Here is the Toyota GR Supra, finally

KUALA LUMPUR: We all have had enough, didn’t we? All we had since long were nothing but more leaks and teasers. But then there is a beauty in anticipation too and when the wait ends, the hearts are filled with joy. So is the case here. All the Supra fanboys, sports car enthusiasts, and pretty much everyone in the automobile world has welcomed the newest Toyota GR Supra. Putting an end to all the rumours, the Toyota A90 Supra in its fifth generations comes with a new element in its name.

The GR prefix states that the sports car developed by the Gazoo Racing unit will be the first global version from the arm. The newest Supra is the result of the Toyota-BMW joint venture as the sports car is based on the G29 BMW Z4. Along with the FT-1 Concept, the Toyota GR Supra takes its designing cues from various sports cars produced by the Japanese automaker in the past. The major inspirations can be seen in the double bubble roof from the 2000GT and the slim taillamps & round LED headlamps from the A80 Supra.

The front fascia of the new Supra also features a striking nose splitting the large air intakes. Then there is a wraparound windscreen flanked by blacked-out A-pillars. On the sides, there are inlets in the front and behind the rear wheels. Walking to the rear of the car we see a rear diffuser with twin tailpipes along with an upswept integrated boot lid spoiler. There is also present a centre-stacked LED light which is for the reverse function. Move inside the GR Supra and you will be greeted with an interior which is there because of the German ally, BMW.

Barring the 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster which houses a stylish tachometer designed by Toyota, the other equipment including the iDrive system has been lifted from the BMW store. Other stuff found inside the Supra includes more BMW-ish things like sports seats with integrated headrests, three-spoke steering wheel, either a 6.5-inch central display or an 8.8-inch touchscreen, and an optional colour head-up display.

With a wheelbase of 2,470 mm and a wheelbase-to-tread ratio of 1.55, the new Supra is one of more fleet sports car out there. Dimensions wise, the GR Supra measures 4,380 mm in length, 1,865 mm in width, and 1,295 mm in height. Toyota has also claimed that this Supra has a 2.5 times stiffer steel-aluminium structure than the Lexus LFA’s carbon-fibre construction. The all-new Toyota GR Supra will be offered with two engines in three different tuning options. Starting with the SZ variant, we have a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder motor churning out 197 PS of maximum power and a peak torque of 320 Nm.

Next up, on the SZ+ model is the same engine pumping out a maximum power of 258 PS and 400 Nm of peak torque. On the top of the line RZ variant of the Supra, we get to see a 3.0-litre straight-six motor that throws out a maximum power of 340 PS and 500 Nm of peak torque. An eight-speed ZF automatic transmission is seen on all the different models of the Supra. However, a manual transmission unit is still a possibility, said Masayuki Kai, Toyota’s assistant chief engineer. So, there is some optimism for the purists out there.

Double-jointed MacPherson struts at the front and multi-link rear suspension are present of the GR Supra. There are also an Adaptive Variable Suspension damping and an electronic locking rear differential available as options. These two features designed and harmonised to complement the Vehicle Stability Control on the car. The Supra in the US starts at US$49,990 (RM 204,900) and goes all the way up to US$55,250 (RM 226,400) depending on the variant and options you choose.