Toyota GR Supra pricing and features: Manual arrives in Australia.

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A little extra engagement doesn't dramatically alter this exciting sports car. When the fifth-generation Toyota Supra debuted, it came with a standard automatic transmission, and it wasn't clear at the time that a manual option would ever make an appearance. But now, a few years later, the manual Supra is here, and it's good -- but it doesn't fundamentally change anything. That may not sound like great news to some of you, but trust me, that's how it should be.

The Supra's new six-speed manual transmission is a labor of love between Toyota's engineers and the gearbox wizards at ZF. A larger-diameter clutch provides a greater mating surface between the engine and the driven wheels, allowing this transmission to handle the 3. With rear-wheel drive, the manual Supra will reach 60 mph in 4.

This combination of new and existing ZF parts looks good on paper, and it feels good in practice. The clutch pedal has a predictable bite point, although it's a bit light.

The lever feels fantastic, satisfyingly notching into each gate. Forgive the BMW comparison, but it reminds me of a shorter version of the E46 M3's Getrag six-speed, one of my favorite manuals.

Reverse is easy to access, and I also like how Toyota ever so slightly moved the remaining vehicle controls away from the shift lever for better ergonomics. It's like this transmission was always meant to be here. While the Supra's manual will likely be the most prominent talking point, Toyota also made a host of tweaks to its drivetrain and suspension.

The adaptive suspension's shock absorbers have been retuned for better ride comfort and body roll management, and Toyota also tweaked the power steering and added a standard sport differential for all 3. Changes to the traction control system should boost grip when starting off, and a new final drive ratio 3. Toyota set up a test track at Utah Motorsports Campus to evaluate how all these changes come together. I've always found the 3. It pulls strongly in every gear, and the inline-six sounds fabulous in the process.

The pedals are set up nicely, so I can ease off the brake and roll onto the throttle, while the differential shuffles torque left and right, preventing wheelspin and keeping the car balanced.

There is no unnecessary pitching or rolling; the Supra's body feels just the right amount of stiff as I chase turn-in points and start staring down the next corner. The only real bummer is that I'm not doing much shifting on this track.

With only six forward gears instead of the automatic's eight, this means drivers will spend more time in each gear -- in my case, that translates to running almost the entire length of the track in third gear.

I like that I'm able to devote more focus to reducing lap times instead of footwork, but there's a sort of funny irony in the notion that I'd be doing more on-track shifting in the automatic Supra. However, when I do get into fourth gear, returning to third is a breeze thanks to a quick, precise rev-matching system don't worry, purists, it can be disabled. Despite all these new additions and adjustments, the Toyota GR Supra 3. It's a small sports car with plenty of power that is capable on both backroads and proper circuits.

The new six-speed manual transmission offers a little extra driver engagement, but it doesn't make this car objectively better or worse, which is great in my opinion, because no matter how you spec the Supra, you're in for a good time. Editors' note: Travel costs related to this story were covered by the manufacturer, which is common in the auto industry. The judgments and opinions of CNET's staff are our own and we do not accept paid editorial content. Your guide to a better future.

Andrew Krok. Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars. See full bio. The Supra comes with a few other adjustments besides the new transmission.

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