2021 Toyota GR Supra 2.0: Ditch Power and Weight to Save Yourself Eight Grand

Toyota made significant changes to the new-for-2020 Supra just one year into its lifespan, adding a new, cheaper four-cylinder model and bumping the output of the previously solitary inline-six version. That’s not the only hardware change in store for the resurrected sports coupe, either.

For many, whether or not they ever get into a Supra will come down to price, and that’s where the new GR Supra 2.0 enters the fray.

Sporting a BMW-sourced turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, the lesser of the two Supras carries an after-destination MSRP of $43,945.

While that puts the model $7,000 below the 2020 six-cylinder model, changes for 2021 increase the power and pricing gap. Toyota and partner BMW massaged the 3.0-liter up from 335 horses to 382, with torque climbing modestly from 365 to 368 lb-ft. That extra oomph comes at a cost, however, as the base ’21 3.0 model starts at $51,945 after destination — $1,000 higher than this year’s entry price.

A $8,000 price gap makes for reasonable distancing between the two Supra flavors without encroaching on the much cheaper, already slow-selling 86. Toyota sees its sports car ladder as having three distinct rungs.

Springing for the 2.0L might feel like a wallet-constrained cop-out to some, but the lighter engine and front brake setup, smaller wheels (18-inchers), as well as other changes, means the Supra 2.0 sheds more than 200 pounds over its I6 sibling. This should make for near-perfect weight distribution, Toyota claims.

With the downsized engine overseen by the same eight-speed automatic found in the 3.0 model, 60 mph should come along in 5 seconds — 1.1 seconds slower than the newly up-horsepowered 2021 six-cylinder, and 0.9 seconds slower than the 2020 model.

For 2021, all Supras see an 8.8-inch touchscreen replace the previous 6.5-inch base unit. An exclusive A91 Edition (3.0L) appears for the new model year, with just 1,000 units bound for the United States. This model, carrying an MSRP of $56,945, dons a black rear lip spoiler and mirror caps made of carbon fiber, graphics on the C-pillar, and an Alcantara-filled interior.

Toyota says all 2021 Supras gain aluminum braces securing the strut towers to the radiator, with retuned dampers and front and rear bump stops added to keep body roll in check. It also tinkered with the programming for the steering and adaptive variable suspension, as well as stability control system.

Going on sale later this summer, the 2021 Supra is a more inclusive model than before — one with broader appeal in a segment where buyers are both few and picky.

[Images: Toyota]