[UPDATE] Contacted by Motor1.com, Toyota USA declined to confirm the report.

Let's dial our imaginary time machine back to early August 2018 when Toyota's chief engineer Tetsuya Tada said the Supra with a manual gearbox would "feel worse" due to the engine's high torque. As a refresher, the inline-six 3.0-liter unit of Bavarian origins pushes out 368 pound-feet (500 Newton-meters) in the US-spec version. Despite the official statement, the rumor mill never really stopped churning reports about a clutch pedal.

The most recent gossip we covered came from the Japanese magazine CarSensor, which published an article in November 2021 claiming the Japanese sports car would finally allow drivers to row their own gears. Our colleagues at The Drive have now heard from a source within Toyota's dealership network the Supra has been "confirmed" to get a six-speed manual as an alternative to ZF's eight-speed automatic.

Gallery: 2022 Toyota Supra A91 Carbon Fiber Edition

It could arrive as early as the upcoming 2023 model year in the US, but nothing is official at this point. It's also unclear whether Toyota has had a change of heart about pairing the "B58" engine with the do-it-yourself 'box or it will only be available with the smaller 2.0-liter engine codenamed "B48." As a side note, the BMW Z4 is offered with a three-pedal setup, but only for the base sDrive20i available in select markets.

The 2023MY Supra could see a further expansion of the lineup with the hotly anticipated GRMN derivative packing more punch and other upgrades. In a best-case scenario, the Gazoo Racing Masters of Nürburgring model would borrow the "S58" engine from the M3 / M4 and X3 M / X4 M. BMW sells those M cars in a hotter Competition guise with 503 hp and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm). Not only that, but the M4 CSL arriving later this year could have even more oomph.

Contacted by The Drive, Toyota refused to comment. We're also reaching out in our quest to have a final answer once and for all since reports about a manual-equipped Supra are older than the A90 itself.

In the meantime, through blink-and-you-will-miss-it teasers, the company has all but confirmed an all-wheel-drive GR Corolla with a manual gearbox is coming stateside.

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