New Toyota Supra now out in Japan

TOYOTA Motor Corp. picked the Toyota City in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, from where to announce the domestic introduction of the new Toyota Supra.

The fifth-generation version of the much-hyped, much-awaited sports car is now launched in Toyota dealerships in Japan, the carmaker said in an announcement posted May 17 on its global newsroom. It added requests for sales appointments for the Supra RZ in Matte Storm Gray Metallic color will be accepted online only. The company will accept requests until June 14.

The order of the sales appointments will be decided via a draw. The announcement will be made on June 22, coinciding with the start of this year’s 24 Hours of Nurburgring endurance race in Germany. The Supra is set to compete in the race.

The release of the all-new Supra ends the nameplate’s 17-year absence in the Toyota lineup — the previous-generation model bowed out in 2002. Like all earlier Supras (the original model debuted in 1978) the new model has a front engine/rear-wheel drive layout.

Toyota said the latest rendition focuses on three fundamental elements: wheelbase, tread and center of gravity. This led to handling performance that befits a pure sports car, according to the company.

The new Supra is the first global model to come out of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s GR sports car series, which first competed in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring in 2007. Toyota said the “knowledge and know-how it has built up over the years have been funneled into bringing the Supra back to life in the form of the GR Supra.”

Powering the new Supra is either a 3.0-liter inline-six or a 2.0-liter inline-four engine, both turbocharged. The 3.0-liter makes 335hp at 5,000rpm and 500Nm from 1,400rpm to 4,500rpm. The 2.0-liter gets two setups. One makes 254hp at 5,000rpm and 400Nm from 1,550rpm to 4,400rpm; the other puts out 194hp at 4.500 rpm and 320Nm from 1,450rpm to 4,200rpm.

The engines bolt to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Toyota bared the Supra has a wheelbase 100 millimeters shorter (plus a lower center of gravity) than that in the Toyota 86 — translating into “excellent turning performance.” The Supra also has a 50/50 weight distribution front and rear.

Suspension setup is MacPherson struts in front, multilink in the rear. The 3.0-liter variant wears 19-inch wheels, the more powerful 2.0-liter car gets 18-inch wheels, the least powerful version has 17-inch wheels. All have corresponding staggered-width tires.

The new Supra, developed with BMW, is produced at the Magna Steyr, Graz Plant in Austria. Cars meant for Japan will pass through Toyota’s Motomachi plant.