When talking about iconic Japanese sports cars, the Toyota Supra has to be in the conversation. The vehicle was already extremely popular and fast before it found a starring role in the first Fast & Furious film. Unlike past years, SEMA 2020 is an all-digital event, but that hasn’t stopped automakers like Toyota from unveiling some extremely cool vehicles at the show.
One of the coolest cars to grace the digital SEMA show this year is the 2021 GR Supra Sport Top. The vehicle has a spoiler reminiscent of the last generation of Supra along with the targa top that was a key feature of the MKIV Supra from the late 90s. The prototype scene and SEMA is based on the GR Supra Heritage Edition, offering similar visual styling and performance upgrades but adding the iconic targa top.
One of the workers on the project said that it was very difficult cutting into the roof and removing a significant portion of the vehicle’s structure. The team had to work hard to maintain the car’s rigidity with part of the top removed. One of the most challenging parts was simply cutting the roof off due to the high-strength steel used in the structure.
The roof design uses a pair of composite panels that were 3D printed by Toyota and contoured specifically to the Supra’s body lines. The car retains the windshield header and the driver and passengers side roof body structure shapes. To maintain rigidity, the team reinforced the roof’s outer body structure and added reinforcement under the car from the engine bay to the back of the tub.
The Sport Top also features a hand-built rear diffuser to make underbody airflow more efficient. The exhaust system was reworked using a custom set up with dual pipes in the center of the rear fascia. The rear wing looks just like the one found on the MKIV Supra. There is no indication that Toyota will produce the Sport Top, but Supra fans certainly hope so.
