Toyota was recently caught putting serious development effort into a high-performance automatic transmission, and we speculated that it could be just what the GR Supra needs to take things to the next level. As it turns out, though, that doesn’t matter because Toyota just announced something even better.
Giving the Toyota Supra What It Deserves
Rumors of a manual transmission coming to the Toyota Supra have been circulating ever since the model was launched. Way back in 2020, we told you that one might be available for the 2022 model year. We were right that it was coming, but we had the year a bit wrong. Fortunately, we weren’t far off as Toyota has now made it official. It hasn’t been a month since Toyota announced that a manual was coming to the Toyota Supra, and now it’s a reality, as Toyota has officially revealed the 2023 Supra with a manual gearbox.
There were two reveals, actually. The first was the standard 2023 model with a manual, and the second is an A91-MT Edition. The latter is a limited edition model with a production cap of just 500 examples. It’s finished in Matte While and CU Later Gray and is based on the 3.0 Premium trim with, as the name implies, a six-speed manual transmission. It includes cognac leather upholstery, red strut tower braces, a red Supra badge, and an Alcantara-wrapped shift knob.
In Europe, however, there’s something even better on the horizon. Over there, the Supra will be offered as a special “Lightweight” model, that’s tailored even more toward enthusiasts. It, too, comes with a six-speed manual transmission, but it also includes new and lighter 19-inch alloy wheels. Between the wheels and the new six-speed manual, Toyota has managed to shave a total of 48 pounds off the Supra’s curb weight. The wheels alone relieve the burden of 2.6 pounds each, and reduce unsprung weight for improved steering and ride quality. Toyota hasn’t given us any shots of the wheels, though, they are said to be forged multi-spoke wheels and take after those on the GR Yaris and GR Corolla.
That’s not all that makes the new European Lightweight Supra special, though. To help shave off extra weight, the leather upholstery has been ditched and there’s a different sound system. Power adjustment and lumbar support for the front seats have been removed, and in the end, the Lightweight supra is 84.4 pounds lighter compared to the standard six-cylinder model with an automatic. Of course, with a standard curb weight of 3,400 pounds, that doesn’t really represent a huge change, but any amount of weight reduction is a good thing.
According to Toyota’s European division, the Lightweight will be the most popular model of the bunch. And, while the A91-MT Edition will be sold as a limited model for 2023 only, the Supra Lightweight will be a mainstay in the lineup until the Supra is discontinued or enters a new generation – possibly in 2025. The six-speed manual was developed by Toyota “in order to meet the strong demands and expectations of our customers.” It could also be the latest stepping stone on the road to the GRMN Supra, a model that will have the BMW M3’s inline-six and more than 530 horsepower.