After seemingly teasing about it for years,
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) has finally launched the
all-new Toyota Supra at the
2019 North American International Auto Show--otherwise known as the Detroit Auto Show--in Detroit, Michigan.
Finally free of the camouflage pattern
it has worn since the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, the all-new Supra is the
first global model of
Toyota Gazoo Racing's GR sports car series.
The all-new fifth-generation Supra marks the end of a
17-year hiatus since previous generation was last produced in 2002. And like its predecessors going all the way back to 1978, the latest iteration is a
front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car powered by an
inline six-cylinder engine.
Chief Engineer Tetsuya Tada, who headed the Supra's development, said: "We set out to create a pure sports car that would attain the ultimate in the fun of driving. Rather than only working toward specs such as horsepower and circuit lap times, we emphasized sensitivity performance, such as the degree to which driving could be felt to be fun, with car and driver becoming one."
Set to go on sale later this year, the all-new Supra has a
3.0-liter, twin-scroll turbo straight-six engine that produces
335 hp and 495 Nm of torque that's paired to an
eight-speed automatic transmission. With a projected
0-60 mph (0-64 kph) sprint time of 4.1 seconds, the fifth-generation Supra is the
quickest Toyota-branded production vehicle to date.
Strictly a
two-seater, the Supra has a
wheelbase of 2, 470 mm--
100 mm shorter than that of the Toyota 86--resulting in a wheelbase-to-tread ratio of 1.55, supposedly one of the smallest ratios among mass-production sports cars, which contributes to the vehicle's excellent turning performance. Also contributing to the car's cornering abilities are its
lower center of gravity--even lower than the 86 which has a horizontally-opposed engine--and an
ideal 50/50 weight distribution on the front and back.
The all-new Supra takes some styling cues from classic Toyota sports cars, like the
double-bubble roof, which supposedly contributes to
reduced air friction, found in the classic Toyota 2000GT, and a
condensed body design that places the vehicle exterior lamps more inward from the sides of the vehicle to make the fenders look more voluminous, again like in the Toyota 2000GT and the iconic fourth-generation Supra.
The Supra's structure utilizes both
aluminum and steel, and has a body rigidity that
2.5 times stiffer than that
of the 86, and even more than that of the
carbon-fiber-bodied Lexus LFA.
Keeping the Supra in control is a
newly-designed front double-joint spring strut and rear multi-link suspension that has reduced unsprung weight, high-rigidity assembly, and minute movability. Equipped with an
Adaptive Variable Suspension system, it enhances both drivability and riding comfort "by optimally controlling such elements as the selected driving mode and the damping force of each wheel's shock absorber depending on the conditions of the road surface."
The Supra is also equipped with an
active differential that, in coordination with the
Vehicle Stability Control system, optimally controls the locking ratio between the rear left and right wheels through an electronically-controlled multi-plate clutch. When entering a corner, the differential selects the locking ratio for a high level of balance between turning performance and stability. When coming out of a turn with the driver pressing on the accelerator pedal, the locking ratio is increased for optimal traction performance.
The all-new Supra was developed on various roads around the world--from the racing-speed drives at the Nürburgring, the country roads in Europe, the Autobahn in Germany, snow-covered and ice-covered roads in Northern Europe, highways in the United States, and winding roads in Japan--with the aim of enabling drivers to experience the joy of driving the Supra even in everyday situations.
"Back in the day, I spent countless hours driving an old Supra at Nurburgring to become a master driver," said
Toyota President and master driver Akio Toyoda. "Supra is like an old friend that holds a special place in my heart. While other manufacturers were putting their beautiful new prototypes which they were going to introduce through the paces, I was driving an old Supra that was no longer in production. So even though Toyota had no plans to make a new Supra, just like a lot of other die-hard Supra fans around the world, I secretly wanted to make it happen. The new GR Supra was born through testing at Nurburgring, and I can honestly say that it is a car that is fun to drive and better than ever."
Check out the photo gallery and launch video of the all-new Toyota Supra below.
