Sat on the start/finish straight, I await a countdown to launch the new 2023 Toyota GR Supra 6-Speed Manual (6MT). Moments before – I ease up on the clutch to figure out the all-important bite point is, the point at which the engine and manual transmission become seamlessly connected and power can be put to the ground.

Out the gates, progress is measured, but almost as soon as the rev needle touches the 3,000 rpm mark, the 2023 GR Supra 6MT explodes with power, and the staccato notes of the exhaust blare into the distance as the speedometer climbs ferociously. Grab second… power, grab third and it’s all over.

Also read: 2023 Toyota GR Supra 6MT launched in Malaysia - #savethemanual, from RM 645,000

In many ways the 2023 Supra 6MT is a swansong salute from Toyota to its fans, building a car that even BMW - who supplied the Supra's underpinnings - did not want to build. Believing instead that future cars will be AI-powered 'digital companions', and not cars that deliver a sense of emotion and freedom every time you get behind the wheel. Of course, there's only one way to find out, let's drive!

Overview

After making its debut in early 2022 – the 2023 GR Supra 6MT has landed in Malaysia with a price tag of RM 645,000, some RM 10k cheaper than the 8-speed automatic version.

But the 2023 GR Supra 6MT hasn’t been a simple case of throwing an additional clutch pedal and an off-the-shelf manual transmission at the regular Supra.

Toyota has gone to great lengths to create arguably the last row-your-own version of its halo-sportscar, which started its core Gazoo Racing range of performance models.

While the six-speed manual transmission has been sourced from ZF (also reportedly found in the 2.0-litre manual BMW Z4 in certain markets), Toyota has engineered the unit specifically for use with the 2023 GR Supra 6MT.

Adapting the 6-speed manual involved modifying the existing transmission housing, driveshaft and gear set whilst removing elements that were not required, such as the acoustic package, to further reduce weight.

Transmitting the engine’s 388 PS and 500 Nm of torque is a beefed-up clutch with a larger diameter and reinforced diaphragm spring. Offering a larger friction area and a stronger spring, for better response and greater reliability.

Every up- and downshift is managed by Toyota’s own iMT (first seen on the GR Yaris), an intelligent control system programmed to optimise engine torque at the moment of clutch engagement and release; and offer rev-matching on downshifts for consistent performance.

The iMT also offers the Hairpin+ Function which allows for a controlled slide to rotate the car out of tight bends on an uphill gradient (+ 5%) such as those on a mountain road.

To improve acceleration, the final drive ratio of the 6MT variant has also been shortened, from 3.15 (in the GR Supra automatic) to 3.46. Toyota even had to redesign the centre console (due to lack of clearance) and go through three gearknob weights before settling on the fitted 200 gram shifter for that perfect, meaty throw every single time.

Also read: Performance cars launching in Malaysia in 2023 - From GR Corolla to 992 GT3 RS

Elsewhere, the 2023 GR Supra 6MT also features lightweight 19-inch forged alloy wheels (1.2kg lighter per wheel) wrapped in 255/35 tyres in front and 275/35 tyres in the rear.

Putting all that power to the ground is a retuned suspension and more rigid vulcanised rubber in the front and rear anti-roll bar bushes for sharper handling. Toyota also fettled with the 2023 GR Supra 6MT’s traction, braking and vehicle stability control to more offer predictable power delivery.

Besides the transmission, the 2023 Supra 6MT is identical in terms of equipment and safety specifications, offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, as well as the Toyota Safety Sense suite, which consists: AEB, RCTA, Lane Departure Alert (LDA) with steering assist, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and the Adaptive High Beam System (AHS).

Driving experience

Hit the 2023 Supra's 6MT's start/stop button and the turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six barks to life – a BMW-sourced engine it may be, but the B58 is a masterpiece, delivering a salvo of sonorous notes as you blip the throttle.

We must make this count with seat time limited to just a few acceleration tests and a short lap around the Sepang F1 Circuit. But, it doesn’t take long to get snug.

Sat low within the cabin, the seats are superb, providing outstanding support and cushioning as your right-hand grips the chunky steering wheel, and your left hand on the absolutely beautiful gearknob that rises out of the carbon-clad centre console.

