-tuned steering feels a touch more natural than before and retains its sharp two turns lock-to-lock.

Although the electrically assisted steering doesn’t give much feedback, the communicative chassis telegraphs all the info you need as a driver.

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There’s less edginess from the rear end, too, thanks to stiffer anti-roll bar bushes and revised damper rates that allow you to explore the Supra’s scalpel-sharp chassis.

Still, the Supra grows in playfulness with the ESC in its middle Sport setting. It’s addictive when the electronically-controlled clutch-type limited-slip differential makes the rear 275/40R18 Michelin Pilot Super Sports squirm on the tarmac as you explore further reaches of the throttle, in full confidence that there’s an excellent safety net there to catch you.

Adding a manual dramatically ups the Supra’s interaction levels at all speeds. From enjoying the meaty shift quality and hearing the revs rise and fall around town, to the added challenge and control on a good back road.

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How much fuel does it use?

Perhaps one of Supra’s best party tricks is its respectable fuel consumption.

Despite all that grunt and delightfully smooth baritone engine sound, we saw 10.2L/100km after 987km of driving.

That not only took in urban crawling, highway driving and high-revving antics, but we also picked this Supra up with just 30km on the clock – so we had to run it in.

It bodes well for a consistently decent fuel figure of 10L/100km, which although shy of Supra’s 8.9L/100km is respectable for a sports car with this kind of punch. The Supra will also accept 91 RON at a pinch, but prefers premium 95.

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How safe is it?

The Supra has not been safety tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.

The Supra’s close relation, the BMW Z4, was awarded five stars in Euro NCAP safety testing in 2019.

Although you could argue that poor side and rear visibility comes with the territory on a coupe, the A90 is extremely poor, especially for taller drivers.

Just as well, then, that Toyota outfits the Supra with a solid set of safety aids. In manual form, it gets AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, reverse camera, lane-keep assist, front and rear parking sensors and seven airbags.

The automatic Supra goes two steps better adding radar cruise (though the omission of radar cruise suits the manual Supra’s more analogue approach) and reverse AEB.

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Warranty and running costs

Wearing a Toyota badge instead of a BMW roundel, the Supra has been covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty since its 2019 launch.

Servicing is also scarily affordable for this sort of car with Toyota charging $415 per service for the first five years, a total of $2075 over the duration. Maintenance is due every 12 months or 15,000km.

There is one gripe with the Supra being a Toyota product, and that’s the care taken in the pre-delivery stage.

Each car will vary, of course, but our Supra arrived with the incorrect front number plate holder fitted. One of the screws had entered the hole at roughly a 10-degree angle and appeared cross-threaded, too, while the rear plate was fitted off-centre.

Little things, yes, but when you’re paying the best part of $100K on the road, a little extra care before pick-up goes a long way.

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VERDICT

The 2023 GR Supra GT retains all the grand touring effortlessness you expect from Toyota’s hallowed nameplate, but the A90 is now a hint sharper and more tied down than when it launched.

It is an exciting sports car, and one we’re very glad exists. The question is, would we take a manual?

Even though the automatic is still a cracking transmission and a better everyday companion, the answer is yes.

The six-speed’s extra level of engagement, added challenge on a back road and the punctuation between each hit of straight-six grunt makes the GR Supra even more special.

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Toyota GR Supra GT manual specifications

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