Toyota GR Supra sales struggled in 2023, as Toyota sold almost half the number it did the previous year despite the addition of a manual transmission option.
Toyota on Wednesday reported sales numbers for the past 12 months and the Supra’s tally for the U.S. market was just 2,652 units, down 46.4% versus the 4,952 units sold in 2022.
It wasn’t because sports cars have fallen out of favor, as U.S. sales of the Mazda MX-5 Miata its U.S. rose by almost the same amount, growing 45.4% versus the previous year to end 2023 with 8,937 units sold.
Sales of Toyota’s GR86 were also down in the U.S., though it dropped just 7.7% to 11,078 units.
The Supra’s poor performance in the market is made more shocking considering Toyota’s overall U.S. sales for 2023 actually increased 6.6% to 2,248,477 units.
While Toyota finally added a manual transmission to the Supra, it also increased pricing by roughly $900 with the transition to the 2024 model year, which went on sale last fall.
Sports cars also tend to sell at higher rates early in their life cycles and then sales trail off in later years. The current A90-generation Supra first arrived for the 2020 model year, sharing its underpinnings and much of its cabin with the BMW Z4, which finally gains a manual transmission in the U.S. for 2024.
To help provide a boost, Toyota is thought to be working on a new performance range-topper for the 2025 model year, which may carry a GRMN badge. GRMN is the range-topping option for road cars developed by Toyota’s Gazoo Racing motorsports department. It stands for “Gazoo Racing Masters of Nürburgring,” and cars classified as GRMNs can be compared to top offerings from the likes of Subaru’s STI and Mercedes-Benz’s AMG divisions. Supra prototypes sporting some upgrades have been spotted, though Toyota hasn’t indicated whether it plans any new variants.
HIGH-RES GALLERY: 2023 Toyota Supra
This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com
The reason would probably fall into the dealership category itself because of the stupid, insane and ridiculous markups that definitely kill the Supra vibe!!
Toyota totally misses the mark on this one. The styling targets a younger person, while the price targets an older person. The first generation had it right. It was a car that a middle aged person could enjoy without scraping his knees getting in and out of while providing some passenger space. The new generation is something a 20-something would be interested in, but the price is out of reach for them. The manual transmission should have been standard on the car from the beginning.