When the Toyota Supra returned to the automotive scene after a long hiatus, the Japanese auto giant indicated that it had no plans to bring the four cylinder engine to the U.S. instead preferring to let the 3.0 liter model spearhead the charge onto U.S. soil. But with the Supra now entrenched in the marketplace, Toyota has walked back on this initial edict, and has confirmed that the four cylinder engine is indeed coming to the U.S. for the 2021 model year.
Dubbed the Toyota Supra 2.0, this model is aiming at the value focused portion of the segment, especially customers that want to add a Supra to their garage, but might have been intimidated by the 3.0 liter’s high price tag. The exterior styling is pure Supra, and the design has the bulk of its calling cards firmly intact. However, Toyota engineers have managed to cleave 200 pounds from the car which helps it be lighter and in turn, sharpen its cornering behavior. The weight loss regimen did require Toyota to pitch some of the performance hardware, with the four piston brakes being pitched for single piston units, and the active differential and suspension all being replaced with fixed assemblies. The weihht savings even extend into the interior, where the 14 way power seats give way to manually adjusted buckets.
But don’t be fooled, there is indeed a purpose to this crash diet, with the curvier frame greatly enhancing the vibes generated by the 2.0 liter twin-scrolled turbocharged four cylinder engine that also sees duty in the BMW Z4 sDrive30i. Here in the Supra it makes 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque which allows the Supra 2.0 to sprint to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds before topping out at 155 mph. Annoyingly there is still no manual transmission to be found, with the six cylinder version’s eight speed automatic transmission being the sole choice offered to four cylinder buyers.
Adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and parking sensors are all avalible, but only if buyers opt for the all new Safety and Technology package. No word on how much this particular package will cost, but wireless Apple CarPlay capability, and a 12 speaker audio system are all part of the deal too.
On the subject of price, Toyota chose to not reveal that information, but with the updated six cylinder model most likely getting a bump in price over the 2020’s $49,990 MSRP, we suspect that the 2.0 liter model will have a starting price of just over $40,000 before options and fees are factored into the mix.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.