by Michael Satterfield | 05/05/2021
Over the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with the Toyota Supra, one of the most polarizing sports cars on the market today thanks to its BMW underpinnings. Purists decry that it isn't a "real Supra" but the numbers don't lie, this new German/Japanese fusion is the best performing Supra in history, and to test it out I took the new Supra on a road trip, to the track, and then shadowed the Forbush Performance GT4 Supra race team at the SRO Pirelli GT4 America race at Circut of the Americas.
The would of affordable sports cars has been in decline since the mid-70s, when the far more practical hot-hatch started to gain traction in the enthuists market, today some brands have even begun shifting away from cars completely as buyers flock to SUVs. The Supra in a ever shrinking class of two seat sports cars that in the six figures, this is why the platform sharing we wouldn't see cars like the Supra. Out of the over fifty two seat sports cars currently offered in 2021, just nine are under $100,000 and many are in the high six-figures. Even in the sub $100,000 price point the Supra comes in under the Porsche Cayman, Audi TT, and Corvette C8 making it one of the most affordable GT cars on the market.
As a Grand Tourer:
The Supra does offer plenty of room in the passenger cabin, the luggage space is addiquite for a long trip by yourself or a long weekend for two. On the road the Supra is a pure joy to drive, jump on a back road and you can tell that this car was designed with the driver's enjoyment in mind. The new Supra was benchmarked against the Porsche 718 Cayman S, and it really shows. Powered by a 382 hp BMW 3.0-liter inline-six the Supra is true to the original formula that make the original Supra a cult icon. For those looking save a little the Supra 2.0 is also an option. Powered by a 255 hp four-cylinder and the same 8-speed automatic the 2.0 is a very good sports car, my only warning is, don't drive the 3.0, it does take away from the 2.0 experience knowing there is 127 more horsepower out there.
No matter which Supra you decide to buy, they both have the same limited rearward visibility, tight cabin, and the same basic drive modes Normal and Sport. They both come on Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires and both are comfortable as daily drivers. I am 5'10" and have plenty of room, but taller drivers might complain about head room and visibility. Also there currently isn't a targa top version of the Supra, which is disappointing, but based on a concept vehicle Toyota has shown, we might see a t-top or targa top version of the Supra in the future.
The Supra is perfect for long road trips and transitions from comfortible curiser on the highway to canyon carver, the brakes, steering, and suspension are world class and are on par with Cayman S and BMW M2 Comptition. Plus you can get still get a smaller golf bag in the trunk. If you are looking for a car that can take you to work every day but still enjoy on a long weekend getaway or a weekend at the track, the Supra is should be on your short list.
As a Track Toy:
Having driven the Supra 2.0 and 3.0 on a few road trips, I was impressed with what the car would do on a stretch of winding road, but I wanted to see what it could do when unleashed on the track. Unforunently we don't have the budget of Top Gear to rent a track for our sports car reviews, so I would have to wait for an annual press track day event and just hope that the Supra would be there. I arrived for the Auto Roundup at Texas Motor Speedway just a few weeks ago, and in the garage was a Phantom Grey 2021 Supra.While the rest of the journalists lined up for their chance to drive the Rolls-Royce, I was the first one in the Supra and on the track.
Pulling out of the garage and onto the track, the Supra in sport mode, traction control off, and the shifter set to manual, I am excited to say the least. Warming up on the first lap and the Supra's eagerness to pivot is already apparent, this is a car that likes to be pushed and is more than willing to throw its tail out without all of the traction controls. Even in a slide, its composed and easy to regain control, the steering is quick and provides beautiful feedback. Ringing it out to nearly 7000 rpm the backend searches for grip between shifts and offers an excellent burble from the exuast as the transmission does its work. Entering a corner hard on the brakes, the tranmission deines early downshifts, but by lap three I have gotten a pretty good rhythm, only to see the flag signifying my time on course is up.
Bone stock on the Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires the Supra is ready to go right out of the box for a high performance driving event or club track day, with a helmet I will say the head room is a little tight so if you are taller than 5'10" and are looking for a weekend track toy, you might bring your helmet with you when you visit the dealer to make sure you can fit.
The Supra GT4:
While playing with a street car on the track is fun, the Supra is also a legitimate race car, competing in a number of road racing and endurance series, even in NASCAR's Xfinity series the Toyota stock car is loosely based on the Supra and mimicks the headlamps and grill. To get a better idea of what the Supra is like as a race car, I headed to the Curcuit of the Americas (COTA) to meet up with Damon Surzyshyn who is one of the drivers of the Forbush Performance GT4 Supra, and the focus of the television series Going Pro SRO America which has followed his racing career and his dream of becoming a professional racing driver.
In the Pirelli GT4 Ameica series AM class the Toyota GR Supra GT4 is pitted against the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR, McLaren 570S GT4, BMW M4 GT4, and the Mercedes-AMG GT4. Just two Supras lined up on the starting grid, team Forbush Performance and Smooge Racing, also on the grid in the Pro/AM and Silver classes were the best from Audi, Aston Martin, and KTM. Looking at laptimes the Supras were holding their own with a fast lap time of 2:20.484 just a few tenths of a second behind the McLaren 570S GT4 and Aston Marting Vantage AMR GT4 cars, but in the end neither Toyota team would bring home a podium finish at COTA.
The Toyota GR Supra GT4, is a factory race car that teams can purchase directly from Toyota Racing Development for just over $210,000, a relative bargain in the world of racing. That price gets you a FIA spec Toyota Supra GT4 that produces 430 hp, has a seven speed paddle shifted race transmission, Brembo brakes, KW adjustable racing dampers, fire supression system, and even an air jack. There are options too, add a drinking system, an endurance package, illuminated car number, and even a tire pressure monitoring system.
In walking around the GT4 car, one thing that sticks out is how much like the street car it really is, walking through the pitts and looking at the other cars it is clear that Toyota built the Supra street car with this GT4 car in mind. Racing the Supra was never an after thought, in 2020 the GR Supra GT4 won 84 races, 25 class podiums, 11 class wins, and the GT4 France Am Cup championship.
While most of us will never be behind the wheel of a GT4 car, there is something special about driving the street version of an actual race car. On my way home from COTA, I took the long way home, found some twisty back roads, and enjoyed the Supra for what is, a great sports car, that can really do it all.
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