In a surprising turn, Toyota’s sports car sales saw a boost in May. The GR86 had its best-ever month in the US, selling 1,981 units, a huge 104.4% increase compared to May 2023. The Supra saw a significant 78.1% increase, selling 406 units. This is good news for Toyota’s lineup of small, rear-wheel drive sports cars, especially considering mixed results for competitors.
Toyota, a Japanese carmaker founded in 1937, is well-known for its reliable vehicles across various segments, including sports cars like the GR86 and Supra, as well as family cars and trucks. The brand also created Lexus as a luxury sub-brand to compete with Mercedes-Benz.
This sales boost comes at a time when both models had been struggling, especially the Supra, which hit a low point last October with only 85 units sold nationwide. While summer months usually see increased sports car sales, it’s noteworthy that sales spiked without significant changes to either model.
Comparing to Subaru, Nissan, and Mazda, Toyota seems to have made strategic decisions others missed. Mazda saw a 12.3% increase in Miata sales, while Nissan’s Z saw a 43.5% increase in April. However, Subaru’s BRZ sales dropped by 64.4% in May compared to last year, with sales for the year down by 45%. Interestingly, the GR86 outsold the BRZ for the month and is leading in yearly sales.
While Toyota celebrates its sports cars’ success, Subaru, its partner in producing the GR86 and BRZ, faces challenges. If Subaru’s version continues to lag behind Toyota’s in sales, it may impact future collaborations. Despite Toyota’s commitment to combustion sports cars, the future becomes uncertain without joint investment from another automaker.
