Toyota Supra Engineer Asks If They Should Prioritize A Manual Or A More Powerful Version

Could Toyota actually be giving some serious thought to offering the new Supra with a six-speed manual transmission?

The new 2020 Supra is sold exclusively with an eight-speed transmission but during a recent press event, Autoindustriya couldn’t help but ask Toyota chief engineer Tetsuya Tada about the potential for a stick shift to be added to the Supra while also asking if BMW’s twin-turbo S58 engine could find its way into the sports car.

Also Read: Toyota Is Thinking About A Manual Supra But Doesn’t Seem Sold On The Idea

“If you had to choose between the S58 twin turbo or introducing the manual transmission, which would have the higher priority?” Tada-san asked in response. “What you’re experiencing today is the first iteration of the new Supra. From this point on – as with all other sports cars – every year we will have a new iteration of it that comes with new upgrades. For the 86, for instance, every year there were a few evolutions and upgrades, all the way to the GRMN model.

“With regard to upgrades, there is an order we can introduce things in. The only question is in what order should we go with?”

Tada-san’s response is interesting to say the least. The chief engineer behind the 86 and revived Supra has previously said that a manual transmission is not on the agenda but this latest statement seems to indicate that he is at least pondering the possibility of a manual. He also seems open to the idea of making a more powerful Supra with the engine of the new X3 M and X4 M despite BMW M Division president Markus Flasch recently saying it was “unlikely” it would supply this engine to Toyota “for now.”

What would you prefer? A Toyota Supra variant with 500 hp or the introduction of a manual transmission?