Toyota Supra less costly than expected in Australia

Prices were revealed this week for the 2020 Toyota Supra – the Japanese brand’s new two-door sports car that arrives in Australia in September 2019. With a two-model range sharing the same three-litre straight six engine, the new Supra will kick off from $84,900 when just three hundred examples arrive locally this spring.

A starting price in the mid-eighties might be costly for a Toyota, but it’s less than many pundits expected for the Supra, which shares many of its components with the 2019 BMW Z4 – a vehicle we reviewed separately this month.

BMW and Toyota co-developed the pair of sports cars, but the lion’s share of the work was by the Bavarian manufacturer. The Supra sits on BMW’s Cluster Architecture platform and utilises the German marque’s 250kW/500Nm turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine.

In the Z4, that engine costs $124,900 before on-road costs in Australia – so Toyota buyers will be tapping into virtually identical performance for a practical discount of $40,000.

The straight six is paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard, though senior Toyota executives have said that a manual could be considered later. A rear-drive vehicle, the Supra six sprints to 100km/h from rest in 4.4 seconds.

The entry-grade Supra will be called the GT in Australia, while the upper-spec car will wear GTS badges. That strategy echoes how Toyota’s entry-level sports car – the 86 coupe – is marketed here.

Buyers of the Supra GT are hardly purchasing a stripper, with all Australian-delivered Supras to sport part-leather, electrically-adjusted front seats with heating. All cars have LED headlights, wireless smartphone charging, full keyless entry and start, and dual-zone climate control. The GT wears 18-inch wheels.

Both grades are also fitted with some Toyota Safety Sense features, including autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, and traffic sign recognition.

The GTS grade costs $94,900 – a $10,000 upgrade – and sees specification upgraded to 19-inch wheels, while a head-up display, bigger brakes, and a JBL premium stereo are added.

Seven colours will be offered on the Supra, while a matte ‘Nurburg Grey’ hue will be a $2,500 option on the GTS. Alcantara interior trim can also be subbed in on the GTS for another $2,500 – making the price of a loaded GTS just a hair shy of $100,000.

Sales of the new Supra will be done exclusively online, with reservations opening on the Toyota Australia website on 19 June – noon, to be exact, Sydney time.

It’s more complicated than that, though, as just one hundred of the 300 initial Australian allocation of Supras will be offered on 19 June.

The website will shut down when it thinks 100 reservations have been confirmed but in the case that the number spills over, a randomised ballot will be used to select the first round of successful buyers – these people will receive a phone call from Toyota’s ‘Supra concierge’.

The remaining 200 Supra allocations for Australia this year will be filled later on.