Credit where it’s due to Toyota, it’s typically very good at ensuring ideas (eventually) reach their full potential. Their take on a forced induction Yaris hot hatch kicked off very well with the old GRMN, to then become the all-conquering GR (with a new GRMN for Japan just to force the point home). The GT86 was likeable but imperfect; the GR86 is an unmitigated joy. Now it looks like it’s the Supra’s turn to find its best self.
This car is believed to be the Supra GRMN, and it’s difficult not to get carried away by the prospect. The standard GR is pretty good for starters, if slightly confused - not sure whether it wants to be a long-legged GT or super sharp sports car. The test mule points much more towards being an example of the latter, as we’ve come to expect from Toyotas with the Gazoo Racing Masters of the Nurburgring badge.
Note the chunky new aero add-ons (handily covered in Toyota’s trademark GR camo), additional ducting, what must be a lower ride height, and bigger brakes tucked behind a new design of alloy wheel. All of the A90 Supras have looked great, and this one is no exception.
It’s under the bonnet where things could get really exciting for the GRMN, however. The Supra project was (in)famously a collaboration between Toyota and BMW, with the latter’s 340hp B58 straight six and 258hp 2.0-litre B48 four-pot powering the coupe. For this model, it’s suggested that the M3/M4’s S58 twin-turbo could be used, which would be quite the turn-up. We know it would fit because of the existing 3.0-litre that’s in there, and in the non-Competition 480hp spec (or even a bit less) there would be headroom between the super-duper Supra and the M cars as well as a useful gain over the standard GRs.
Furthermore, a manual gearbox is being mooted. Which, actually, could make a lot of sense. In the world we live in right now, a premium could be charged to purists for a six-speed and help make the business case - see BMW’s 3.0 CSL. Also, in non-Comp spec the 3.0-litre six is rated at 406lb ft - or just 37lb ft more than the existing 3.0 Supra GR with Toyota’s own manual. That transmission would surely have been designed with more than just a few standard models in mind, and it’d be a surprise to find it unable to handle just a little more than standard.
All falls into place quite nicely, right? Just don’t blame us if it comes out with a remap of the standard engine and the eight-speed auto. The good news for now is that Toyota seems dead set on a Supra GRMN, on properly realising what the platform is really capable of. And that should be exciting for all of us. Bring on 2024 already.
Image credit | S. Baldauf/ITZ Media
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