The current generation of the Toyota Supra is coming to an end. It will go out with fanfare and a Final Edition model, signaling the end of the production run that had the automotive world waiting two decades to arrive. What does the end of the fifth generation of the Supra mean for the future of Toyota’s performance division and the Supra?
Currently, Supra production takes place alongside the BMW Z4 in Austria. The two cars share many of the same qualities, including powertrains, but that partnership will end in spring 2026. The Supra is a low-volume car, and Toyota has done the math and doesn’t feel it’s cost-effective to give the car the upgrades required to meet the new and pending global regulations.
In the long run, this means a new Supra is on the way. A successor is already being planned and should arrive much sooner than the current model did after the fourth-generation Supra ended; that was a long 20-year wait. The return of the Supra was made possible by the partnership with BMW, but something else is in the works for the new model.
Note: In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various Forbes, Best Car, and Toyota Newsroom.
No More BMW Influence In The Next-Gen Supra
The current Toyota GR Supra is an incredible machine, but some drivers have suggested it feels much more like the Z4 and not like a Toyota product. That could be thanks to the powertrain, which is sourced from BMW, but that’s hard to say. Regardless, it seems that Toyota is listening to the naysayers and working to build its next-gen Supra without BMW influence.
A report from Forbes, which cited Japan’s Best Car, states that Toyota intends to develop the next-gen Supra without BMW. It should be done entirely in-house with no shared platform. This could be an extremely exciting car, especially if it benefits from Gazoo Racing development, which has put out the GR Yaris and GR Corolla in recent years, turning mild-mannered cars into track monsters.
Could Another Partner Be Used?
Toyota has a long history of partnering with Mazda, especially in the development of the Mazda MX-5 Miata and Toyota GR86. This could also bring Subaru into the mix, which has the BRZ. Another possibility is the influence of Lexus, which might mean a turbocharged hybrid powertrain, but there’s nothing to suggest the Supra will go hybrid yet. If a partner automaker is utilized for sixth-gen Supra development, it seems like another Japanese brand makes the most sense.
The Wait Isn’t As Long This Time
It Might Arrive As Early As 2027
According to Best Car, which is a publication from Japan, the all-new Supra could arrive by late 2027. That could mean the Japan-spec model is released in the domestic market at this time, and a US-spec version might not arrive until 2028. Of course, this announcement puts a clock on things, but automakers often face setbacks and delays that cause new products to arrive later than originally anticipated.
“Definitely, there will be a gap. The question is, how big will that gap be? It is our goal to have a gap that is significantly less than the last one.”
– Cooper Ericksen, senior vice president of Planning and Strategy for Toyota Motor North America
Toyota Leans Into Its Hybrid Powertrains
Not The Supra
Lexus and Toyota have utilized hybrid powertrains in nearly every vehicle they make. Toyota’s lineup is packed with hybrid models, from the Tundra down to the Camry. In fact, you can’t buy a new Camry without choosing hybrid power for the drive.
Thankfully, Toyota has not added hybrid motors to its sports cars, yet. While it’s not a secret any longer that you can get good performance and power out of a hybrid powertrain, it might be too soon for Toyota to put a hybrid powertrain in the Supra.
Performance In Small Packages From Toyota
Toyota has mastered building small engines that pump out some serious performance figures. The current GR Corolla has a small 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine that sends 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque to the wheels. This power is sent to all four wheels through either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission, allowing the GR Corolla to reach 60 MPH in as little as 4.6 seconds and post a top speed of 143 MPH.
This small engine in the GR Corolla is proof that Toyota can deliver excellent performance without using a hybrid powertrain. Surely, driving enthusiast and fans of the classic Supra models hope to see the new sports car without a hybrid setup.
Hybrid Or Mazda-Six For The New Supra
Speculation Sparks Conversation
There’s speculation that shows a Toyota-built 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with hybrid motors powering the new Supra. This could give the sports car nearly 400 horsepower, which would be great, but it’s still a hybrid setup, which could dilute the feeling and experience of driving a Toyota Supra.
Sharing With Mazda
Another way to go is for Toyota to partner with Mazda and utilize the same platform being developed for future Mazda sports cars. This doesn’t sound as far-fetched as a hybrid Supra. That could mean a variation of the Mazda 3.3-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine, which is found in the CX-70 and CX-90 SUVs.
The drawback to using the six-cylinder engine over the hybrid-four involves increased weight, but the current Supra has a turbocharged six-cylinder engine.
Continued Gazoo Racing Influence
400 Horsepower Is The Target
The latest version of the Nissan Z generates 400 horsepower from a six-cylinder engine, and some base-level Porsche sports cars are packaged for incredible power and performance. This is the class in which the Supra plays. It’s supposed to be the top dog in Toyota’s sports car family.
Considering Gazoo Racing found 300 horsepower in a small three-cylinder engine, it seems they should be able to deliver 400 horsepower or more for the new GR Supra, and they might not need to use hybrid support to make it happen.
Does Performance Matter More Than Power?
Gazoo Racing has mastered building high-performance cars with small engines, which means they shouldn’t have any issue doing the same for the new Supra. The fifth-generation model hit the market with a bang, despite the BMW influence, and set the tone for the next-gen model to be even better.
Current Toyota GR Supra Powertrain And Performance Specs
By The Numbers
The current Toyota GR Supra uses a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine that sends 382 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. That sounds awesome and should give you chills just thinking about it. This car can hit 60 MPH in 3.9 seconds and completes the quarter mile in 12.4 seconds at 114 MPH. It has a governor-limited top speed of 161 MPH (boo), but that’s still more than enough speed for most drivers.
The Next-Gen Model Has To Be Better
For the next generation of the Supra to be desirable, it must be better than the current model. Moving away from BMW helps this happen, ensuring Gazoo Racing can handle the job without Bavarian influence. The new model should post better performance numbers and continue to have engaging handling and quickness through the corners. It has to be a REAL Toyota sports car.
All that’s truly been confirmed by Toyota, despite reports from Forbes, which quoted Japan’s Best Car, is that there will be a next-gen Supra, and BMW won’t be involved. A hybrid powertrain is speculation, and so is any partnership with Mazda or Subaru.
Toyota Supra Fun Facts From Over The Generations
Origin Story: From Celica XX To Supra
The Toyota Supra began life in 1978 as the Celica XX (pronounced “Double X”) in Japan, a longer, more powerful variant of the Celica. In export markets from 1979, it was rebranded as the Celica Supra before evolving into its own independent model by the mid-1980s.
Lightweight Ingeniousness In The Mk4
Toyota engineers saved weight through clever means on the fourth generation (Mk IV) Supra, using aluminum for body parts, a plastic fuel tank, magnesium wheels, and even hollowed carpet fibers, making it 200 lb lighter than its predecessor.
Supercar-Level Acceleration And Braking
The Mk IV Turbo could sprint from 0-60 mph in approximately 4.6 seconds and a quarter mile in about 13.5 seconds at 106 mph. It also featured F1-inspired four-sensor, four-channel ABS and held the production car record for 70-mph to zero braking, 149 ft, until surpassed only by the Porsche Carrera GT in 2004.
