The sun was shining a little brighter then Toyota teased that the Supra got a manual gearbox. The lack of a stick-shift disqualified Toyota’s halo sports car for many enthusiasts, and while it is still a large machine, it always felt like something was missing. That changed on Thursday when Toyota finally confirmed that the manual Supra is genuine – for some buyers.
Update April 29, 2022 at 16:20 ET: This story has been updated with new information about the origins of Supra’s manual.
First the good news. Toyota says it went to great lengths to design this transmission and make it play well with BMW’s purchased 3.0-liter turbocharged inline sixes. BMW does not offer this engine with manual, so Toyota had to do a lot of legwork to realize a manual Supra. Here’s what some of it meant, from Toyota’s press release:
The engineering team modified an existing transmission housing, drive shaft and gear set and removed elements that were not required, such as the acoustic package, which reduced the weight. At the heart of the transmission is a newly developed large-diameter clutch with a reinforced diaphragm spring. With a larger friction range and a stronger spring, this new component has the high-performance capacity suitable for use with GR Super’s high-torque engine.
The newly developed 6-speed manual gearbox also features an intelligent manual gearbox (iMT) programmed with new software that prioritizes sporty performance. When shifting, the parameters are set to optimize the engine torque the moment the clutch is activated and released; in case of downsizing, the software has been fine-tuned for consistent performance. iMT is set by default, but if the driver prefers it, it can be turned off in Sport mode.
To avoid a sluggish start and a low acceleration feel in gears, the final drive ratio has been shortened from 3.15 (in GR Supra automatic) to 3.46 (in GR Supra MT). The result is response and leverage that matches sports car performance.
Following Toyota’s announcement, The drive separately reported Friday that the six-speed is, much like Supra itself, of BMW origin. It is a ZF unit “tuned by Toyota”, insofar as the Japanese car manufacturer replaced some parts with others – such as the aforementioned large diameter clutch, reinforced spring and the design of the shift knob:
“The parts used in the gearbox come from a combination of ZF-manufactured manual gearboxes, but the parts combination is exclusive to GR Supra,” a Toyota spokesman said. The drive. “Toyota collaborated with ZF and BMW on design / layout of gear lever / pedal, decision on final gear ratio, tuning of iMT [rev-matching and upshift smoothing] function and sense of change. “
This Supra-specific gearbox even gets its own, unique transmission code in BMW’s spare parts catalog: GS6L50TZ. For what it’s worth, the code for the manual found in the overseas and less powerful BMW Z4 sDrive20i happens to be the GS6L40LZ, according to this SupraMKV forum post. According to BMW transmission designation rules, the difference between “L50T” and L40L “indicates a deviation in transmission” type “and gear set.” GS6 “and” Z “bits of the codes indicate a six-speed manual and ZF as manufacturer, respectively. current M3 and M4 designated GS6-45BZ.
G / O Media can get a commission
Streamer USA
Allows you to use a lot of streaming services in one place, provides access to live TV thanks to things like YouTube TV and can be controlled using your voice.
When we talk about the shift button, Toyota says that ergonomics was also a consideration. Making room for a manual in a car that was not originally offered with one can be a bit of a bear. Again, from the manufacturer’s release:
Great emphasis was also placed on how a manual gearshift could be placed in the cab. The lever ratio was specifically set to minimize the effort required to shift and engage reverse gear. While the weight and shape of the gear knob of 200 g, along with the quality of shift action, all have been precisely defined. Ergonomics were also top-of-mind as the console unit and the position of the driving mode selector were adjusted to provide a 1.7-inch distance between the shift knob and the control panel.
Toyota did not announce prices for the manual Supra. That news comes 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 by any means. Honestly, I do not know if a manual could have saved that car; I do not know if anything could save the smaller Supra when it GR 86 and now the long awaited GR Corolla also found in Toyota’s lineup. My colleague Steve thinks no one would bother to buy a 2.0 Supra with a manual against these options, and he’s probably right.
To me, a manual 3.0 2.0 Supra makes an even worse proposition than it already was, a car there living in the shadow of his big siblings. Maybe it just exists as a base for change, but how many 2.0 owners make 2JZ swaps anyway? I’m all for a cheap entry to performance – especially for those skilled enough to make up the difference with a wrench – but the 2.0 is only about $ 8,000 less than the 3.0, and this is Toyota’s flagship. It should be a competent sports car in all its variants.
Toyota will also offer a limited edition Supra with the manual equipped, called the A91-MT. Only 500 of these will be built, with the necessary gearbox and an exclusive cognac interior for North America. No matter which model Supra you order, if you specify yours with a stick shift, you get a red sign on the back so everyone knows you bought the best Supra – and maybe to twist the knife a little when someone pulls up in a formerly, auto-only Supra.