The 2021 Toyota Supra’s stock BMW-sourced, 382-horsepower 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine is a noticeable improvement from the 335-horsepower unit that first came out, but if would-be Supra owners really want to channel their inner Brian O’Connell, 382 ponies isn’t going to cut it.

For that, help from the aftermarket world is needed, and it just so happens that Manhart Racing is ready with open warms. The German tuner already presented a 450-horsepower upgrade for the Japanese sports coupé earlier this year, but it seems that the rambunctiousness isn’t over.

Toyota Supras of yesteryear were defined as much for their outlandish colors as the mammoth engine upgrades underneath their hoods. Neon green, electric yellow, flashbulb orange — you name the color, the R33 and R34 generations of the Supra probably wore something like it. I bring that historical note up because despite being introduced in 2019, I have yet to see the current-generation Toyota Supra wear as eye-catching a paint color as this shiny gold paint finish. Manhart Racing doesn’t have a name for it beyond describing it as a “MANHART-typical golden yellow” matte foil, so in the absence of an official designation, I’m going to call it Shiny Gold because of how sexy the Supra looks wearing the garb. That’s the first take away here.

The Manhart GR 550 is stunning to look at, and that’s not including the graphics package, the new front spoiler, and the set of slick 20-inch wheels. The latter elements, particularly the graphics package and the red trim on the front spoiler adds more layers of aesthetic appeal to what is already a jaw-dropping sports car. The same holds true for the wheels. While I do think that a lot of wheel designs work on the Supra, I can’t blame Manhart for opting for a set of in-house 20-inch, satin black finished Concave one rims wrapped in 255/30 ZR20 and 295/25 ZR20 tires. Those wheels are fire.

What's the lowdown on the mechanical upgrades?

The Manhart GR 550 didn’t take its name from anything else other than what the tuner did to the Supra’s 3.0-liter B58 inline-six engine.

That translates to 542 horsepower’s worth of awesome, and when you combine that with the increased torque to 568 pound-feet, you suddenly see this car in an entirely different light. This isn’t a Toyota Supra anymore. It’s a small gold rocket ship.

Manhart’s TTE 685 turbocharger upgrade is the star of this tuning upgrade, though some applause should also be directed to the new radiator provided by Wagner Tuning. Manhart also tapped the services of FI Exhaust to provide a new stainless steel exhaust system that’ll allow you to enjoy the brutality of what a 542-horsepower Toyota Supra sounds like on the open road.

The German tuner didn’t divulge performance details, but you can imagine a huge improvement from the stock Supra’s 3.7-second sprint time to 60 mph and 9.5-second time to 100 mph.

Even if you take into account claims that the Supra’s B58 engine is more powerful than Toyota’s claims — Car and Driver ran a dyno test and the sports coupé hit 388 horsepower and 421 pound-feet of torque — Manhart still unlocked a delicious amount of power that hits the rear wheels courtesy of an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Is it possible that the Manhart Supra GR 550 can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in around 3.5 seconds? That’s faster to 60 mph than the returning Audi R8 RWD, which clocks in at 3.6 seconds. Color us gold with intrigue.

On the suspension front, you have the option of getting three-way coilovers from KW Suspensions or lowering springs from H&R. Whichever you choose, you know that your Supra’s suspension is in good hands with either KW Suspensions or H&R.

What's this going to cost me?

Prepare to shell out possibly as much as half of the Supra’s value. Since the sports coupe starts at $43,945, Manhart’s Supra GR 550 kit could cost you anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000.

Final Thoughts

I will admit that my knees got weak when I first saw the Supra GR 550 Manhart. The fancy gold foil finish got to me, and my knees got weaker when I discovered how much power Manhart was able to squeeze out of that BMW-sourced B58 engine. Now, I’m not the biggest fan of the Supra’s looks, but somehow, Manhart’s program made it look a lot sexier than I ever thought it could be. I know that the Supra is a highly customizable car that’s invited plenty of tuners to dance with her. But of all the tuned-Supies that I’ve seen since the sports car returned to the auto scene, the Supra GR 550 Manhart is one of the first ones to really capture my undivided attention.