It’s hard to fault the Toyota GR Supra – unless of course you’re one of those who fault the car for its deep German root. That’s a different argument. But looking at the car objectively, the Supra is a great sports coupe.
That said, there is a strong case against the Supra as a perfect sports car for enthusiasts – and that’s the lack of a manual transmission. After all, the BMW Z4, which is essentially the Supra’s German twin, has a three-pedaled version. So why not the Supra, right?
Toyota’s chief engineer Tetsuya Tada has answered that question back in 2018. He said that the Supra would “feel worse” with a manual tranny because of the engine’s high torque. Of course, Tada-san was talking about the 500-Nm torque B58 power plant.
However, that statement wasn’t a denial that a manual Supra could happen.
There were several instances when a Supra with a stick shift has been gossiped before – the latest of which was from Japan in 2021. That was a two-pronged rumor, which earmarked the arrival of a more powerful GR Corolla. Now that a GR Corolla for the US market has been all but confirmed, what about the manual Supra?
Apparently, that is still on the table, and thanks to a source by the American publication, The Drive, the dream of a Supra with a do-it-yourself gearbox has taken one step into fruition.
According to The Drive’s unnamed source within Toyota USA’s dealership network, the Supra will be getting a six-speed manual gearbox option to go side-by-side with the current ZF eight-speed automatic. It will allegedly arrive as early as 2023 in the US.
The biggest question now is whether Supra will partner this gearbox with the inline-six B58 engine. Of note, the BMW Z4’s manual transmission is only available if you choose the base sDrive20i with a four-pot mill. Will that be the case with the Supra? Let’s wait and see.
But perhaps the more important question is: will the addition of a manual transmission increase the appeal of the GR Supra? Or can it even overturn the aversion of diehards who judged the nameplate because of its German roots? Again, let’s wait and see.
Hopefully, the three-pedal Supra reaches our shores if it ever hits production. The Philippines could use a true sports coupe that car nuts can row themselves. Plus maybe, just maybe, a manual Supra could have a more achievable price tag than the current local offering. One can dream, right?
