The Bite Magazine - Summer 2019 - Issue 25

bite cars Interior Inside the GR Supra the driver’s cockpit combines traditional GT elements with ultra-modern functionality. It is designed to help the driver focus entirely on the business of driving and is directly influenced by the layout found in single-seater race cars. With a low, slim horizontal dashboard, this maximises the forward view through the windscreen, which helps the driver to place the car with precision in high-speed driving, while the principal controls are tightly grouped for quick and easy operation. The instrument panel, centre console and door trims all give the cockpit a strong, unified feel. With characteristics of a circuit racing experience, the shape of the cockpit flows down into the soft, supportive knee pads in the door trim and on the side of the centre console. You will find that the head-up display, metres and paddle shifts all sit directly in front of the driver with additional switches located on the three-spoke steering wheel. The driver’s instrument display has an 8.8-inch high definition screen, with the 3D effect tachometer and shift in- dicator positioned in the centre. A digital speed read-out is to the left while the infotainment and navigation information is to the right. There is a clear division between the enveloping driver’s cockpit and the more open passenger side of the Toyota GR Supra’s cabin thanks to the asymmetric centre console. Here you will find the air conditioning control panel, with memory-touch switches for easy operation and the 8.8-inch central multimedia display mounted above the console. The display can be operated as a touchscreen, by using a rotary controller. And for that weekend away, there is plenty of room in the boot for two people’s luggage, which can be extended with a removable panel at the back of the cabin. Drivers will feel like they’re on the track with the racing-inspired seats that ensure comfort at all times as well as excellent support. The body-holding side bolsters are featured on the cushion and the high back, where there is also an integrated head restraint. The upholstery options include leather and a combination of leather bolsters with a perforated Alcantara covering for the seat back and cushion that provides a degree of air ventilation and additional body holding performance. Exterior Taking its heritage from the landmark 2000GT with its long bon- net, compact body and double-bubble roof, the new Supra also has the distinctive look of the fourth generation Supra which is cap- tured in both the front and rear styling. This is especially evident in the muscular rear wings and the arc of the integrated spoiler. In concept mode prior to the production-ready model being un- veiled, its design theme was first previewed by Toyota in the dra- matic FT-1 concept car, styled by its CALTY studio in California and revealed at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The ‘Condensed Extreme’ idea refers to the vehicle’s three princi- pal packaging elements, namely a short wheelbase, large wheels and a wide stance; a taut, two-seat cabin; and a long bonnet with a compact body that reflects the drivetrain combination of an in- line six engine and rear-wheel drive. Thus, as Toyota Supra de- signer, Nobuo Nakamura, envisioned, this represents a car that is indisputably modern in design, yet evokes the romance of classic sports car styling. Compared to the Toyota GT86, the all-new Toy- ota GR Supra’s wheelbase is shorter but the tyres are larger. With a wider stance, tight cabin proportions and a wide track, the new GR Supra contributes to a high level of manoeuvrability and stability. Its design was calculated to achieve both optimum drag and lift characteristics, with an ideal front/rear weight balance. In- terestedly, the double-bubble roof is not just simply a heritage-in- spired styling feature but in fact is effective in reducing drag by minimising the car’s frontal area, without sacrificing headroom in the cabin. Inspired by the fourth generation Supra, the frontal design has an even more expressive look with a low stance emphasised by a prominent central grille flanked by large air intakes that are essen- tial for engine cooling. The headlights are distinctive with a six- lens LED arrangement that incorporates the turn indicators and daytime running lights while the lamp units which are positioned closer in towards the nose add further visual volume and power to the shell-like front wings.