Toyota GR Supra Given New Inline-Four Plus 377bhp Six

It should come as no surprise whatsoever that Toyota has - as previously rumoured - brought an inline-four GR Supra to the USA. What we weren’t expecting, however, was a bunch of upgrades for the inline-six.

First off, it has more power. The output has risen from 335bhp to 377bhp, matching the figure managed by the US-spec BMW Z4 M40i. The uplift has been made possible thanks to a new dual-branch exhaust manifold that increases the port count from two to six, and a new piston design which shifts the compression ratio from 11:1 to 10.2:1. It might be good for even more power than this, given that the outgoing version is already known to have modest factory figures.

The more powerful B58 six - which is also slightly torquier at 368lb ft vs 365 - sees the 0-60mph time drop from 4.1 seconds to 3.9.

To go with the extra poke, the ‘A90’ has also been given some chassis tweaks. There are new, lighter aluminium strut braces, fresh bump stops, and retuned dampers. Meanwhile, the software for the electric power steering, adaptive dampers, e-differential and the stability control system has all been fiddled with to make the most of the hardware alterations.

Toyota is also offering a new special version of the 3.0-litre Supra, dubbed ‘A91 Edition’. You can have one finished in either ‘Nocturnal’ or the A91-exclusive ‘Refraction’, but whatever you choose, you’ll get matte black wheels, snazzy C-pillar decals, a carbonfibre rear lip spoiler and carbonfibre mirror covers. The black interior is part leather, part Alcantara, while the boot gets an “exclusive” mat. Neat.

Finally, we’ll turn our attention back to the one we’ve been waiting for - the US-spec Supra 2.0-litre. It hasn’t lost quite as much weight as the European inline-four Supra, but with a 90kg reduction, it isn’t far off. Along with the lighter engine, weight is also saved by switching the adaptive dampers for passive, the fitting of smaller brakes, and the loss of the e-diff.

Thanks to the lower weight figure, performance isn’t far off the six. 0-62mph happens in five seconds dead, and the electronically-limited top speed is exactly the same at 155mph.

There 2021 model year Supras will be arriving at US showrooms in June. The more powerful straight-six won’t be coming to the UK, as it’s unable to pass EU emissions regulations, Toyota GB has confirmed.