2023 Toyota GR Supra Manual Review Thread!!!

[jtsang25]

Sorry but the reasons given in this video are just plain idiotic. Now that a manual is available, anyone in 2023 buying a Supra in an automatic should reconsider their life choices. Unless you want unbridled straight line speed (I'm sure there are cheaper options) or some esoteric track duty (meh), this car should always be purchased in manual form.

And justifying a sports car purchase because it has adaptive cruise control.. that's lobotomy territory.

Let people buy what they want. No one cares you have a manual. Let it go.

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[FLtrackdays]

Sorry but the reasons given in this video are just plain idiotic. Now that a manual is available, anyone in 2023 buying a Supra in an automatic should reconsider their life choices. Unless you want unbridled straight line speed (I'm sure there are cheaper options) or some esoteric track duty (meh), this car should always be purchased in manual form.

And justifying a sports car purchase because it has adaptive cruise control.. that's lobotomy territory.

Dude I want some BMW as F<ck apparel, stickers or whatever you got! Just noticed that in your pic ?

We’re all entitled to our opinions 4sho. Glad you’re enjoying that manual. You really need to get her on the track for the full Supra experience in my dumb opinion Hence why I could never make one of those videos. It’d be so track slanted. What I like about @CarGuy11, he seems like a genuine down to earth guy that knows enough about cars to keep me interested.

 

[puppers]

FWIW, I first had an automatic Supra ('22) then sold it for a '23 A91-MT. Now that I recently sold it, I can confidently say I'd not buy another Supra in MT. The car feels so refined - as a whole and the MT feels so unrefined, it creates this odd turbulence of feelings. The MT was not terrible, but it wasn't great. It was just there.

The automatic felt much enjoyable to me. I've driven stick my entire life and typically prefer the MT variant of cars, but not for the Supra. If I buy another one, it would be automatic for sure.

 

[FuzzyRev]

FWIW, I first had an automatic Supra ('22) then sold it for a '23 A91-MT. Now that I recently sold it, I can confidently say I'd not buy another Supra in MT. The car feels so refined - as a whole and the MT feels so unrefined, it creates this odd turbulence of feelings. The MT was not terrible, but it wasn't great. It was just there.

The automatic felt much enjoyable to me. I've driven stick my entire life and typically prefer the MT variant of cars, but not for the Supra. If I buy another one, it would be automatic for sure.

Same boat as far as owning both versions. I'll agree with your "refined" notion, but I'd use laid back instead. The personality difference is more of a "laid back" versus "high strung" feeling in my opinion, which I really like on this car. I like it for the same reasons that you don't.

As often as Mark (@FLtrackdays ) repeats himself on people's need to get their MKVs on track and experience the shockingly high capability of these cars.. I'm constantly telling people that until they sample both AT & MT versions, they won't understand and appreciate just how different the two are in overall character and feel. Frankly, I love that Toyota offers this car in two distinct flavors, because countless cars (mostly in the past) have presented AT & MT versions that essentially drive and feel the same.

-RT

 

[Sharocks]

As someone who has many BMW manual cars, I can say with my limited to 350ish miles on my A91-MT, the manual Supra basically feels like a small 335 or a Z4 35i with a stick.

Take that for what it's worth, but I'm looking at this thing as a DD/street car and not a track tool.

For track use, I get why the auto guys love them, it's easy and it does what it's supposed to do.

Compared to an M car, the Supra is much more unrefined, has a lot of NVH, and has a lot of compromises that M probably wouldn't make anymore, hence why there is no Z4M.

I like the fact that it's different but I wouldn't say it's any better, other than having the ability to shift your own gears (that alone makes a car better) but in this case it's kind of an afterthought.

I was not interested in this platform, had it not been for the manual option, I will add.

But after driving it for a bit, it's okay, nothing spectacular but it gets the job done if you're familiar with how BMW's drive and operate aka CDV and shifter use.

It does have the best BMW shifter setup stock out of any BMW I've ever driven.

So Toyota did do something right

 

[SupraCess]

As often as Mark (@FLtrackdays ) repeats himself on people's need to get their MKVs on track and experience the shockingly high capability of these cars..
-RT

I agree.

