THE neighbours at Howarth Towers could be forgiven for thinking a super hero has moved in after they spotted our latest test car.

Take a look at the pictures and I think you will agree – the latest Toyota Supra has more than a little look of a Batmobile!

And make no mistake this is a real supercar with blistering performance from its 254bhp two-litre four cylinder turbo engine meaning a 0 to 60 time of 5.2 seconds and limited top speed of 155mph. If you need even more then there is a 3-litre, six cylinder version with 335bhp making 60 achievable in just 4.3 seconds!

Driving brand new cars for a job has lots of upsides, especially if it is a vehicle with as much street presence as this. The Supra certainly drew a lot of attention and admiring glances.

This is the fifth generation Supra and our test car was the GR version which is inspired by Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division who say their brief was to create ‘a sports car in its purest form, with no compromise’. All GR Supra models are manufactured in Graz, Austria.

It is a classic front-mounted engine rear wheel drive set up building on the heritage of Toyota’s past Supra generations and original 2000GT sports car. It has an exhilarating blend of power, agility and precision handling thanks to the car’s combination of a short wheelbase and wide track, light weight, low centre of gravity and highly rigid body.

The first 3.0-litre models were delivered to UK customers in 2019 then in in January 2021 the UK range was extended to include the new 2.0-litre version with an in-line four-cylinder turbo. It is lighter and more compact than the 3.0-litre which improves even further the car’s balance and handling.

Power gets to the rear wheel via a superb eight-speed, rapid-shifting ZF automatic transmission and there is a choice of seven striking paintwork colours.

Inside everything is top quality with lots of leather and all the toys including an 8.8-inch high-definition driver’s instrument display with 3D-effect tachometer and shift indicator, digital speed read-out and infotainment plus navigation information.

In the centre is the air conditioning control panel plus another 8.8-inch BMW-sourced central multimedia display mounted above the console and operated using touchscreen or a rotary controller.

This is a sports car so don’t expect lots of load space but the boot is large enough for two people’s luggage for a weekend away and can be extended with a removable panel, creating room for a golf bag or all the kit needed for a track day.

The GR Supra’s heated electric memory seats have a racing-influenced design for comfort and excellent support with body-hugging side bolsters and an integrated head restraint. Upholstery options include full leather and a combination of leather bolsters with a perforated Alcantara covering for the seat back and cushion that provides a degree of air ventilation and additional body-holding performance.

The driver can take control of gear changes using paddle shifts on the steering wheel or can select Normal or Sport driving modes and there is a launch control function for the very brave. Engine sound and response, shift pattern, damping, steering and active differential performance are adjusted when in Sport mode. You can even override the car’s Vehicle Stability Control in a special ‘track’ setting… which is the only safe place where I suggest you would need to use this feature.

Our GR Supra 2-litre Pro is £46,010 on the road and comes with a lengthy equipment list including Adaptive Variable Suspension and 19-inch forged alloy wheels with a high-performance brake package, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, Adaptive Cruise Control with stop and go, smart entry and push-button start, LED headlights with Automatic High Beam, auto wipers and wireless phone charging. There is also a rear-view camera, 10-speaker audio system and easy to use Sat-nav plus a comprehensive range of the very latest active safety features.

All in all a true supercar and I want one – now where did I put that cape?

  • Toyota’s GR division is also celebrating after winning the title of Northern Group of Motoring Writer’s car of the year for their pocket rocket GR Yaris. It topped the poll with my colleagues in the NGMW and was a worthy winner at the recent SMMT driving day at Weatherby racecourse (see picture below).