If there's one thing we've learned about Toyota recently, the company listens. A manual gearbox for the Supra has been a request among enthusiasts and fans ever since the fifth-generation model was launched in 2019. Finally, the A90 Supra now follows the tradition seen in the first four generations – all of which have a row-your-own transmission option.
Despite the clamor that the manual 2023 Supra made when announced, Toyota believes that most Supra buyers will still choose automatic over MT. In an email to The Drive, Toyota North America spokesperson Paul Hogard said that only a quarter of Toyota Supra sales will be equipped with an MT.
Gallery: 2023 Toyota Supra
The confirmation from Hogard is actually in line with the market trend. Many companies have already announced their intention to ditch the stick shift. Volkswagen confirmed that MT options will be out by 2030, while Mercedes-Benz said that it will gradually eliminate manual gearboxes as early as 2023.
But for performance brands, it's a mixed bag. Audi has long ditched the MT on its performance cars due to market preference. On the contrary, BMW M said that 50 percent of M2 buyers opt for the MT, which made the company promise to keep it alive for as long as possible.
Non-US Supras:
That said, a quarter of total Supra sales could still be an underestimation, but we'll see. If you're among those who have been clamoring for a manual Supra in the past few years, it's time to prove Toyota wrong and buy a red-badged Supra with a BMW Z4-derived manual gearbox.
In any case, we'll see the real score after the new Supra becomes available for purchase stateside. The 2023 Toyota Supra, including the limited A91-MT Edition, is expected to arrive later this year with prices yet to be announced. Of note, there won't be any price difference between the MT and AT Supra, though the stick-shift will be exclusively available for the six-cylinder version.
Source: The Drive