Toyota's 2020 GR 3.0: It's a Supra Big Deal

The cheetah is the fastest land animal that is capable of reaching speeds between 70 and 75 mph in short bursts. It can accelerate from 0 to 64 mph in three seconds which is faster than a supercar. If you are looking to replicate the experience of a cheetah without breaking the bank on a supercar, the much-anticipated return of the Toyota Supra might scratch that itch.

Quickest Toyota Vehicle to Date

It has been 21 years since a 'new' Supra roamed the streets and race tracks of North America. To put the time into perspective, Seinfeld was airing its last episode, Google was founded, and Blockbuster and VHS tapes were still a thing. If you were to compare the last Supra produced to the all new 2020 GR model, it would be like comparing Blockbuster's brick-and-mortar movie-rental system to today's online movie-streaming services. The technology platforms are completely different.

The all-new Supra will have, under the elongated hood, a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 that will produce 335 horsepower and 365 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine was designed for racing enthusiasts by racing experts from Toyota's GAZOO Racing, so the torque this engine produces grabs and tosses you back in your seat from very low engine speeds because of the combination of a twin-scroll turbocharger, direct fuel injection system, and the rear drive layout. The current estimates are 0-60 mph acceleration in 4.1 seconds. Top-end speed will be electronically limited to 155 mph, so the power and torque combination allows both the professional and weekend hobby racer the same thrill on many of the road courses across the country.

The new Supra will offer two different types of driving modes. Normal and Sport, or as I like to call the two: commuter and fun. What makes the sport mode different and fun is that it provides track-driving capability by reducing intervention of the traction and stability control functions. Sport mode will also sharpen throttle response, increase steering weight, and improve the shift crispness from a stop or while rolling down the highway. Finally, the most important reason for the sport mode is that it AMPLIFIES the exhaust sound.

Quick Shift Transmission

The New Supra will come with an 8-speed quick-shift automatic transmission. The shorter ratios at the lower gears enable powerful acceleration with minimal wheel spin producing maximum traction even when exiting tight corners on a race track. The 2020 Supra only comes with the automatic, but if you prefer to control wheel spin yourself, the Supra will have paddle shifters.

Even though it's an automatic transmission, it has been designed to allow you to shift down without working the paddle shifters or center console shifter. Let's say you are on a two-lane highway and you want to pass someone quickly because the passing zones are short. You could tap the paddle shifter to shift down; or with the quick-shift transmission, you just lift your foot off the accelerator than tap the accelerator, and you've just shifted down a gear. The torque increases and the RPMs shoot up and you can smoothly pass the car. Since it's an automatic, it will shift naturally through the gears as you gain speed. This tap of the accelerator also allows you to rumble the headers like some 1970s cherry bomb headers as you are slowing down for stop lights and stop signs – or passing kids who are hanging out the window giving you the thumbs up.

Designed to Handle Like Racecar

This Supra is not one of the lightest sports cars on the market with its limited carbon fiber and a metal hood and hard top, but that is OK. The design engineers at Toyota GAZOO Racing were more concerned with making sure the GT accomplished a 50:50 optimal weight balance. In my opinion, the neutral corning balance – that the engineers were trying to achieve – made the GT handle like a car considerably lighter. In sport mode, the rear end of the car never felt like it was trying to race around to the front of the car. Even on tight corning, the rear followed the front and tracked on a rail.

Additionally, to further minimize slop and body roll while cornering, the engineers went even further to identify nine points on the Supra's rear structure that could be reinforced to increase rigidity and prevent vehicle roll and slop. A friend asked me how it rode. I asked whether they asking about the ride or the comfort because those are two separate answers. I said it rode like a sports car tuned to be a weekend racer, but was comfortable like a euro luxury sports car.

