The 2021 Toyota Supra is the second model year of the fifth-generation car, the A90, which Toyota markets under its Gazoo Racing division as the GR Supra. It is a production sports car, not a concept, though it was previewed by the GR Supra Racing Concept that Toyota showed at the Geneva Motor Show on 6 March 2018. The 2021 version was a meaningful update: Toyota raised the output of the six-cylinder model, retuned the chassis and, for the first time, added a cheaper four-cylinder turbocharged entry model.
A Production Car, Not a Concept
The fifth-generation Supra went into production in March 2019 at Magna Steyr’s plant in Graz, Austria, on the same line as the BMW Z4 (G29) it was co-developed with. It was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January 2019 and went on sale in the United States on 22 July 2019 with a starting price of $49,990. The 2007 FT-HS and 2014 FT-1 concepts, along with the 2018 GR Supra Racing Concept, previewed the design, but the 2021 car the customer could buy was a fully homologated series-production vehicle. Toyota used the name A90 for marketing continuity even though the car’s internal code is J29/DB.
Engine Specs
The Supra uses BMW-sourced engines. For 2021 Toyota boosted the six-cylinder and added the four-cylinder, publishing these figures:
- 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six (BMW B58): 382 hp at 5,800–6,500 rpm, 368 lb-ft at 1,800–5,000 rpm — up from 335 hp and 365 lb-ft
- 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four (BMW B48): 255 hp at 5,000–6,500 rpm, 295 lb-ft at 1,550–4,400 rpm
- Transmission: ZF eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters on both engines
- Drive: rear-wheel drive
- 0–60 mph: about 3.9 seconds for the 3.0 and 5.0 seconds for the 2.0, per Toyota’s projections
The extra power in the 3.0 came from a new dual-branch exhaust manifold with six ports instead of two and a revised piston design that lowered the compression ratio from 11:1 to 10.2:1. Both engines use a single twin-scroll turbocharger with direct injection and variable valve timing; the 3.0 remains an inline six and the 2.0 an inline four, each rated at 1,998 cc and 2,998 cc respectively, according to Toyota’s European technical data. The eight-speed automatic is a ZF unit that Toyota recalibrated and fitted with its own software, a decision it took over a dual-clutch gearbox for smoothness and weight. A six-speed manual was not offered on the 2021 car; Toyota added one only for the 2023 model year, and exclusively with the six-cylinder engine.
Performance and Chassis
Toyota retuned the 3.0 chassis for 2021, adding lightweight aluminum braces between the strut towers and the radiator support to increase lateral rigidity, along with revised bump stops and damper tuning. It also reprogrammed the electric power steering, the Adaptive Variable Suspension, the Vehicle Stability Control and the active differential. The 3.0 was projected to hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, down from 4.1 for the 2020 car, and both engines were electronically limited to 155 mph.
The 2.0 weighed 3,181 pounds, more than 200 pounds less than the six-cylinder, because it used smaller front brakes, manual seats, a four-speaker audio system and omitted the active differential and adaptive suspension. That made it a distinct proposition from the more heavily equipped 3.0 rather than a simple decontented version.
Exterior
The Supra’s exterior is a short-wheelbase, wide-track fastback coupe with a long hood and a double-bubble roof. European technical data lists it at 4,379 mm long, 1,854 mm wide and 1,292 mm tall on a 2,470 mm wheelbase. The car’s proportions were engineered for a low center of gravity and near 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution, which was a stated development goal. The 2021 model kept the design largely unchanged apart from the model-specific A91 Edition details.
Interior
Inside, the Supra is a strict two-seater with a driver-focused cockpit. The 2021 update made the larger 8.8-inch central touchscreen standard across the range, replacing the 6.5-inch screen that had been used on the base 2020 model. The 3.0 models came with a ten-speaker audio system and fourteen-way power-adjustable seats, while the 2.0 used a four-speaker system and manually adjustable seats. A new Safety & Technology Package added adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, navigation and a twelve-speaker JBL audio system on the 2.0 and 3.0.
Release Date, Prices and the A91 Edition
Toyota announced the 2021 Supra on 17 June 2020 and said the cars would arrive at dealers that summer. Pricing started at $42,990 for the new 2.0, while the 3.0 started at $50,990, the 3.0 Premium at $54,490 and the limited A91 Edition at $55,990. The A91 Edition was capped at 1,000 cars, offered in Nocturnal or Refraction paint with a black carbon-fiber lip spoiler, matte black wheels and carbon-fiber mirror caps. The 3.0 was rated at an estimated 25 mpg combined by the EPA.
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Background and the End of Production
The Supra’s fourth generation, the A80, ended production in 2002, leaving a gap of about 17 years before the A90 arrived for the 2020 model year. Toyota co-developed the fifth-generation car with BMW because a standalone program was hard to justify, but the two companies tuned their versions separately: the Supra used wider, stiffer side sills, additional chassis bracing and an engine moved further back in the bay for better weight distribution. The A90 ran from March 2019 until March 2026, when Toyota ended it with no planned direct successor. A 2021 car therefore sits in the middle of a now-closed production run, which is relevant context for parts availability and long-term values.
