Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
4/15/22 12:25 p.m.
feature_image

Hot on the heels of the GR Corolla reveal, Toyota looks like it still has another announcement up its sleeve based on this picture and caption recently posted to Facebook:


If this isn't hinting at a m…

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chaotic5555
chaotic5555
4/15/22 2:00 p.m.

I'm just amazed it took them this long!  Talk about missing the initial mark.  I heard some rumors saying that the reason they didn't initially release the Supra with a manual was due to overlapping with the FRS/BRZ as far as target market.  Already had a RWD Sports Car for sale or something along that nature. 

 

Can't wait to see more information regarding the mechanics of the transmission!  

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter)
AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) UltraDork
4/15/22 2:23 p.m.

So after all the posts on this forum telling everyone that wanted this we were wrong......  maybe we aren't wrong.  A lot of sports car buyers want a more involved drive.  

pointofdeparture
pointofdeparture UltimaDork
4/15/22 2:35 p.m.

I've always thought the new Supra is neat on paper and this makes it even cooler, but man. I'm not one of the fanboys that thinks it's "not a real Supra" nor do I care that they collaborated with another company...but I'm disappointed that it had to be BMW, just because modern turbo BMWs seem to be absolute nightmares to work on and I'm sure these will have all the BMW problems as they approach 100k miles.

nocones
nocones PowerDork
4/15/22 2:36 p.m.

I wonder if it will only be on the 4cy.  I hope not.  

If anyone from GR reads this..  I wouldn't buy a 2.0L Supra..  But I would buy a 1.6L GR Corolla engined one..

TR7 (Forum Supporter)
TR7 (Forum Supporter) Reader
4/15/22 2:51 p.m.

I cant help but notice (or understand why it bothers me) one pedal is looks like plastic, while the other stamped steel...

Caperix
Caperix New Reader
4/15/22 5:55 p.m.

A 3 pedal supra gr with the s58 engine from the m3 would be very tempting.  I worry it would be a 6 figure car though. It should be easy to put together just parts bin sourcing.  Not sure how long the supra will last with BMW discontinuing the z4 for 2025.

rattlecan
rattlecan New Reader
4/15/22 5:58 p.m.

I can't imagine how pissed I would be if I bought an auto because it was the only option, then the manual came out. Then again, I never would have bought the auto in the first place. 

te72
te72 Reader
4/15/22 10:38 p.m.
TR7 (Forum Supporter) said:

I cant help but notice (or understand why it bothers me) one pedal is looks like plastic, while the other stamped steel...

Gasp! BMW building parts out of plastic when they should be made of steel? Consider me not at all shocked. =P

 

As someone who has had at least one of every generation of Toyota Supra, you might say I'm a fan of the breed. Even with the manual though, I still wouldn't touch this with someone else's driving gloves. The argument that "a new inline six is too expensive to develop" falls on its face when Mazda and Chrysler whip one up.

 

"We had to partner with BMW to make the economics work" also falls apart when you see an all-Toyota car like the GR Yaris / Corolla, which, for the record, WAY more impressive than the Mk5 ever has been.

 

The Mk5 is growing on me, but you'll never see one in my garage, because I tend to like my cars well used, and well... we all know what a well used BMW is like to maintain.

CrustyRedXpress
CrustyRedXpress HalfDork
4/15/22 10:48 p.m.

CrustyRedXpress
CrustyRedXpress HalfDork
4/15/22 11:10 p.m.

Manufactures can partner and part swap to their heart's content for 99% of their models. Colin Chapman using Renault power in the Europa? Brilliant! Honda and GM playing footsie under the table with different powertrains from the 90's all the way through today? Great! Toyota and Subaru blessing us with the BRZ/FRS twins? What a time to be alive!

All of that changes if we're talking a halo car, one that should act as a showcase of technology and aspirations for the brand. Using another manufacturer's technology and swapping out body panels is stage whispering to the market that your brand is a fraud at worst and adrift at best. 

God I'm turning into such a grumpy old fart.

WonkoTheSane
WonkoTheSane UltraDork
4/16/22 12:27 a.m.