 

[SupraCess]

As someone who has many BMW manual cars, I can say with my limited to 350ish miles on my A91-MT, the manual Supra basically feels like a small 335 or a Z4 35i with a stick.

350 miles, is that it? I thought you drove your supra in traffic every day, lol! I'm just kidding.

Anyway, driving one of my MT cars in traffic for years made me numb to it. It's like an automatic to me now, lol!

 

[BMWAF]

The car feels so refined - as a whole and the MT feels so unrefined, it creates this odd turbulence of feelings. The MT was not terrible, but it wasn't great. It was just there.

But after driving it for a bit, it's okay, nothing spectacular but it gets the job done if you're familiar with how BMW's drive and operate aka CDV and shifter use.

My emphasis. I think this is the closest to how I actually feel about the Supra at the moment. Granted, I have only driven around 1000km but I understand where @puppers and @Sharocks are coming from.

The problem is that for my money, even an ordinary manual transmission is leaps and bounds ahead of even the greatest automatic ever made. It's a personal preference and that's all it is. Having said this, the turbulence of this preference when it comes to the Supra is real.

The problem is that we are literally at the end of an era.. ICE already has one foot out the door and with it all proper manual transmissions.

And missing out on the opportunity to get one of the last valiant stands against these changes - in a suitably quick and exciting package - was just too good an opportunity to pass up.

 

[BMWAF]

Dude I want some BMW as F<ck apparel, stickers or whatever you got! Just noticed that in your pic ?

Yeah, I made the stickers. They're obviously a play on the JDM AF ones.. I was thinking of offering them for sale on here. ?‍

 

[gixxersixxerman]

Yeah, I made the stickers. They're obviously a play on the JDM AF ones.. I was thinking of offering them for sale on here. ?‍

I’d rock one if you can make it Neon yellow instead of white haha

 

[FLtrackdays]

As someone who has many BMW manual cars, I can say with my limited to 350ish miles on my A91-MT, the manual Supra basically feels like a small 335 or a Z4 35i with a stick.

Take that for what it's worth, but I'm looking at this thing as a DD/street car and not a track tool.

For track use, I get why the auto guys love them, it's easy and it does what it's supposed to do.

Compared to an M car, the Supra is much more unrefined, has a lot of NVH, and has a lot of compromises that M probably wouldn't make anymore, hence why there is no Z4M.

I like the fact that it's different but I wouldn't say it's any better, other than having the ability to shift your own gears (that alone makes a car better) but in this case it's kind of an afterthought.

I was not interested in this platform, had it not been for the manual option, I will add.

But after driving it for a bit, it's okay, nothing spectacular but it gets the job done if you're familiar with how BMW's drive and operate aka CDV and shifter use.

It does have the best BMW shifter setup stock out of any BMW I've ever driven.

So Toyota did do something right

I’ve had two M cars in the past and loved them. The problem today is that they are so bloated. This Supra is not. However it was too refined for me until I exchanged a few parts. Definitely not for everyone, but the SPL upgrades are incredible. They would be awful for daily drivers imo. But hot damn I love it ?. Add the catless dp and thunderous AWE track exhaust so I can hear every dadgum beautiful shift of that ZF transmission…. Insert more love ? Ohlins, Maxxis tires, Hawk track pads, sway bars, steel brakes lines, crap I would have done to the M car anyways. I feel like I’m there at such a lower price point than what I was expecting. At least the Vette and Porsche Cup cars keep reminding me with similar lap times

I made friends with the FL BMW track group head honcho. Convinced them I’m 99% BMW and try to hide my love for what Toyota has done with the Z4. Every single M guy on there (about 90 of us) are making changes to keep up with the Supras btw. They talk about us a lot. This car is that good. Me and another Supra were at the top of the BMW leaderboards for Homestead for quiet some time. I‘ve said it before but truly can’t wait to get two really good pro driver friends behind the wheel for some baseline laps for my Catalyst.

Another surprise, was following WRL and seeing our Supra in the lead over Porsche and BMW. She’s definitely got the DNA for great things. I’m still shocked at the entry price!

