The fifth-generation Toyota GR Supra made its world debut on 14 January 2019 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, ending a 17-year gap since the previous Supra left production in 2002. Toyota codes the car internally as J29 or DB and markets it as the A90/A91. Production began in March 2019 at the Magna Steyr plant in Graz, Austria, on a platform shared with the BMW Z4 (G29).
A Supra built with BMW
The GR Supra was developed by Toyota Gazoo Racing in collaboration with BMW. The two companies shared a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive platform, but each developed its own car separately. Toyota engineered the Supra for a 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution and benchmarked it against the Porsche Cayman S, while BMW built the convertible Z4. The Supra uses BMW-sourced engines and a BMW-derived eight-speed automatic, but Toyota re-calibrated the transmission software and moved the engine rearward in the bay for better balance.
Toyota said the design drew on the 2000GT and on the FT-1 concept shown in 2014. The interior layout and materials were done by Toyota, with only small switchgear shared with BMW.
Engines and performance
Two turbocharged BMW engines were offered. The 2.0-liter B48 inline-four produced 145–190 kW (194–255 hp) and 320–400 Nm, and the 3.0-liter B58 inline-six produced 250–285 kW (335–382 hp) and 495–500 Nm. At launch in the United States the 3.0-liter car was quoted at 335 hp. Power went to the rear wheels through a ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic; a six-speed manual was added later, for the 2023 model year and only with the six-cylinder engine.
Toyota quoted 0–60 mph in 4.1 seconds for the 3.0-liter Supra. When Car and Driver tested the car in December 2019 it recorded 3.7 seconds to 60 mph and a quarter-mile in 12.2 seconds at 114 mph. The 2.0-liter model was measured at 4.7 seconds to 60 mph.
| Specification | 2.0 L (B48) | 3.0 L (B58) |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration | Turbo inline-four | Turbo inline-six |
| Power | 145–190 kW (194–255 hp) | 250–285 kW (335–382 hp) |
| Torque | 320–400 Nm | 495–500 Nm |
| Transmission | ZF 8-speed auto | ZF 8-speed auto; 6-speed manual from 2023 |
| Drive | Rear-wheel drive | Rear-wheel drive |
Price and on-sale dates
The Supra went on sale in Japan on 17 May 2019. In the United States, sales started on 22 July 2019 with a base price of $49,990, and in Australia they began on 2 September 2019. The first production car was auctioned at Barrett-Jackson in January 2019 for $2.1 million, with the proceeds split between the American Heart Association and the Bob Woodruff Foundation.
The car was unveiled and began production in 2019, but in North America it was sold as a 2020 model year vehicle. So a Supra registered in 2019 in the United States carries a 2020 model-year designation, while Japanese and other markets simply sold the car from 2019. The 2.0-liter version reached the United States later, for the 2021 model year.
How the new Supra compares with the A80
The A80 Supra, sold from 1993 to 2002, used Toyota’s own 2JZ inline-six and became famous for its tunability. The A90 uses a BMW straight-six and a smaller, lighter body with a shorter wheelbase than the A80. Car and Driver compared a 2020 Supra with a 1994 Supra Turbo and found the new car quicker and more agile, while the older car retained more steering feel and interior space.
Interior and equipment
The Supra is a strict two-seater with a low seating position and a driver-focused cockpit. Launch cars had an 8.8-inch central display, adaptive suspension, an active rear differential and a head-up display on higher grades. The car also carried blocked-off exterior vents that Toyota said were left from the race-car prototype and could be made functional by the aftermarket.
End of production
Toyota ended GR Supra production in March 2026 after a seven-year run and did not announce a direct successor. A run of 300 “A90 Final Edition” cars, split between Japan and Europe, marked the end of the line; that version raised output to 324 kW (434 hp) and 571 Nm with revised intake, cooling and oil-control parts.
2019 Supra at a glance
- World debut: 14 January 2019, Detroit
- Production start: March 2019, Magna Steyr, Graz, Austria
- On sale: Japan 17 May 2019; US 22 July 2019; Australia 2 September 2019
- US base price at launch: $49,990
- Engines: BMW B48 2.0 L turbo I4; BMW B58 3.0 L turbo I6
- Transmission: ZF eight-speed automatic; six-speed manual from 2023
- Production ended: March 2026
The Supra nameplate before 2019
The Supra began in 1978 as a six-cylinder version of the Celica, sold as the Celica Supra, and became a model in its own right with the A60 generation in 1981. Four generations preceded the A90: the A60 (1981–1985), the A70 (1986–1993), the A80 (1993–2002) and the fifth-generation car covered here. The A80, with its 2JZ straight-six, is the car most closely associated with the name. Between 2002 and 2019 Toyota had no Supra in its range; its affordable sports car in that period was the Subaru joint-venture coupe sold as the Toyota 86 and, in North America, the Scion FR-S, which is covered here as the 2019 Toyota GT86 Rumor, Redesign, Review.
