THIS MOD MAKES THIS GR SUPRA HANDLE LIKE A PORSCHE - Engineer upgrades the wheels and tires

Automotive Engineer and Toyota veteran David Chao takes his 2020 GR Supra to the next level by upgrading both the tires and wheels - resulting in a substantial road performance improvement. Comparing to the 2021 Porsche 911 that David is driving this week, he concludes that the upgraded GR Supra comes very close to the capability of the 911 in terms of cornering, handling, and road feel.
David walks through the entire process and the full details of what were changed from the 19" OEM wheels and tires to the upgraded 20" Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and Variant wheels. He also talks about the Pirelli P-Zero All Season Plus winter set that he uses during the winter months on the GR Supra.
Many thanks to Michelin Tires Canada, Variant Wheels, and 1010 Tires for the collaboration.
Full Specification below:
SUMMER UPGRADED TIRES
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
www.michelin.ca/en/pilot-spor...
Front
275/30R20
Rear
295/30R20
SUMMER UPGRADED WHEELS
Variant Wheels
variantwheels.com
20X10 with 29mm offset in the front
20X11 with 32mm offset in the rear
Variant Xenon Satin Gunmetal with blood red center caps
WINTER TIRES (ALL SEASON)
www.pirelli.com/tires/en-ca/c...
P-ZERO ALL SEASON PLUS
255-35-19 front OEM size
285-35-19 Rear extra large
WHERE THE TIRES AND WHEELS WERE INSTALLED
1010 TIRES RICHMOND
www.1010tires.com/About/Store...

[@enriqueblue]

This has been a really informative video you've created. Thank you for all the help in deciding what kind of tire/wheels to get.

[@SlickSniper3]

Amazing looking wheels. Thank you for sharing the offset specs. Currently in a 2020 supra with te37 but I'm glad you are happy to share your experience. All the best to you and enjoy a supra week!

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you so much! I hope you are enjoying your Supra too!

[@darren1922]

That looks so clean, David! Great job!

[@solancethesolarelectrician5114]

Loved your video, thank you sir! Small question… Do you also have Berger wheel spacers? I have them and figured they might be redundant, if I went with this set up would i need to remove the spacers? Would it make much difference in the feel if I didn’t add the 2 cm difference to the tire and kept the spacers? What would you recommend? Ditching the spacers?

[@MacforDummiesit]

Wow. I love the Supra, and now looks really cool and aggressive. Great job and thx for sharing.

[@johannjohann6523]

Cool video, thanks for taking time to show us and go over your Supra. Sweet ride. those rims are unique you made a good choice. Bummer to not get to hear it start up. :(

[@chrisbecker3629]

Outstanding review

[@davidhenry8137]

Brilliant! Very nice set up. Thank you for this 📹 video. Very Nice!

[@eddienguyen1884]

Supra looks so clean with those wheels David 😱😍😍😍

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you! Yes the new wheels definitely make the Supra look better and "cleaner".

[@IDontTalkToCops]

That stance is spot on 👌

[@isrstrategies]

Congratulations on your golden Globe award

[@brianwatson60]

Thank you. Would have been good to see before and after shots on wheels

[@jasondexter8018]

Wheels look amazing! Would a 305 or 315 fit on the rear without rubbing?

[@JesusHF37]

Those wheels are stunning. They fit the Supra perfectly.

[@richardmann4094]

Just bought a 3.0 pro and this is what I have planned for my car. Good job sir

[@mmafan1966]

Love the red stripe on the spoilers! Did you purchase these or have them done custom?

[@pinkipipe]

Red Wheel center caps ...Everything else it’s beautiful! 👍🏻

[@kingman6136]

Wheels look great!!

[@rd4809]

Currently I have the OEM tires that came my premium manual but it’s been too cold to drive the car. I am looking for a second set of tires and I’m thinking about the Michelin Ps4s AS. Would you recommend those for the colder seasons? I have another car that I can use if it snows but I’d like to be able to take the Supra out if the streets aren’t icy/salty.

[@Alamuzik]

Do you know if you wheels/ tire setup will work without any rubbing if the Supra was lowered about 1 inch all around?

[@Mel-md6cb]

Any thoughts on staggered vs square set up for track use?

[@FC-fq1gk]

Just found your channel great info and great video. Just ordered a 2022 model now I have something to think about now.

[@AutomotivePress]

Welcome aboard!

[@eclipsetrekker]

Thanks for sharing the specs, it's how it should be!

