The legend has returned! Toyota has given rise to their ‘hero’ car once more in the guise of the 2020 GR Supra. And when Toyota offered me a Supra GT to drive, I couldn’t say yes fast enough!
The GR Supra was born from a collaboration between Toyota and BMW to design and build both the Supra and the Z4 convertible from a new common platform. Both companies admit that neither car would exist, if it were not for this collaboration.
Both cars share a 3.0lt twin scroll turbo 24V DOHC six cylinder (250kW/500Nm) engine, eight speed auto transmission with paddle shifters and their interior design, but part design ways after that.
GR Supra in Australia comes in two models, GT and GTS, mechanically identical, but the GTS gets a few extra niceties and increased price tag to boot.
THE LOOK
Damn, Supra is one sexy looking car! A sleek, sculptured beauty that’s 4381mm long, 1854mm wide and it’s only 1292mm high! It looks like it’s doing 250kph when it’s standing still. Low slung stance and aggressively styled, it just screams look at me! And why not? It’s a truly beautiful motor car. And it’s not just me that thinks that. In the week I had the car, I had at least two dozen different people, passer’s by, random strangers stop me in the street/shops/servo to compliment me on what a nice/good looking car it was. I even had one guy and his mates pull up in a boat! Asking me about the car when I was taking some photos of it on a breakwater up the coast.
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PERFORMANCE
Whoa Momma – does she go! Toyota lists a 0-100kph time of 4.4 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250kph (I believe it). This is a car, when driving it, you need to show a great degree of self-restraint. Toyota thankfully have provided Supra with massive Brembo ventilated brakes (340mm, 4 piston fronts and 330mm 1 piston rears) to help you arrest the car and its speed, before the Police arrest you.
Supra comes with two drive modes, Normal and Sport. The drive modes, alter suspension, transmission, differential settings, as well as engine, throttle and steering response, providing an absolutely exhilarating drive. In Normal mode the car is a demon, but it in Sport mode it’s a weapon!
Supra’s performance in breath taking, with razor sharp handling it drives like a dream (a very exciting dream). The precision and balance it has when pushing hard is awesome and very rewarding. Grip on the road is superb, helped in no small part by the wide staggered fitment tyres on Supra GT (255/40R18 on the front and 275/40R18 on the rear).
The ride is surprisingly comfortable in such a low slung car, even in Sport mode whilst firm, it’s quite comfortable. In Normal mode, you and Supra will comfortably cruise the highways all day/night for hundreds of km’s with ease.
ON THE INSIDE
Supra is a pure two seater, not even the pretence of a back seat. Just two seats and the boot, which has a capacity of just 296lt, so overnight bag only please. The sports seats are all leather, heated and eight way power adjustable. Supra’s interior is a very nice and comfortable place to be, with carbon-look interior trim. The dash features two digital displays, an 8.8”instruement cluster and another 8.8” touchscreen for the infotainment system; featuring a 10 speaker stereo, DAB radio, Sat Nav, Bluetooth and voice control. Wireless charging is provided for your phone as well as one USB connection and two 12V outlets (one in front & one in the boot).
Other standard features include:-
- keyless entry and start
- dual-zone climate control
- front/rear parking sensors
- LED headlights (absolutely brilliant!)
- electric folding and heated side mirrors
SAFETY FEATURES/DRIVER AIDS
Supra features as standard many electronic driver aids and safety systems including:-
- Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Lane Departure Warning with Steering Assist
- Adaptive Cruise Control and Speed sign recognition
- Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Rear View Camera
- Adaptive High Beam
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
LIVING WITH SUPRA EVERYDAY
I think given the right circumstance you could live with Supra as a daily driver. You’d need to love sports cars and not have, much to carry about, no kids or pets and a very understanding partner – yep, that’ll work. Supra is quite a comfortable car to drive, except for getting in and out of it if you’re a bit tall or large, as there is quite a bit of bending and ducking involved.
Seriously though, it returns pretty good fuel economy, listed at 7.7lt/100km combined (although the best I saw was 8.3lt/100km – Bit too much ‘Sport’ mode) and it runs on a minimum of 91 RON fuel. Amazing when you consider the performance credentials it has! Service costs are kept down with Toyota’s capped price servicing program, locking in an annual service cost of $385 per service for the first five years of ownership.
There’s no spare tyre either, just a tyre inflator kit, so something else to consider.
THE PRICE TAG AND WARRANTY
The big question, how much? Well Toyota lists driveaway pricing on the GR Supra GT starting from $91,691, which isn’t chicken feed by any means; then neither is this car.
Toyota, offers a five year unlimited kilometre warranty on Supra and Roadside Assistance packages are also available.
THE VERDICT
2020 GR Supra has got a lot to offer. It has the looks, the performance and a shear appeal others envy, that is the stock and trade of a true sports car. It is truly a worthy successor of the Supra name and can wear the badge with pride.
If you are looking to spoil yourself on your next novated lease, and have the desire to own an iconic sports car. Then look no further, Supra is simply stunning.
What does it look like as a Novated Lease?
| Make | Toyota |
| Model | Supra |
| Variant | GTS |
| Body | Coupe |
| Fuel | Petrol |
| Trans | Auto |
| Performance | 250 kW |
| RRP (including GST) | $94,900 |
| On-road Cost | $99,797 |
| Amount Financed | $94,562 |
| Residual Value | $42,553 |
| Monthly Rental | $2,296 |
| Annual Savings with a Novated Lease | $4,254 |
This data is from the 2020 Novated Leasing Guide produced by Fleet Auto News.
