Australian timing revealed for manual Toyota GR Supra! Nissan Z rival gains stick shift and more mechanical tweaks for 2022

Sports car enthusiasts have been screaming out for a manual Toyota Supra since the reborn coupe launched in 2019, and now their prayers have been answered. 

The Japanese giant has confirmed that the already announced Supra manual will hit Australian showrooms in quarter four of this year.

Local pricing is yet to be confirmed by Toyota Australia, but that, along with other expected details, will be released closer to launch.

The new six-speed manual gearbox has been specially designed for the Supra’s performance, which comes from a BMW-sourced 3.0-litre straight six-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, driving the rear wheels only.

It pumps out 285kW of power and 500Nm of torque - the identical outputs of its twin under the skin, the BMW Z4 M40i Convertible. 

The new manual box will be available in both GT and GTS Supra grades in Australia, and it will be able to ​​match engine speeds on up and down shifts.

The actual shifter features a spherical knob and a GR logo on the top.

Other mechanical tweaks to Toyota’s flagship sports car include ​​modified stabiliser bushings and retuned adaptive variable suspension, which have helped to improve ride and handling characteristics, according to Toyota.

The GTS grade features newly designed 19-inch forged alloy wheels, while three new exterior metallic paint colours will be offered - ​​Volcanic Ash Grey, Dawn Blue and Avalanche White. A tan trim option will also be offered for the cabin.

Toyota launched the two-seater coupe in 2019 and it was an instant hit, selling out its allocation for the year in just 22 minutes.

Pricing currently sits at $87,303 for the GT auto and tops out at $97,303 for the GTS.

The 0-100km/h time for the auto is 4.1 seconds, and it consumes 7.7 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle.

Toyota is about to get some fierce competition in the coming months with the launch of the long-awaited Nissan Z coupe.