SEMA 2019

Toyota goes hard at SEMA with 9 super Supra builds

Eileen Falkenberg-Hull
Nov 9, 2019, 6:38 pm

Toyota showed off nine Supra models among their lineup at the annual SEMA show.

Photo courtesy of Toyota

The Toyota Supra is finally for sale at dealerships and now things are getting fun. Aftermarket outfitters have gotten ahold of customer cars and Toyota has enlisted a few to go to extremes with their new SEMA builds.

The show selection is part of Toyota's celebration of 40 years of Toyota Racing Development heritage.

"2019 has proven a momentous year for Toyota and TRD," said Ed Laukes, group vice president, Toyota Division Marketing. "The eagerly anticipated 2020 GR Supra stole the show when it debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and this year marks the 40th anniversary of Toyota Racing Development. From NHRA drag racing and drifting to the NASCAR and IMSA racing series, TRD continues to push the limits of what a Toyota can do."

Here's what they showed off.

The GRudge Match: GR Supra Heritage Edition

The GRudge Match: GR Supra Heritage Edition

Photo courtesy of Toyota

This is a showdown. Ed Laukes vs. Rutledge Wood. They decided to hold a build off for the 2019 SEMA Show, and they're each building a 2020 GR Supra. This friendly competition, but there's a clear cut winner. The question is, which one is it?

This model is Laukes' entry. He tasked Marty Schwerter of Motorsports Technical Center to combine elements of the MKIV Supra from the late-90s with the new 2020 GR Supra. It's tuned to produce over 500 horsepower on a stock long block.

The GRudge Match: GR Supra HyperBoost Edition

The GRudge Match: GR Supra HyperBoost Edition

Photo courtesy of Toyota

The GR Supra HyperBoost Edition is NASCAR analyst and broadcast personality, Rutledge Wood's Grudge Match entry. Wood worked with Rick Leos of Lucky Leos 17 Motorsports to transform the model into a 750-horsepower Supra beast. It features a 20-piece carbon-fiber wide-body kit.

GR Supra Performance Line Concept

GR Supra Performance Line Concept

Photo courtesy of Toyota

One part Supra, one part carbon fiber, this Supra was designed by Toyota Customizing & Development. Along with the carbon fiber aerodynamic components its has 19-inch forged aluminum wheels.

​GR Supra 3000GT Concept

\u200bGR Supra 3000GT Concept

Photo courtesy of Toyota

Toyota Customizing & Development also created the 3000GT Concept. It's a tribute to the iconic TRD3000GT Supra body kit of the mid-90s that was released in celebration of the Supra's success in JGTC competition.

GR Supra Wasabi Concept

GR Supra Wasabi Concept

Photo courtesy of Toyota

This is "a Supra for the masses according to the Toyota Genuine Accessory Team that developed the model. Dubbed the Wasabi Concept, the Toyota features Brembo B-M Brakes, Öhlins suspension upgrades, Toyota forged aluminum wheels, and Five Axis aero parts.

GR Supra Racing Concept

GR Supra Racing Concept

Photo courtesy of Toyota

Before the Supra became a reality in the marketplace, this concept was shown as a hint of what the model could be. It debuted in 2018 and gave a peek at the look of what a competition model could look like.

​GR Supra GT4

\u200bGR Supra GT4

Photo courtesy of Toyota

This isn't the first time that the GR Supra GT4 has been shown. It first appeared at the 2019 Geneva Auto Show in March. Developed by Gazoo Racing (that's the GR in GR Supra), the model features an FIA compliant cage, racing suspension components, Brembo racing brakes, OZ Racing wheels and a number of motorsports components.

​NASCAR Xfinity Supra

\u200bNASCAR Xfinity Supra

Photo courtesy of Toyota

This Supra was built for Toytoa development driver Christopher Bell, who is racing the No. 20 Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing this year. He's currently atop the driver standings.