Whilst the ergonomics are spot on with the seats, shifter knob and steering wheel, the pedals are offset to the right, which isn’t great. Thus, your left leg’s natural alignment is aimed closer to the transmission tunnel than the clutch pedal.

I can work with it, but several other drivers lamented that it simply doesn’t work like the brilliant pedal setup in the GR86 - which goes to show how much better Toyota platforms are than BMW, even though the latter makes amongst the best 6-cylinder engines in the world.

Blasting through the gates in the acceleration test, the 2023 Supra 6MT, torque is abundant after the 2,000 rpm mark, but there is a sense that Toyota has restrained torque at lower revs to avoid cooking the rear tyres.

Whilst it could be an isolated issue, the clutch in the 2023 Supra test unit we had felt soft. Perhaps after quite a few abusive launches by so-called motoring media that couldn't manage a 3-pedal car, the clutch was tired and worse for wear. That said, once the clutch locks on, give it revs and you can ride that beautiful wave of torque.

There’s no denying the Supra is brilliantly quick, managing an approximately 5.8-second best 0-100 km/h time in my hands, a ways off the claimed 4.6 seconds. Of course, this can be improved but it requires more practice (and skill) to launch and shift quickly and confidently.

After going through the same exercise with the GR Corolla comparisons can be drawn between the two, the Supra rewards smoothness and precision, but there is a touch of ol skool turbo lag as you wait for the full-fat power to be delivered. After which you really have to have your wits about you managing to steer and the lash of wheelspin that comes in second gear.

In the GR Corolla, it’s about staying in the powerband and wringing the tiny 1.6-litre three-pot in every gear. The GR Corolla is considerably less forgiving when you make a mistake, miss a shift or drop off the powerband, it will lose momentum altogether. Get it right though, and it’s properly rapid off the line, managing to lock horns with the 2023 Supra 6MT through the first two gears.

Also read: Review: Toyota GR Corolla - The enthusiast option for a one-car garage

Next up is a short lap around the Sepang circuit. It takes a few moments to get used to the 2023 Supra 6MT's proportions, with fixed headrests and wearing a helmet, my head is canted forwards more than I'd like, but with decent visibility out the front and sides of the car, the 2023 Supra 6MT wraps around you reasonably quickly.

The brakes are simply sublime - offering potent stopping power a quick dab of the brakes sets you up nicely for a fast corner, in slower corners, you can trail brake right into a corner thanks to great pedal modulation.

Also read: Review: Toyota GR86 - It wants RON 98 but you'd gladly give it RON 100

It's much the same with steering: precise, quick and beautifully weighted - the steering relays ample feedback such that you always know what the front tires are doing and the limits of grip. Carving through the quick switchbacks of Sepang's Turn 5 and 6, the 2023 Supra 6MT displays sublime balance through a corner.

The suspension is taut, perhaps a bit too stiff at the rear for Malaysian roads, but we can reserve judgement until we test the 2023 Supra 6MT on public roads. That said, on the smooth tarmac of Sepang, the Supra is absolutely glued to the corners.

Much like the powertrain, the 2023 Supra 6MT rewards smoothness and controlled driving inputs to extract speed.

Conclusion

There is a mixture of feelings when you approach the 2023 Supra 6MT. As an enthusiast – you respect it, love it, and thank your lucky stars for living in the ‘sudden death extra time’ of manual cars, which was only possible due to the vanguard spirit of one man: Akio Toyoda. On the other hand, it’s bittersweet because you know the 2023 Supra 6MT is also amongst the very last of its kind.

In all honesty, if Akio Toyoda’s intention was to stir emotion with his cars, the 2023 Supra 6MT achieves this even before you turn the key, simply for being what it is. Once on the move, its finesse, power, handling and sheer drama are matched only by the unfettered control the manual transmission gives you over the power and balance of the car. 

Also read: To continue his teacher's dream, Akio Toyoda is racing in Thailand to show 5 solutions are better than 1

Would you be happy with the ZF 8-speed automatic version? Of course, being one of the smoothest and most intuitive automatic transmissions out there, you'd likely be just as fast on any given road, Sepang included, and doing it with a wide grin on your face.

But, if you must ask, the 2023 Supra 6MT isn't for you - it is for drivers who want to be reminded of this skill-based, intuitive, and profound experience called... driving.