Motoring News: Pure bred turbo-charged Toyota

TOYOTA has announced details of the first extension of its sports car range with the introduction of a new GR Supra with a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine.

Offered in addition to the established 3.0-litre, straight-six turbo unit, this new powerplant will deliver dynamic benefits as well as bringing GR Supra to a wider customer base.

The new model is a pure-bred sports car, with a front engine/rear-wheel drive configuration, compact, two-seater design and dimensions that achieve the “golden ratio” for optimum handling. The 2.0-litre engine widens its market appeal and, being lighter and more compact than the 3.0-litre unit, improves the car’s inertia characteristics and chassis balance for even sharper handling.

Production of the new 2.0-litre GR Supra is due to commence shortly, ahead of its global sales launch in March.

The new 2.0-litre engine is an in-line, four-cylinder unit fitted with a single twin-scroll turbocharger and coupled to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. It delivers genuine sports car performance, a rewarding experience for the driver and enables acceleration from standstill to 100 km/h in just 5.2 seconds and a maximum speed of 250 km/h.

The smaller size and reduced weight of the new engine bring specific dynamic benefits to the GR Supra. Where the entry-level model is concerned, the car tips the scales 100 kg lighter than its 3.0-litre counterpart. And because the engine is more compact, it is positioned closer to the centre of the vehicle, helping secure an ideal 50:50 front-rear weight balance.

This contributes to the car’s responsiveness, agility and confidence-inspiring handling.

Notably, the new Supra achieves the same “golden ratio” for optimum handling performance, a quality defined by the ratio between the car’s wheelbase and track dimensions. For all GR Supra models, this ratio is 1.55, within the ideal range.

At launch, the new 2.0-litre GR Supra will be offered in an exclusive, limited edition Fuji Speedway version. This stands out with a unique white metallic paint finish for the bodywork with contrasting 19-inch matt back alloy wheels and red door mirror housings. In the cabin, there are carbon fibre dashboard trim inserts and striking red and black Alcantara upholstery. The colour choices evoke those of the official TOYOTA GAZOO Racing livery.