Beautiful Toyota Sports Car Adds Four-Cylinder Model, Ups Six-Cylinder Power
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CARGAZING Supra Gets Faster, Slower Beautiful Toyota Sports Car Adds Four-Cylinder Model, Ups Six-Cylinder Power By Derek Price WHAT WAS TESTED? CARGAZING.COM here’s a risk to building 2021 Toyota GR Supra a gorgeous car: it’s got 2.0 ($42,990) to live up to the hype. TThe sexy lines of the car Wheelbase: 97.2 in. I’m driving this week, the Length: 172.5 in. new Toyota Supra, do a bril- Width: 73 in. liant job hyping up what to Height: 50.9 in. expect as you walk toward it. Engine: 2.0-liter The long hood, sensual roof turbocharged four and swept-back side profile cylinder (255 hp, give all the right cues to cre- 295 ft.-lbs.) ate heart palpitations in Transmission: Eight- those of us who love two- speed automatic seat, rear-wheel-drive sports cars. Therein lies a problem. Why buy it? The Supra may look too gor- It’s a gorgeous sports geous for its own good, at car with spectacular least in the new four-cylin- handling. It reinvents der version I tested. My eyes the Supra for a new saw the godlike immortality generation. of a supercar, but my senses felt the sting of four-cylinder mortality under the hood impressive that Toyota offers that left me wanting more in two entirely legitimate con- several key areas: more tenders in this rare and power, more sound and Invoking a legendary name in the Toyota lineup, the latest Supra is one of the prettiest cars for sale today. It reinterprets the low-selling category. As more bang for the buck. much as I love them, let’s get Fortunately, a six-cylinder classic, low-slung sports-car shape in a contemporary way. real. Sports cars are expen- Supra exists to solve all three ates 255 horsepower with a ing roads borders on spiritu- several reasons. power. It looks more mean sive to create and tend to of those issues, and it’s the starting price around al. Steering, braking and One, the brilliant Toyota than cute, and meanness move off dealer lots slower one I’d recommend. $43,000. handling all sparkle like they 86 fulfills that same con- requires a minimum of 300 than a tortoise on Ambien. The more powerful Supra, Normally, as a longtime should. nected-to-the-road mission horsepower, according to If you want a four-cylin- priced from around $51,000, Mazda Miata owner and The cabin feels futuristic for considerably less money, my off-the-cuff gearhead der Toyota sports car, the 86 makes a thrilling 382 horse- enthusiast, this less powerful and distinctive, something starting around $27,000. calculus. with a manual transmission power from its BMW-derived, version would be my dream unusual in the current cli- Two, you can’t get a Supra The V6, on the other hand, is breathtakingly fun to turbocharged, 3.0-liter inline Supra, one more about bal- mate of lookalike dashes with a manual transmission, fits the mission of this vehi- drive. If you want a power- six-cylinder engine. That’s a ance, lightness and handling dominated by tacky but which I think is bonkers if cle much better. It’s numeri- ful, thrilling, exotic Toyota serious boost in power over than the muscle-car speed of practical touchscreens. It you’re trying to summon the cally and emotionally the sports car, the six-cylinder last year when buyers had to its gaudy, six-cylinder sibling. evokes a hint of the “Tron” sensual pleasures of pure one to pick and worth every Supra is your match. settle for a still impressive In its role as a tossable vibe of 1980s Supras without driving, which is the whole cent of its premium over the And if you still pine for a 335 horsepower. sports car, the four-cylinder being obnoxious. point of a car like this. base model, as I see it. four-cylinder Supra, at least The four-cylinder engine Supra really does excel. The Still, I wouldn’t buy the And three, the Supra’s gor- Still, despite my puritani- you’ll be driving one of the in my tester, though, gener- driving experience on wind- four-cylinder version for geous body screams of cal sports-car ranting, it’s prettiest cars in the world. CARGAZING Invoking a legendary name in the Toyota lineup, the latest Supra is one of the prettiest cars for sale today. It reinterprets the classic, low-slung sports-car shape in a