The red “Supra” badge denotes the car has a clutch pedal.
“Does that look like a Supra?” Supra with a clutch pedal, not just any Supra. After years of speculation, Toyota has officially confirmed that the rear-wheel-drive coupe will be equipped with a manual transmission. The DIY transmission is described as a “all-new, tailor-made” unit, implying that it was not sourced from BMW’s parts bin. That’s not surprising, given that all M Performance cars with the suffix “40i” have automatic transmissions.
Aside from the three-pedal box, Toyota displays the car’s rear end, which features red “Supra” writing. The stunning logo will be reserved for models with a manual transmission. More information will be released in the following weeks, but in the meanwhile, the company’s brief press release concludes with the hashtag #savethemanual.
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If the rumor mill is to be trusted, the world premiere is scheduled to take place on April 28 when the Gazoo Racing Supra with a stick shift will break cover. It’ll allegedly be offered exclusively with the six-cylinder engine, which might cannibalize sales of the automatic-only BMW Z4 M40i. The Bavarians do offer a manual for their sporty roadster, but only for the lesser versions with the four-cylinder engine.
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At home in Japan, Toyota is reportedly planning to sell a Matte White Edition with a bespoke body paint and a tan leather interior. Meanwhile, the teaser released today comes from the company’s European division, thus revealing the three-pedal GR Supra is earmarked for the Old Continent. We’re expecting the sports car to land in the United States as well where it’ll join the GR Corolla hot hatch.
We wouldn’t get our hopes up just yet if BMW is planning its own manual Z4 M40i. The Toyota Supra is more of a sports vehicle, whilst its sister model has a GT profile that calls for an automatic transmission. It’s not the end of the world, considering the new M2 will be launched in a few months, replete with a six-speed manual transmission.
Source:Â Toyota