If I had a successful company and money to burn, I would totally buy a new Supra GR for a track car.  They're stellar in every sense of the word.  I've had three students with them now, and they're really a great platform.  

I'm not sure that I'd buy a 10 year old 100k one, though...

te72
te72 Reader
4/16/22 4:22 p.m.

In reply to CrustyRedXpress :

Your point of it being a halo car nailed every single argument about this car that I've heard, squarely on the head. The Supra faithful aren't fan boys, certainly not those of us who have been playing with these cars for decades, but we did expect better, and what we eventually received was one big disappointment.

 

Does the car perform? Absolutely. Does it make power? Indubitably. Is it going to be a great used car for those of us who can't afford $60k+ sports cars? Not at all likely. Meanwhile, my wife's 220k mile Mk4 still looks phenomenal, runs like a champ too. Wouldn't hesitate to hop in and drive it across the country right now.

Caperix
Caperix New Reader
4/17/22 8:11 a.m.

The b58 has been around for about 5 years now so there are some cars starting to get up on milage.  For the most part it has been a more reliable engine than the n55 it replaced.

It is a pain to work on though, with the chain on the back of the engine & the injectors overlapping the valve cover. Its not my favorite engine but I don't feel like they will be time bombs.

The four cylinders seam to be slightly worse, with higher water pump & motor mount failure rates & some cars using a very brittle coolant return hose from the cylinder head

dean1484
dean1484 MegaDork
4/17/22 9:56 a.m.
AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

So after all the posts on this forum telling everyone that wanted this we were wrong......  maybe we aren't wrong.  A lot of sports car buyers want a more involved drive.  

I was just discussing this with my son. It is why I am restoring a 951 with him. 

te72
te72 Reader
4/17/22 1:24 p.m.
Caperix said:

The b58 has been around for about 5 years now so there are some cars starting to get up on milage.  For the most part it has been a more reliable engine than the n55 it replaced.

It is a pain to work on though, with the chain on the back of the engine & the injectors overlapping the valve cover. Its not my favorite engine but I don't feel like they will be time bombs.

The four cylinders seam to be slightly worse, with higher water pump & motor mount failure rates & some cars using a very brittle coolant return hose from the cylinder head

Hopefully they learned the lesson on why you shouldn't put timing gear on the back of an engine from Audi. It's better for weight distribution, Audi said, while sticking the majority of the engine way out in front of the front axle... and fitting it with plastic timing chain guides. When said guides failed, you get to pull the whole engine, which, correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't a chain used so had less maintenance to deal with? That said, I am cautiously optimistic about the B58. 100k will be the first milestone for me. 10 years / 200k is the true litmus test though.

 

I know they're not the only manufacturer to use plastic on water pipes, but... I mean... why? Why risk a critical system like that? Do they use plastic fuel pipe too? Plastic coolant hose cracks, seems like a great way to ensure a blown head gasket.

 

Speaking of 4-cylinder Supras, you know what? I think a Mk5 with the G16 would be pretty fun.

therieldeal
therieldeal Reader
4/18/22 8:52 a.m.
TR7 (Forum Supporter) said:

I cant help but notice (or understand why it bothers me) one pedal is looks like plastic, while the other stamped steel...

Well the brake pedal has to be metal.  The clutch pedal on the other hand sees a very consistent amount of load. 

I've driven a few cars with plastic clutch pedals, including my mom's Jetta TDI which went 398K miles before it was scrapped due to rust.  No problems with the pedal smiley

TR7 (Forum Supporter)
TR7 (Forum Supporter) Reader
4/19/22 9:51 a.m.
therieldeal said:
TR7 (Forum Supporter) said:

I cant help but notice (or understand why it bothers me) one pedal is looks like plastic, while the other stamped steel...

Well the brake pedal has to be metal.  The clutch pedal on the other hand sees a very consistent amount of load. 

I've driven a few cars with plastic clutch pedals, including my mom's Jetta TDI which went 398K miles before it was scrapped due to rust.  No problems with the pedal smiley

Oh, I have no questions about the integrity of it, I just dont like to look at the picture, in the same way if you stare at a replaced floor tile that doesnt quite match the others.  

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