contemporary way. Supra Gets Faster, Slower Beautiful Toyota Sports Car Adds Four-Cylinder Model, Ups Six-Cylinder Power By Derek Price money, starting around $27,000. CARGAZING.COM Two, you can’t get a Supra with here’s a risk to building a a manual transmission, which I gorgeous car: it’s got to live think is bonkers if you’re trying to up to the hype. summon the sensual pleasures of TThe sexy lines of the car I’m pure driving, which is the whole driving this week, the new Toyota point of a car like this. Supra, do a brilliant job hyping up And three, the Supra’s gorgeous what to expect as you walk toward body screams of power. It looks it. The long hood, sensual roof more mean than cute, and mean- and swept-back side profile give ness requires a minimum of 300 all the right cues to create heart horsepower, according to my off- palpitations in those of us who the-cuff gearhead calculus. love two-seat, rear-wheel-drive The V6, on the other hand, fits sports cars. the mission of this vehicle much Therein lies a problem. The better. It’s numerically and emo- Supra may look too gorgeous for tionally the one to pick and worth its own good, at least in the new every cent of its premium over the four-cylinder version I tested. My base model, as I see it. eyes saw the godlike immortality Still, despite my puritanical of a supercar, but my senses felt sports-car ranting, it’s impressive the sting of four-cylinder mortali- that Toyota offers two entirely ty under the hood that left me legitimate contenders in this rare wanting more in several key areas: and low-selling category. As more power, more sound and much as I love them, let’s get real. more bang for the buck. The Supra’s two-seat cabin feels cozy and spacious at the same time. It’s designed in a way that makes the Sports cars are expensive to cre- Fortunately, a six-cylinder driver and passenger feel wrapped in their own pods, but its wide stance allows enough space to avoid the ate and tend to move off dealer Supra exists to solve all three of cramped feeling of some competitors. lots slower than a tortoise on those issues, and it’s the one I’d Ambien. recommend. If you want a four-cylinder The more powerful Supra, tester, though, generates 255 In its role as a tossable sports dashes dominated by tacky but Toyota sports car, the 86 with a priced from around $51,000, horsepower with a starting price car, the four-cylinder Supra really practical touchscreens. It evokes a manual transmission is breathtak- makes a thrilling 382 horsepower around $43,000. does excel. The driving experi- hint of the “Tron” vibe of 1980s ingly fun to drive. If you want a from its BMW-derived, turbo- Normally, as a longtime Mazda ence on winding roads borders Supras without being obnoxious. powerful, thrilling, exotic Toyota charged, 3.0-liter inline six-cylin- Miata owner and enthusiast, this on spiritual. Steering, braking Still, I wouldn’t buy the sports car, the six-cylinder Supra der engine. That’s a serious boost less powerful version would be my and handling all sparkle like they four-cylinder version for several is your match. in power over last year when buy- dream Supra, one more about bal- should. reasons. And if you still pine for a ers had to settle for a still impres- ance, lightness and handling than The cabin feels futuristic and One, the brilliant Toyota 86 ful- four-cylinder Supra, at least you’ll sive 335 horsepower. the muscle-car speed of its gaudy, distinctive, something unusual in fills that same connected-to-the- be driving one of the prettiest cars The four-cylinder engine in my six-cylinder sibling. the current climate of lookalike road mission for considerably less in the world. A CLOSER LOOK AT A GLANCE FACTS, FIGURES AND RATINGS What was tested? 2021 Toyota GR Supra 2.0 Wheelbase: 97.2 in. Ratings Why buy it? ($42,990). Options: Safety and technology package Length: 172.5 in. Style: 10 It’s a gorgeous sports car with ($3,485). Price as tested (including $1,045 destination Width: 73 in. Performance: 7 spectacular handling. It re- charge): $47,520 Height: 50.9 in. Price: 5 invents the Supra for a new Engine: 2.0-liter turbocharged four Handling: 9 generation. cylinder (255 hp, 295 ft.-lbs.) Ride: 7 Transmission: Eight-speed automatic Comfort: 6 Quality: 8 Overall: 7.