​GR Supra Pace Car

\u200bGR Supra Pace Car

Photo courtesy of Toyota

The Supra is competing in NASCAR for the first time this year, which gave Toyota the idea to make a pace car variant of the model. This model features TEIN coil-over suspension, Project Mu brake pads, HRE Forged P101 Monoblok wheels with Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 tires, and a Whelen LED light bar. The model is on its way to the next NASCAR race in Phoenix following SEMA.

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Industry news

New Honda supply may be limited for a while

Honda notified dealers of upcoming supply cuts.

Photo courtesy of American Honda Motor Co., Inc

Honda, like all major automakers today, is truly a global operation. Though it produces plenty of vehicles here in the United States, many of the components it relies on for manufacturing come from elsewhere in the world. That means Honda, like the other auto giants, needs its global supply chain operating smoothly in order to prevent disruption. Unfortunately for Honda dealers and potential customers, disruption is what's about to happen. The automaker recently sent a letter to its dealers, forecasting reduced vehicle supply in the coming weeks.


2021 Honda Ridgeline No. 19 - Honda Photo courtesy of American Honda Motor Co., Inc


The dealer letter, posted to the Civic XI forum and fan site, was dated August 25 and confirmed by a dealer upset with the development, according to Automotive News. In the letter, Honda cites the ongoing pandemic and microchip shortages as major factors impacting its production efforts. Total shipments to dealers could be cut by up to 40 percent, but not all models will be affected to the same degree.

The letter noted that supplies of the Pilot and Passport SUVs will hold steady, and shared that production of the Civic hatchback is on schedule. However, the situation is fluid and could change at any time, so there's a chance that timelines could speed up or slack off as necessary.


2022 Honda Pilot Some models will see more cuts than others.Photo courtesy of American Honda Motor Co., Inc


Honda is just the latest in a long line of automakers struggling to keep pace with demand in the face of several converging global crises. In an effort to keep vehicles rolling out of factories, General Motors has implemented selective feature cuts in some of its new vehicles, such as the removal of engine start/stop tech from some trucks and SUVs. Earlier this month, Ford Motor Company told Mustang Mach-E buyers to expect delays of at least six weeks as it grapples with the chip shortage, and will temporarily reduce production capacity at a few of its plants.

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Vehicle sales numbers

Toyota has sold over 50 million Corollas

Toyota has sold tens of millions of Corollas over the last 55 years.

Toyota

The Toyota Corolla entered its 12th generation in 2019, after more than 50 years on sale. Now, in 2021, the automaker says the car has reached another benchmark, this time with an almost unbelievable number attached to it. In Today, Toyota says that in July 2021, it sold the 50-millionth Corolla. That's almost one Corolla sold for every six Americans alive today, though the sales total includes international vehicles as well.


1969 Toyota Corolla The Corolla's frugal powertrain helped it grow quickly in the United States.Toyota


The Corolla debuted in 1966 but didn't make its way to our shores until spring 1968. Sold as a 1969 model, the car had a starting price of around $1,700 at a time when the median household income was $7,700. The first cars had a short-stroke 1,077-cc four-cylinder engine, 12-inch wheels, and a four-speed manual transmission. That powertrain produced only 60 horsepower, which was good for the car to (eventually) reach 60 mph in about 17 seconds.

Though the car's quality and design helped, it was the oil crisis in the early 1970s that really pushed it to the top of buyers' lists. Big American cars powered by V8 engines fell out of favor as fuel rationing and higher prices took hold. The early Corolla's fuel economy of over 35 mpg helped it earn a place in many Americans' driveways as a result.


2021 Toyota Corolla Cross 2021 Toyota Corolla Cross Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Corporation


Toyota notes that it was building Corollas in the United States by the mid-1980s and says that the current generation car is built at its manufacturing facility in Mississippi. The automaker's new joint plant with Mazda, which is located in Huntsville, Alabama, will start building the new Corolla Cross this summer.

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