Edit: almost forgot, the manual… yeah an afterthought but got more people behind the wheel. Another smart move on their part imo. Many others would have passed up on this beautiful ride otherwise.

 

[ColonelAdama]

My emphasis. I think this is the closest to how I actually feel about the Supra at the moment. Granted, I have only driven around 1000km but I understand where @puppers and @Sharocks are coming from.

The problem is that for my money, even an ordinary manual transmission is leaps and bounds ahead of even the greatest automatic ever made. It's a personal preference and that's all it is. Having said this, the turbulence of this preference when it comes to the Supra is real.

The problem is that we are literally at the end of an era.. ICE already has one foot out the door and with it all proper manual transmissions.

And missing out on the opportunity to get one of the last valiant stands against these changes - in a suitably quick and exciting package - was just too good an opportunity to pass up.

Agreed. It's definitely an end of an era. Auto is a great unit, but lets be honest with ourselves...

The resale value difference between equivalent AT and MT will be significant in 10 years. Demand for MT will only go up. See MT Porsches (981s, 997s) for example. BMW also says the current M2 is the last MT they'll ever make.

History repeats itself: Not many MTs are sold compared to AT, they get discontinued, demand goes up, MTs end up worth 20% more.

 

[BMWAF]

I’d rock one if you can make it Neon yellow instead of white haha

Hahah.. I only have them in white. I had to do an expensive limited run.. just to have one for my car. ?

Designed and sized specifically as a tramp stamp for the Supra.

 

[Sharocks]

I’ve had two M cars in the past and loved them. The problem today is that they are so bloated. This Supra is not. However it was too refined for me until I exchanged a few parts. Definitely not for everyone, but the SPL upgrades are incredible. They would be awful for daily drivers imo. But hot damn I love it ?. Add the catless dp and thunderous AWE track exhaust so I can hear every dadgum beautiful shift of that ZF transmission…. Insert more love ? Ohlins, Maxxis tires, Hawk track pads, sway bars, steel brakes lines, crap I would have done to the M car anyways. I feel like I’m there at such a lower price point than what I was expecting. At least the Vette and Porsche Cup cars keep reminding me with similar lap times

I made friends with the FL BMW track group head honcho. Convinced them I’m 99% BMW and try to hide my love for what Toyota has done with the Z4. Every single M guy on there (about 90 of us) are making changes to keep up with the Supras btw. They talk about us a lot. This car is that good. Me and another Supra were at the top of the BMW leaderboards for Homestead for quiet some time. I‘ve said it before but truly can’t wait to get two really good pro driver friends behind the wheel for some baseline laps for my Catalyst.

Another surprise, was following WRL and seeing our Supra in the lead over Porsche and BMW. She’s definitely got the DNA for great things. I’m still shocked at the entry price!

Edit: almost forgot, the manual… yeah an afterthought but got more people behind the wheel. Another smart move on their part imo. Many others would have passed up on this beautiful ride otherwise.

The car was benchmarked against the 718 Cayman, not M cars (that would be competition of sorts that BMW does not like).

That's why it's setup much better and has the ability to put down consistent lap times on a half decent setup.

But that's also why it's not as refined as an M car which is what I was getting at.

Overall, it's a performance bargain.

Comparing apples to apples, I'd rather the Supra than a 981 GT4 but after spending some time in a 718 GT4, uhhhhh yea it's on another level and it should be, being double the price lol.

 

[Sharocks]

Agreed. It's definitely an end of an era. Auto is a great unit, but lets be honest with ourselves...

The resale value difference between equivalent AT and MT will be significant in 10 years. Demand for MT will only go up. See MT Porsches (981s, 997s) for example. BMW also says the current M2 is the last MT they'll ever make.

History repeats itself: Not many MTs are sold compared to AT, they get discontinued, demand goes up, MTs end up worth 20% more.

Not going to lie, this is part of the reason why I bought mine.

FOMO is a bitch and I wish I wasn't a child when the E46 M3 was new.

Why is it when I can afford a brand new M3, they go make them fugly, heavy, AWD (blasphemy), make the manual suck, AND sound bad.

Like the fuck man lol.

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