It seems the 2021 Toyota GR Supra 2.0 fitted with a four-cylinder engine is coming to the US after all! We previously wrote a piece about the four-pot Supra – a lighter, more affordable, and yet slower version of the fifth-gen Supra – and how it probably won’t make it to US shores.
But now, Toyota is singing a different tune. The four-cylinder Supra debuted recently at Daytona Beach and is arriving soon in North America as a 2021 model.
Toyota Supra 2.0 has a turbocharged four-cylinder engine
When the new Toyota Supra entered the scene last year, it came with a detuned version of the BMW Z4’s turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six motor with 335-horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque – which was the only engine offered in the Supra at that time.
At this point, it’s interesting to point out the new Toyota Supra and BMW Z4 are essentially the same vehicles underneath. However, the Z4 is a convertible while the Supra is a hardtop coupe.
And since the new BMW Z4 also came with a smaller turbocharged four-pot motor, we were expecting the Supra to have the same option. We didn’t get it at first, but now it’s finally here.
Sharing some bits and pieces with the larger 3.0-liter inline-six including a twin-scroll turbocharger, continuously variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust camshafts, and direct injection, the newest Supra 2.0 is good for 255-horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque – the latter of which is readily accessible from 1,550 to 4,400 rpm.
The engine is bolted to the same ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic gearbox found in the larger motor. According to Toyota, the car rushes to 60 mph in 5.0-seconds and is good for a top speed of 155 mph.
Smaller motor means less weight
But there are benefits to having a smaller motor. For starters, the Supra 2.0 is 200 pounds lighter (3,181 lbs.) than Supra 3.0 (3,400 lbs.), and that’s a great deal of weight off the front axle. And despite this, Toyota pulled all the stops to maintain the vehicle’s brilliant 50:50 weight distribution.
How did Toyota do it? The Supra 2.0 gets manual seats instead of power-adjustable units. The standard audio system only has four speakers compared to the 10-speaker system in Supra 3.0.
Also, Toyota deleted the active suspension and active differential from the standard Supra. Finally, the brakes were replaced with smaller rotors and single-piston calipers instead of the usual four-piston brakes.
Surprise! The standard Supra receives more power!
There’s more good news if you’ve been seriously pining for the standard Supra 3.0. When the new Supra came out last year, it had to make do with 335-horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque from its turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six. True to form, the power output is enough to create an exciting drive, but the BMW Z4 M40i is producing 382-horsepower from the same motor.
Toyota heard our complaints. The 2021 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 is now producing the same horsepower and torque figures as the most powerful Z4 model. The inline-six motor is now churning out 382-horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque, with most of the grunt offered between 1,800 to 5,000 rpm.
The engine is still connected to an eight-speed automatic feeding power to the rear wheels. With 14-percent more power over the previous model, it now accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9-seconds. The previous model was only good for 4.1-seconds.
Sadly, there’s still no manual gearbox option. But knowing Toyota listens to our demands, here’s another request: Do it, Toyota!
There’s also a Supra A91 and GT4 model waiting in the wings
We have more on the 2021 Toyota GR Supra. The Japanese carmaker is also offering 1,000 new A91 Editions to celebrate the Supra’s coming of age. This special edition model is exclusively available in two new colors (Nocturnal and Refraction) and has carbon-fiber elements for the lip spoiler, mirror caps, and C-pillar graphics. It also has matte black wheels with an Alcantara-lined interior.
Meanwhile, Toyota Motorsport GmbH is proud to offer the GR Supra GT4. Clearly aimed towards racing fanatics, the GR Supra GT4 has a tuned version of the turbocharged inline-six which now produces 430-horsepower. The car has a seven-speed sports automatic transmission with paddle shifters along with a mechanical limited-slip differential.
The GT4 Supra also receives a bespoke Akrapovič exhaust system, a carbon-fiber front splitter and rear wing, Pirelli racing tires, a high-strength roll cage, safety harnesses, and an FIA-standard racing seat to complete the track-ready vibe.
Toyota is yet to reveal pricing for all 2021 Supra models including Supra 2.0. However, we reckon the cheapest Supra to start at above $40,000.