Toyota has revealed the 2021 GR Supra in Daytona, Florida. We weren't quite sure what to expect from this Supra announcement but Toyota did not disappoint with a slew of new upgrades for the 2021 model year. These include a power increase for the six-cylinder engine, a new four-cylinder option, a new special edition, two customer racing versions, and various other upgrades. Here is a summary of all the improvements Toyota has made on the 2021 Gazoo Racing Supra.
More Power For The Inline-Six
When the Supra was first announced, people questioned why the 3.0-liter BMW-sourced inline-six "only" produced 335 horsepower while the BMW Z4 made 382 hp. In practice, the two cars were nearly identical in performance. Nonetheless, Toyota has decided the bump the output of its engine to an identical 382 hp with 368 lb-ft of torque (increases of 47 hp and 3 lb-ft).
With this increase in power, Toyota has dropped the Supra's estimated 0-60 mph time from 4.1 seconds to 3.9 secs. Toyota achieved the power bump via a new dual branch exhaust manifold to improve heat management and new piston design to increase the compression ratio from 11:1 to 10.2:1.
In addition to the extra power, the Supra 3.0 receives handling improvements for 2021. These include lightweight aluminum braces attached to the strut towers for added rigidity. The car also receives new damper tuning and revised programming for the electric power steering, Adaptive Variable Suspension, Vehicle Stability Control, and Active Differential.
A Four-Cylinder Model
Joining the lineup is the 2021 Supra 2.0, the first four-cylinder Supra model Toyota has ever offered. It packs a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (also sourced from BMW) producing 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque (the same numbers found in the Z3 sDrive30i). This new model won't be as quick as the six-cylinder model with a 5.0-second 0-60 time but it will be more than 200 pounds lighter with a 3,181-pound curb weight. Toyota also says the Supra 2.0 car will be more efficient than the 3.0, which is rated at 24/31 mpg city/highway.
Most of the weight savings come from having two fewer cylinders but Toyota has also cut down on the pounds using smaller front brake rotors, a base four-speaker audio system, manually-adjustable seats, and ditching the Active Differential and Adaptive Suspension used on the 3.0. If you want your sports car to be simple and back-to-basics, the Supra 2.0 is the model you should get. As you may notice from the provided pictures, the four-cylinder Supra will also be given a different wheel design. Official pricing hasn't been announced but we expect it to start in the low-$40,000 range.
A New Special Edition
Toyota offered 1,500 Launch Edition models of the 2020 model, but for the 2021 Toyota GR Supra, there are just 1,000 units of the A91 Edition. The special edition model will be offered with the six-cylinder engine and will only come in two colors - Nocturnal and Refraction (pictured below). That second color will only be available on the A91 Edition and is a brand-new color for the Supra.
On the exterior, you can spot an A91 via its black carbon fiber lip spoiler, matte black wheels, C-pillar graphics, and carbon fiber mirror caps. Inside, the interior is trimmed with blue stitching and black Alcantara and owners will receive two exclusive key gloves and a trunk mat. We expect pricing to remain close to last year's Launch Edition model, which started at $55,250.
New Packages And Interior
Some other changes for 2021 include red brake calipers with "Toyota Supra" painted on them and some interior changes. The 6.5-inch screen found on the base model is gone and the 8.8-inch audio touchscreen is now standard equipment. Customers can select a Safety and Technology Package on the 2.0 and 3.0 grades that adds radar cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, parking sensors, navigation, wireless CarPlay, and connected services. A Driver's Assist Package is available for 3.0 Premium and A91 Edition grades, adding radar cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking sensors.
A Racing Version
Toyota didn't just invite us out to Daytona to see the updated Supra, it wanted to show off the future of Toyota Racing. Starting in August 2020, customers will be able to purchase the GR Supra GT4 race car, which features a tuned version of the 3.0-liter inline-six producing 430 hp. That power is routed through a racing seven-speed sports automatic transmission with paddle shifters and a mechanical limited-slip differential. Expect to rear the roar of a race car thanks to the Akrapovic exhaust system.
Since this is a race car, Toyota has made the Supra much lighter. The front splitter and rear wing are made of natural fiber composite, helping to bring the weight down to just 2,976 pounds. All GR Supra GT4 cars will be equipped with a high-strength roll cage and an FIA-standard racing seat with a six-point harness.