Photography by Alex Bernstein
All images provided by Toyota
After a leak last week, Toyota officially unveiled the all new Toyota Supra this morning. The new car was hinted at for more than 10 years. After having exited US shores in 1998 and ending Japanese production in 2002, the MKIV Supra left some big shoes to fill.
The new Supra picks up well from where the previous car left off, retaining rear-wheel drive and very importantly (in this day of flatulent-sounding V6s), a straight-six cylinder engine.
The world has changed a lot since we last saw a new Supra. There was a global recession, manufacturer’s belts tightened and, not surprisingly, the 2JZ engine became too thirsty and dirty-breathing for the current times of climate change and smaller budgets. The new car, co-developed with BMW and built by Magna Steyr in Austria, is powered by a turbocharged inline-six cylinder engine, which makes 335 hp, 365 pound-feet of torque, and launches the car from 0-60 mph in 4.1 seconds. Sadly for some enthusiasts, a manual transmission will not be offered, with gear shifting instead being handled by an eight-speed automatic transmission.
On the plus side, the new Supra is not loaded down with hybrid technology or heavy batteries, instead retaining the traditional front internal combustion engine and rear-wheel-drive layout with a 50/50 front to rear weight balance.
The new Supra steps into the previous car’s heavy shoes, weighing in at 3,397 lb. This is surprisingly close to what Wikipedia quotes as the previous Supra Turbo’s weight of 3,285-3,461 lb.
The first 1500 cars produced will be sold as a special Launch Edition with red-capped mirrors, red interior, and in a body color choice of Absolute Zero (white), Nocturnal (black), and Renaissance Red 2.0. On the news
The news release website brands the new Supra as a “GR Supra” for Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s Japanese performance sub-brand. It’s unclear whether it will be brought to the states as a “GR Supra” or simply “Supra.” Prices will start at $50,920 for the base model, $54,920 for the Premium, and $56,180 for a Launch Edition.
Check out the video above for the unveiling from this morning at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show.
If you’re not familiar with the story of the Supra lineage, check out the GR Supra website for an illustrated history.