Safety Starts With Brakes and Tires

After about three minutes of driving, it is very obvious that the GR Supra is like a rocket ship. The problem with a true rocket ship is there is no way to stop it once it's launched, but that won't be a problem with the upgrades on the new Supra. No matter the trim level, the vehicle comes standard with oversized 4-piston Brembo calipers attached to 13.7-inch rotors. The tires that were picked are Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires with 275/35R19 on the back and 255/35R19 on the front. Both will be mounted on 19-inch forged alloy wheels for a true roll. The rear tires are bigger because the power and torque that is produced by this new Supra require a larger rear to provide superior handling and grip.

Because it's Texas and there are plenty of open spaces, I was able to brake check the Supra to get a feel for the setup. This car is designed to be used by hobby racers, so it does an excellent job of slowing the car down quickly and efficiently instilling confidence that you are safe in the grocery-getter world around you.

New Interior Design

With an all-new car design comes a fresh approach to how things should be laid out. The designers at Toyota wanted to make the driver experience seem as much like a race car as possible, so everything around the driver was given thorough consideration. The result is a unique interior look that is referred to as Condensed Extreme. I'm 6' 2" and I sit comfortably in this sports car because the body designers used the double-bubble roof design from the Toyota 2000 GT which does two important things. It adds head room for tall drivers like myself, but it also reduces that all important aero drag by shaving down the roof center line.

The front seats for both the driver and the passenger are racing inspired with a narrow main section with shoulder and side bolsters to firmly hold the driver and passenger in place while cornering. There is also integrated into the one-piece sport seat a forward tilting head rest that supports the head perfectly while also giving strong support to the lower lumbar region. The 3.0 Premium grade Supra will also offer heated, leather-trimmed seats. The center console has an asymmetrical shape that tightly envelops the driver. For driver convenience and safety, there is a full-color Head-Up windshield display that will give the driver vital driving and navigation information as you rocket down the road.

Interior Technology

The Supra Launch Edition with the 3.0 Premium upgrade that I tested featured the upgraded 8.8-inch wide-format touchscreen display. Some of the touchscreens are getting a bit out of control with the 'bigger is better' approach, so some now stick out like a sore thumb. The designers did a good job making this screen meld into the dash and not appear obtrusive. It is easy to read and very intuitive. There is also a premium 12-speaker JBL audio system that sounds fantastic over the growl of the pipes as you are cruising down the road listening to your jam. There is also a wireless phone charging area.

Toyota Safety

If you owned a sports car back in the days before Jerry Seinfeld and VHS tapes, you always had to worry about vehicles hiding in your blind spot. Now that we live in a technology-rich environment, the all-new 2020 Supra has available blind spot monitoring for its side mirrors. You will no longer have to constantly wonder if there is a vehicle lurking in your blind spot. Standard safety features include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with steering assist, and automatic high beams. An optional driver assist package will additionally offer full-speed adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and parking sonar.

The Wait and Timing Was Perfect

Toyota's launch of the GR Supra sports car in today's changing climate runs counter to the global focus of EV vehicles, but Gazoo Racing President Shigeki Tomoyama explains the why there's a need for a petro turbo sports car now by stating, "The most important thing is to keep developing a car that fascinates not only drivers but also us developers. With performance numbers that excite, fresh design concepts that intrigue, and comfort levels that refresh, this new Supra covers the gamut of what a 20+ year wait should look like. It will reward all skill levels of drivers from the daily commuter looking to have more fun on their daily drive, to the road-course hobby racer fulfilling a dream, to the full-time professional racer running for championships.

And who wouldn't want to own a fascinating car like that?

Test Model

The test model Supra pictured in this article is a special Launch Edition. As only 1,500 produced for the U.S., these vehicles will be based on the top-of-the line 3.0 Premium. Distinctive features signifying the exclusivity and excitement of Supra's return include a uniquely numbered carbon-fiber badge on the passenger-side dashboard complete with a graphic of Toyota Motor Corporation President and Master Driver Akio Toyoda's signature. Launch Edition models start at $55,250.

For more information, see sixteen sexy snapshots of the 2020 Toyota GR Supra below or visit:
Toyota | GR Supra