NASCAR and Toyota fans, start your engines. Or, at least look forward to starting the 2021 Toyota Supra‘s engines. The sports car introduces a new-for-the-U.S. four-cylinder engine, as well as a more exciting power upgrade for the carryover turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six. Both changes were announced in the shadow of the Daytona 500, and make clear to speed fans everywhere that the Supra has no interest in losing your interest in the coming year, having just been introduced in 2020.
We’ve covered the four-cylinder GR Supra separately, so let’s dive right in to the six-cylinder GR Supra 3.0 model. The turbocharged inline-six from BMW gets a power boost for 2021, elevating output from 335 horsepower (at 5,000-6,500 rpm) to 382 horsepower (at 5,800-6,500 rpm). Torque rises only slightly, from 365 lb-ft at 1,600-4,500 rpm to 368 lb-ft at 1,800-5,000 rpm, and the eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters carries over to 2021.
Toyota says the extra oomph should drop the 2021 Supra 3.0’s zero-to-60-mph time from an estimated 4.1 seconds to 3.9. Given how we achieved a 3.9-second run in our testing last year, figure on an even quicker time in the real world. Engineers coaxed the extra power from the BMW engine using a new dual-branch exhaust manifold that has six ports instead of two for better heat management, plus a new piston design that reduces the engine’s compression ratio from 11:1 to 10.2:1 for higher torque and allows for higher revs.
The 2021 Supra lineup overall is lighter (the four-cylinder is even lighter than the 3.0, thanks to its smaller engine and lower level of equipment), while the 3.0 sees its chassis tweaked slightly. Toyota added lightweight aluminum braces for more lateral rigidity, and the team also finessed the tuning of the electric power steering and adaptive variable suspension.
Beyond the mightier six-cylinder 2021 Supra and its new four-cylinder sibling, the sports car lineup also spawns new special-edition variants. There is the A91 Edition, of which 1,000 will be offered, that comes in two paint colors—Nocturnal or Refraction—and includes matte-black wheels, special graphics, and carbon-fiber exterior trim. For the track-minded, the GR Supra GT4 will go on sale in the U.S. in August. This 430-hp special uses an upgraded version of the Supra’s six-cylinder engine and sports a seven-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, a mechanical limited-slip rear differential, and an Akrapovič exhaust. It weighs several hundred pounds less than a typical Supra, wears carbon-fiber aerodynamic bits, racing brake calipers (six-piston front and four-piston rear), a roll cage, FIA-approved racing seat, and Pirelli racing slicks. As if it needed mentioning, no, the GT4 is not street legal. The regular 2021 Supra 3.0 models will be in showrooms in June.
