If there's one change that enthusiasts would make to the Toyota GR Supra range, it'd likely be to add a manual gearbox option. It's not that the eight-speed automatic is bad - far from it, in fact - but a stick shift would go some way to making this sharp coupe even better to drive.

Back at the start of the year, Toyota admitted it had tested manual versions of the Supra but there was no official word on it going into production. Well, it appears that the conversation has gained some momentum based on a report by the Japanese publication Mag X.

According to the magazine, a manual gearbox is "under preparation" for the Supra, which is the clearest sign yet that fans will soon be able to row their own gears. The news comes after several additions and improvements to the Supra range since it was launched, such as the addition of a four-cylinder base model and a more powerful six-pot engine.

Toyota clearly doesn't want the range to stagnate, and we can't think of anything that would prevent that more than the introduction of a manual. We already had our first taste of what a manual Supra would be like, but we expect a properly sorted 'box from the manufacturer to be even better.

At this point, we don't have specifics on the manual gearbox or how acceleration will be affected, but few enthusiasts are likely to be bothered if it's a few tenths off the pace of the automatic.

Along with a manual Supra, a high-performance GRMN variant with over 500 horsepower is also expected. It should make use of the upcoming BMW M3's turbo-six engine. This will take the Supra's performance into another league altogether and, between these two new additions, the Supra will soon be knocking even more loudly on the door of the Porsche 718 Cayman.