When Toyota shines just a little brighter I made fun of Supra getting a manual transmission..Stick shift disqualification for a lot of fans lack of Toyota halo sports activities automotive, and it is nonetheless Great machineI at all times felt like I used to be lacking one thing. It modified on Thursday as Toyota lastly confirmed that the guide Supra was real — for some patrons.
Updated to ET at 4:20 pm on April 29, 2022: This story has been up to date with new details about the origin of the Supra guide.
First, the excellent news. Toyota says it has made nice efforts to design this transmission and make it work properly with a 3.0-liter turbocharged in-line 6-cylinder provided by BMW. BMW doesn’t provide this engine with a guide, so Toyota needed to put a variety of effort into attaining a guide Supra. This is a part of it, From Toyota press release:
The engineering crew has diminished weight by modifying current transmission housings, drive shafts, gearsets and eradicating undesirable components resembling acoustic packages. At the center of the transmission is a newly designed massive diameter clutch with bolstered diaphragm springs. With a bigger friction space and stronger springs, this new element options excessive efficiency options appropriate to be used with GR Supra’s excessive torque engines.
The newly developed 6-speed guide gearbox additionally options an clever guide transmission (iMT) programmed with new software program that prioritizes sporty efficiency. During an upshift, the parameters are adjusted to optimize engine torque in the intervening time the clutch is engaged and disengaged. In the downshift, the software program is fine-tuned for constant efficiency. iMT is about because the default, however will be switched off in sport mode if the motive force so wishes.
The remaining drive ratio has been diminished from 3.15 (GR Supra Automatic) to three.46 (GR Supra MT) to keep away from delays in takeoff and low acceleration in gear. The result’s response and gearing appropriate for sports activities automotive efficiency.
Following Toyota’s announcement drive As reported individually on Friday, the sixth gear is of BMW origin in addition to the Supra itself. This is a “Toyota-tuned” ZF unit, so long as the Japanese automaker has changed some components with others, resembling the big diameter clutch, bolstered springs, and shift knob design talked about above.
“The components used within the gearbox come from a mixture of guide transmissions manufactured by ZF, however the mixture of components is unique to the GR Supra,” a Toyota spokeswoman stated. drive.. “Toyota has partnered with ZF and BMW on shift lever / pedal design / structure, remaining gear ratio dedication and iMT adjustment. [rev-matching and upshift smoothing] Function and shift really feel. “
This Supra-specific gearbox has its personal distinctive transmission code inside BMW’s components catalog GS6L50TZ. According to this Supra MKV discussion board put up, the code for the much less highly effective BMW Z4 sDrive20i guide discovered overseas occurs to be the GS6L40LZ. According to BMW’s transmission designation guidelines, the distinction between “L50T” and “L40L” signifies the distinction between the “kind” and gearset of the transmission. The “GS6” and “Z” bits within the code point out the 6-speed guide and ZF as producers, respectively. For reference, the manuals at present in M3 and M4 are referred to as GS6-45BZ.
Speaking of the shift knob, Toyota says ergonomics were a consideration too. Making space for a manual in a car that wasn’t originally offered with one can be a bit of a bear. Again, from the manufacturer’s release:
Close attention was also paid to how a manual shifter could be accommodated in the driver’s cockpit. The lever ratio was specifically set to minimize the effort required to make shifts and engage reverse gear. While the weight and shape of the 200g gear knob, along with the quality of shift engagement, have all been precisely defined. Ergonomics were also top-of-mind, as the console unit and position of the drive mode selector were adjusted to provide a 1.7-inch clearance between the shift knob and the control panel.
Toyota didn’t announce pricing for the manual Supra. That news will come this fall, shortly before 2023 models hit showrooms.
Here’s the catch: this six-speed will not be offered on the 2.0-liter four-cylinder Supra in any capacity. Honestly, I don’t know if a manual could have saved that car; I don’t know if anything could salvage the lesser Supra when the GR 86 And now The long-awaited GR Corolla It can also be within the Toyota lineup. My colleague Steve believes that nobody would hassle to purchase a 2.0 Supra with a guide to counter these choices. He might be proper.
For me, Manual 3.0 makes the two.0 Supra even worse than earlier than. Live in the shadow of that big brother.. Perhaps it simply exists as the idea for the repair, however what number of 2.0 homeowners are doing 2JZ swaps anyway? I’m all in search of an inexpensive entrance to efficiency. Especially for individuals who have sufficient abilities to make up for the distinction with a wrench, 2.0 is just about $ 8,000 lower than 3.0, which is Toyota’s flagship. It ought to be a reliable sports activities automotive in all variations.
Toyota additionally provides a restricted version Supra geared up with a guide referred to as the A91-MT. Only 500 of those will probably be manufactured with the required gearbox and North American cognac inside. Regardless of the Supra mannequin you order, whenever you specify the specs with the stick shift, you will notice a pink badge on the again, so everybody is aware of that they purchased the very best Supra. Perhaps just a little twist on the knife when somebody pulls. Up with the earlier, automatic-only Supra.