Toyota has shocked enthusiasts with news that the GR Supra will gain a manual transmission.
Since being launched in 2019, the GR Supra has been available solely with a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox.
However, Toyota says that ‘sports car customers and fans have spoken’ – and the company has listened.
Save the manuals
A short press release from Toyota contains only a few initial details about the manual gearbox option. It does not say which engine options the stick-shift will be offered with.
At present, Toyota sells the GR Supra with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine or a 3.0-litre straight-six. Both engines come from BMW, with the GR Supra sharing its platform with the BMW Z4 roadster.
Toyota has explained how to spot a manual-equipped GR Supra on the road, however. The cars will wear red ‘Supra’ badges, helping them to stand out.
Meeting the demands of drivers
In creating a GR Supra with a manual gearbox, Toyota says it wants ‘to meet the demands of driving purists’, and ‘offer enthusiasts something that is closer to the Gazoo Racing DNA’.
It promises to share more information in the coming weeks, but notes that the manual ‘box will be ‘a highly desirable, pure and special feature’.
The manual-equipped GR Supra means all three models in Toyota’s Gazoo Racing UK performance lineup can be had with three pedals.
The GR Yaris hot hatch is offered solely with a manual gearbox, while the forthcoming GR86 sports car has a six-speed manual as standard.
All four previous versions of the Toyota Supra were sold with the option of a manual gearbox.
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