The 2023 Toyota GR Supra Is Definitely Getting a Manual Transmission

[Update: This story has been updated and republished with new details on the 2023 Toyota Supra's manual transmission. This story was originally published April 15.]

When the new Toyota Supra came out, it was packing a 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine and was rear-wheel-drive, better to drive than the BMW Z4 it shares its parts with, and affordable too. But one thing was missing and, no, it wasn't the four-cylinder option that came along with the 2021 refresh. No, it was actually three pedals and a stick. For months we've been hearing murmurs, and it turns out the rumors were true: The 2023 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 (that's the version with the 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six engine) will offer an optional manual transmission.

The new gearbox is an "all-new, tailor-made" manual. That might not sound like much, but the fact that it's all-new is a very good thing. For one, it means that the manual in the GR Supra will not be a carryover from BMW's parts bin. Why is that so important? Because, for a long time now, BMW's manuals have been relatively unsatisfactory to use. The fact that the Supra's manual will be an all-new unit is both fantastic and hardly believable. Toyota also shortened the final drive of the manual compared to the automatic, which should allow for better in-gear acceleration, while an automatic rev-matching should allow those unfamiliar with heel-and-toeing to get the hang of driving a manual transmission without too much hassle.