The sun shines a little brighter when Toyota tease that Supra is getting a manual transmission. The lack of gearshift has discredited Toyota’s halo sports car status to many enthusiasts, and while it remains a great machine, it always feels like something is missing. That changed on Thursday, when Toyota finally confirmed that the Supra manual was real – for some buyers.
Update April 29, 2022, 4:20 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with new information about the origin of the Supra’s manual.
First, the good news. Toyota says it took a long time to design this powertrain and make it work with the 3.0-liter inline turbocharger sourced from BMW. BMW doesn’t offer this engine with a manual transmission, so Toyota had to do a lot of work to create a manual Supra. Here’s what some of them entail, from Toyota’s press release:
The engineering team modified the existing gearbox housings, drive shafts and gear sets and removed unnecessary elements, such as the sound pack, which helped reduce weight. In the center of the gearbox is a newly designed large-diameter clutch with an enhanced diaphragm spring. With a larger friction area and stronger springs, this new unit is capable of high performance suitable for use with the GR Supra’s high-torque engine.
The newly developed 6-speed manual transmission also features a new software-programmed Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) that prioritizes sporty performance. When shifting gears, parameters are adjusted to optimize engine torque at the time of clutch engagement and release; When it comes to deceleration, the software has been fine-tuned for consistent performance. IMT is set as default but if the driver prefers it can be turned off in Sport mode.
To avoid slow take-offs and low-speed acceleration, the gear ratio was eventually shortened, from 3.15 (in the GR Supra automatic) to 3.46 (in the GR Supra MT). . The result is response and gearshift matching with sports car performance.
Following Toyota’s announcement, CD driver separately reported on Friday that the six-speed, like the Supra itself, comes from BMW. It’s the ZF unit “tuned” by Toyota so far as the Japanese automaker swaps out some parts for others – like the aforementioned large-diameter clutch, reinforced springs and the design of the car. gear shift knob:
“Parts used in the transmission come from a combination of ZF-manufactured manual transmissions, but this combination of parts is exclusive to the GR Supra,” said a Toyota spokesperson. CD driver. “Toyota collaborated with ZF and BMW on gearshift/pedal design/layout, final gear ratio decision, iMT tuning [rev-matching and upshift smoothing] function and sensory changes. “
This Supra-specific transmission even has its own transmission code, unique to the BMW parts catalog: GS6L50TZ. For what it’s worth, the code for the manual is found in the overseas and less powerful BMW Z4 sDrive20i, the GS6L40LZ, according to this SupraMKV forum post. According to BMW’s gearbox designation rules, the difference between “L50T” and L40L” indicates a deviation in the “type” of the transmission and gear set. The “GS6” and “Z” bits of the code indicate that the manufacturer has a six-speed manual and a ZF. For further reference, the manuals in the M3 and M4 are currently designated GS6-45BZ.
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Speaking of the shift knob, Toyota says ergonomics were a consideration too. Making space for a manual in a car that wasn’t originally offered with one can be a bit of a bear. Again, from the manufacturer’s release:
Close attention was also paid to how a manual shifter could be accommodated in the driver’s cockpit. The lever ratio was specifically set to minimize the effort required to make shifts and engage reverse gear. While the weight and shape of the 200g gear knob, along with the quality of shift engagement, have all been precisely defined. Ergonomics were also top-of-mind, as the console unit and position of the drive mode selector were adjusted to provide a 1.7-inch clearance between the shift knob and the control panel.
Toyota didn’t announce pricing for the manual Supra. That news will come this fall, shortly before 2023 models hit showrooms.
Here’s the catch: this six-speed will not be offered on the 2.0-liter four-cylinder Supra in any capacity. Honestly, I don’t know if a manual could have saved that car; I don’t know if anything could salvage the lesser Supra when the GR 86 and now the long-awaited GR Corolla car also exist in the lineup of Toyota. My colleague Steve believes that no one wants to buy a Supra 2.0 with a manual for those options, and he is probably right.
For me, manual 3.0 makes the 2.0 Supra an even worse proposition than it was before, a car live in the shadow of its big brother. It probably exists only as a base for modification, but how many 2.0 owners are doing 2JZ swaps? I’m all for a cheap entrance to performance – especially for those skilled enough to make a difference with squirming – but 2.0 is only about $8,000 cheaper than 3.0, and here Toyota’s flagship car. It should be a competent sports car in all its variants.
Toyota will also offer a limited edition Supra with manual equipment, called the A91-MT. Only 500 of these will be built, with the necessary gearboxes and North American-specific cognac interiors. Regardless of which Supra model you order, if you designate your vehicle with a lever, you’ll get a red badge on the back, so everyone knows you’ve bought the best Supra – and, perhaps, to cutlery a bit when someone pulls on a previous automatic-only Supra.
