Early reports about the reborn Toyota Supra claimed it would offer a manual transmission and a turbocharged V6. Neither was accurate at launch. Toyota put the fifth-generation Supra on sale in 2019 for the 2020 model year with a BMW-sourced turbocharged inline-six and an eight-speed automatic only: the engine was never a V6, and a six-speed manual did not arrive until the 2023 model year.
The Rumor: A Manual and a V-6
Before the car’s reveal, enthusiast outlets and unnamed insiders circulated two claims — that the new Supra would have a manual gearbox, and that it would use a turbocharged V6. Neither was confirmed by Toyota at the time, and in the short term both proved wrong. The production Supra launched with an automatic-only lineup and a straight-six, not a V6. A glance at Toyota’s broader Toyota Review coverage shows how unusual a V6 sports car would have been for the brand, whose performance models had long used inline-sixes.
What Toyota Actually Built
The fifth-generation Supra — marketed as the GR Supra, with marketing model codes A90 and A91 — entered production in March 2019 and went on sale as a 2020 model. Its 3.0-liter engine is a BMW B58 turbocharged inline-six rated at 335 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of torque, sending power to the rear wheels through a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission.
- Engine: 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six (BMW B58)
- Output: 335 hp and 365 lb-ft of torque (2020 model year)
- Transmission: eight-speed ZF automatic; rear-wheel drive
- 0–60 mph: about 4.1 seconds (manufacturer claim)
- Top speed: electronically limited to 155 mph
- Layout and seats: front-engine, rear-wheel drive, two seats
Inline-6, Not a V6
The most persistent misconception concerns the engine’s layout. The Supra’s 3.0-liter powerplant is a straight-six, with its cylinders in a single line, not a V6, and Toyota shares it with the BMW Z4 that was developed alongside the car. A 2.0-liter BMW turbocharged four-cylinder (engine code B48), rated at 255 hp and 295 lb-ft, joined the range for 2021, giving buyers a cheaper entry point below the six-cylinder models.
The Six-Speed Manual Finally Arrived for 2023
Toyota announced on April 27, 2022 that the Supra would gain a six-speed intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) for the 2023 model year. The manual was offered on the Supra 3.0 and 3.0 Premium, and a limited A91-MT Edition was built for 2023 only. By then the 3.0-liter engine had been uprated to 382 hp and 367 lb-ft, a change introduced for 2021. Toyota developed the gearbox with ZF and gave it a shorter final-drive ratio than the automatic for quicker in-gear acceleration. The manual version is also about 22 pounds lighter than the automatic. Only 500 examples of the A91-MT Edition were built for the U.S. market.
Development: the FT-1 and the BMW Partnership
The design language traces to the FT-1 concept, a Future Toyota show car revealed in 2014, rather than a retro reinterpretation of the earlier Supra. The car was developed jointly with BMW on a shared sports-car platform that also underpins the G29 Z4, and both models are assembled by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria. The fifth-generation Supra succeeded the A80 Supra, which ended production in 2002, so the nameplate returned after a gap of about 17 years.
Buying a Fifth-Generation Supra Today
The GR Supra was sold from the 2020 through 2026 model years, and production ended in March 2026. Used buyers who specifically want a manual should look at 2023-and-newer cars, because earlier models are automatic only. The 3.0-liter versions deliver the strongest performance, while the 2.0-liter four-cylinder is the lower-cost option. Enthusiasts who want the full technical breakdown can read our 2019 Toyota Supra Turbo Engine Specs and Review, and buyers cross-shopping sedans can compare it with the 2019 Toyota Corolla Luxury Review.
Specifications at a Glance
| Version | Engine | Power | Transmission | 0–60 mph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Supra 3.0 | 3.0L turbo inline-6 | 335 hp / 365 lb-ft | 8-speed automatic | ~4.1 s |
| 2021 Supra 3.0 | 3.0L turbo inline-6 | 382 hp / 367 lb-ft | 8-speed automatic | ~3.9 s |
| 2023 Supra 3.0 (MT) | 3.0L turbo inline-6 | 382 hp / 367 lb-ft | 6-speed manual | ~4.0 s |
| 2021 Supra 2.0 | 2.0L turbo inline-4 | 255 hp / 295 lb-ft | 8-speed automatic | ~5.0 s |
As the table shows, the manual arrived alongside the more powerful 382-hp version of the six-cylinder, so a 2023 manual car is both the most engaging and the quickest Supra of its era, even if it gives away a fraction of a second to the fastest automatic in independent testing.
Interior and Packaging
The Supra is a strict two-seater with a liftback rear hatch rather than a conventional trunk, and its cabin is low and driver-focused. Because the car was co-developed with BMW, some switchgear and the infotainment interface are shared with the Z4, a detail that divides purists but saves cost. Headroom and cargo space are limited by the coupe body, so it is best treated as a dedicated sports car rather than a practical daily driver.
Launch Pricing
When it went on sale, the 2020 Supra 3.0 started at $49,990, with 3.0 Premium and Launch Edition variants above it, according to The Drive’s test car data. By the time the manual arrived, the 2023 3.0 carried a base price of $53,595, and the range-topping A91-MT Edition tested at $59,440. Those figures help explain why the manual option mattered to buyers who had expected it from the start.
