Toyota GR Supra, the Lightweight Evo test: 340 horsepower for driving pleasure

How to say goodbye to the company in a big way? The Toyota GR Supra answers this question with two very special versions that accompany this generation on its way out, set for spring 2026. They are very different from each other, but have in common interventions designed to enhance dynamism and consequently driving pleasure thanks to the know-how of Gazoo Racing. A department that entered the world of series production years ago precisely by reinterpreting the normal Supra. The two new GR Supras are the Lightweight Evo and the A90 Final Edition, which inherits much from the cars that compete in the Gt4 Championship.

The two new GR Supras are aimed at different audiences. The Lightweight Evo enters Toyota's price list at 76,000 euros and is, in essence, the extreme technical refinement of the 3.0 while maintaining the same appearance. In practice, it is the version that completely smooths out some of the edges of the dynamism of the version from which it derives while raising its parameters. Instead, the A90 Final Edition is at the top of the range with a limited run of three hundred examples of which, according to Toyota, only five will arrive in Italy. It is on sale for 146,000 euro and stands out at first glance, along the lines of other proposals that are at the top of some coupes' families, both for its outfit littered with aerodynamic appendages, among which the swan-neck rear wing stands out, and for the power and technological equipment that make it also suitable for racing on the track kerbs.

The Evo is the evolution of the GR Supra Lightweight and is also powered by the supercharged 3-litre six-cylinder engine of BMW origin with 340 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque mated to a six-speed manual gearbox instead of the eight-speed automatic. It touches 250 km/h and reaches 100 km/h in 4"6 with an average consumption of 8.8 l/100 km. It retains practically the same body profile as the regular Supra, although the carbon-fibre duckbill spoiler that wraps around the tail is slightly wider and there are subtle aerodynamic appendages on the wheel arches and increased front air deflectors. The absence of electrically adjustable seats and other accessories together with the mechanical gearbox, in the end, generate a weight that is only slightly less than that of the regular Gr Supra: 1,575 instead of 1,590 kg. The Evo, however, does not rely so much on the slimming treatment to deliver effective dynamism. In fact, it adopts several elements that stiffen the body, a new active self-locking differential, a set-up that exploits new electronic shock absorber management logic and integrates 19" wheels, a larger front anti-roll bar together with reinforced mounts and bushings, as well as specific camber angles for the front end. In addition, this Supra benefits from revised electric power steering to optimise responsiveness and an upgraded braking system. In the two-seat cabin, only different upholstery and colour combinations stand out.

Splitters, miniskirts, air intakes on the bonnet, a carbon fibre swan neck spoiler resting on the tail defined in the wind tunnel together with the large titanium exhaust tailpipes by Akrapovič convey well the personality of the A90 Final Edition. That is, the version that can be said to be the definitive GR Supra. It too is powered by the 3-litre turbocharged six-cylinder mated to a six-speed gearbox but with an extensive reworking, it develops 441bhp and 571Nm of torque. Capable of reaching 275 mph and 100 km/h in 4"3 it adopts an oil sump with bulkheads to prevent lateral "draining" in corners where important G-forces come into play, a cooling system with two radiators and an enhanced cooling system for the active rear differential. In terms of handling, the A90 Final Edition boasts many structural stiffeners on the body, including the load and lower areas, a set-up with suspension derived from the track Gt4s that can be adjusted in sixteen damping and twelve rebound steps, 20" rear wheels instead of 19", Michelin semi-slick tyres, larger and reinforced anti-roll bars, specific front-end camber settings and active rear differential management defined to reduce understeer. Also specific are the electric power steering settings and the braking system with even larger discs than those on the Lightweight Evo, and Brembo at the front. In the passenger compartment are two carbon-fibre Recaro seats and customised furniture finishes.

We saw how the Lightweight Evo behaves on the Castellolì circuit near Barcelona after testing the regular Gr Supra. An experience that quickly conveyed how Gazoo Racing's care has generated a car that is truly different from the basic one and how it can behave on the road. In fact, if the former immediately manifests a touring character due to the soft set-up that does not favour driving precision and the consistency of reactions, the latter under the stresses of the track shows off a rigorous dynamism thanks to the absence of roll and pitch and the precision and readiness of the steering. Hence, it executes every command with great precision and accuracy, offering both highly entertaining driveability and an overall efficiency that is high for a road-going coupé, i.e. different from the A90 Final Edition conceived more with track use in mind. The handling and efficiency are also affected by the constant traction which, leaving very little room for hesitation, transmits the power the engine sends to the rear to the ground with precision and consistency. So, even in the less fast bends where the car's agility is benefited by its compact size, since its length is 4.38 metres, the car's handling speeds are higher than those of the Supra 3.0 'just'. All of this is topped off by the reassuring sensation of being behind the wheel and the full power delivery of the turbocharged six-cylinder that always continues linearly up to 7,000 rpm, well supported also by the spacing of the gear ratios.