Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photography Adrenaline Lifestyles
Since the return of the Toyota Supra, I have seen the numbers grow of owners, taking me back to the early Fast and Furious days. The car enthusiast reaction to the Supra is full of excitement and discussion about how the return is growing on doubters who once debated its’ BMW ties. The model sent for review was the 2021 Toyota Supra GR 3.0 Premium.
The Toyota Supra is a sports car and grand tourer manufactured by Toyota Motor Corporation beginning in 1978. We are now in the fifth generation of the Supra and it has been produced since March 2019 and went on sale in May 2019. The Supra is assembled alongside the G29 BMW Z4 in Graz, Austria by Magna Steyr. The Supra was unveiled at the January 2019 North American International Auto Show and is a collaboration between Toyota and BMW and is based on the Z4.
Upon first look, you will notice the Supra’s sleek and sporty look. Our review model came in a Nitro Yellow hue. The Supra comes complete with auto-fold heated exterior mirrors, 19-inch forged aluminum 10 spoke wheels with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. There are Brembo 4-piston ventilated disc brakes in the front and Single piston cast iron disc brakes with red brake calipers. Adding to the sporty look are the LED exterior lighting and brushed finished dual exhaust tips. Yes, you can see similarities to the BMW Z4, but that is expected since Toyota partnered with BMW to develop the GR Supra. There is actually BMW badging on some components under the hood.
The interior of the Toyota GR Supra 3.0 Premium that we tested has 14-way heated power black leather trimmed sport seats, leather upholstery and a full color head-up display. It is a 2 seater with more than enough leg room for both passengers. There is also a great infotainment system that is complete with a 8.8 touchscreen multimedia system, wireless phone charging, Supra connected services, touchpad rotary control, standard navigation, Sirius XM, wireless Apple CarPlay and a 12-speaker JBL stereo sound system that booms.
The Supra 3.0 Premium comes with a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine that has a twin-scroll turbocharger with an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The Supra responds to 382 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque. The throttle response is immediate when you hit the pedal. The exhaust system growls as you put the Supra to work. The handling was balanced, steering and throttle were responsive with very strong. Sport mode transforms the Supra from a commuter car to rally ready sports car. Sport mode sends the Supra to another level.
Safety is a big deal at Toyota and the Supra is equipped with the driver assist package that includes dynamic radar cruise control, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert and parking sensors with emergency braking function. The Supra also comes with forward collision warning, automatic high beams, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with steering assist, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a rearview camera and a feature that recognizes road signs as standard.
The Toyota Supra sits in a competitive class with vehicles such as the Audi S3, Audi S4, BMW M2, BMW Z4, Honda Type R, Toyota 86, Porsche Cayman and the Mercedes-Benz SLC-Class. The 2021 Toyota GR Supra gets 22 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg combined. This very good gas mileage in it’s class.
The 2021 Toyota Supra is fun to drive and quite practical for a sports car. I see more and more every day that are used as commuter vehicles, car show stunners and highway bandits. The Supra has a comfortable interior and a roomy cargo area. The Supra has smooth handling, good gas mileage, reliable and powerful. The hype is still up around the Supra. I showcased the Supra at my Cars and Brunch show and it was an absolute crowd pleaser. I had fun lining it up against my buddies Lamborghini Huracan and McLaren 570S, all three dawning a yellow hue. It was fun to see the reaction of the crowd fawning over all three and discussing the differences between them, as well as hearing the kids playing “That’s my Car.” Be aware that when you pull up in the Supra, just think “Lights, Camera, Action”. Please enjoy my photos.