[@HoofHearted2]

I'm usually not a fan of black or dark colored wheels but this set up really compliments the white exterior. Sure gives it a menacing look. Tastfully done.

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you! It's grey colored wheels

[@JesusHF37]

AutomotivePress what wheels do you recommend for a BMW E92?

[@spmyvr268]

Thanks for sharing. Good video.

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you for your kind comment!

[@Grey_Ghost_GX]

Car looks amazing!

[@alexvalle750]

Great video! can you please give us a similar suggestion for Kia Stinger GT 🙂 Thank you.

[@jimtyme]

Your car looks amazing with the wheels and tires upgrade. 😊

[@851995STARGATE]

Does the speedo still report proper speeds with the 20s?

[@Wisefredo]

THANKS FOR THIS! I purchased my IS 350 F sport because of your review btw! Love it. Thinking of a new Supra (especially if the rumored manual happens), will definitely upgrade the wheels and tires per this review. Question: what are your thoughts on QC for the Supra considering they are made by BMW?

[@AutomotivePress]

You're welcome! The quality has been excellent actually, because the Supra is built at the Magna factory in Europe where the Mercedes G class is also built

[@floridaman2528]

Does this set up work better on a track than OEM?

[@insansiregar6158]

Do you use any lowering springs?

[@TheTexican05]

It’s easy to ruin the look of a car by selecting wheels that don’t match the shape and body lines of a car. You did a great job keeping this look consistent with the car’s OE form. And excellent tire choice. My 360hp GTI runs the PS4S; my 640hp GTO runs the older PSS. Both are absolutely transformative to ride quality, road handling, grip and noise. On warm street pavement, my PSS grip and hook better than all the drag radials I’ve tried. With none of the unsafe sensations during turns and lane changes. Thanks for putting this video together. ✌️🔧

[@reynaldorivera743]

Looking 🔥🔥🔥🔥with the wheels

[@surferbuoy4690]

Thanks for this very informative video. Just a question though, does the 275 tires in front rub? I saw an incident in this supra forum where he had a square set up of 275/35/19, 19x10. His front tires rubbed. Would you recommend adding in some spacers?

[@AutomotivePress]

Mine didn't rub, though it was tight. I didn't lower my suspension. Normally, I don't like using spacers.

[@surferbuoy4690]

@@AutomotivePress Thank you so much, David. one last question though, If I opt out to get 19x10 instead of 20's. Would the 29 offset still work or do I need to adjust that too?

[@AutomotivePress]

@@surferbuoy4690 It depends more on the width of the tires - not all tires have the same width even if they are the same dimension. May be best to check with your tire dealer just to be sure.

[@franciscopalomadojr6187]

If I lowered my car, would there be an issues with this kind of wheel set up, like rubbing?

[@iconroadster4777]

Can you provide me some guidance on how I can upgrade my car's performance in a similar fashion?

[@tsifty1]

You my friend are a true gem, well done vlog and feedback. By the way how is your driving in winter and do you take it out in the snow? I am in Quebec and thinking about this car but winter scares me and not being a young men wonder how is the reaction when they see us behind wheel....

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you so much! I would not recommend driving the Supra in winter in Quebec - it is not a good winter can even with winter tires. I would buy something else with AWD but yet still sporty, like an Audi S5 for example.

[@RedspencerIS350]

Great info! How would you feel about the use of 275/35/19 and 295/35/19 tires on the OEM wheels (Front 19x9 and Rear 19x10)? I would like to keep my GR Supra with an OEM look but maximum the tread width on these sized wheels without going to an aftermarket set.

[@AutomotivePress]

Good question. You should just double check the sizing issue using the wheel calculator. But since the OEM wheels are quite narrow, you might have tough time fitting those wide tires onto the OEM wheels

[@a90kevin]

Have you done this setup yet? Im looking to do the exact same!

[@GearsAndGains1]

I love the red accents you have on your body trim! Where did you get it if you don’t mind me asking? Also fantastic video. I was going to get new wheels and keep the stock tires, but I will defiantly be buying the 4s now!

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you so much! It's just a simple decorative body molding you can buy at any automotive parts shop. Unfortunately, I've sold the Supra though...

[@shoheiburns8513]

@@AutomotivePress why did you end up selling your Supra?

[@AutomotivePress]

@@shoheiburns8513 I usually change cars every year or two, so it was time to try something different. More on this coming later on...

[@jaydevries1020]

I have my license plate in the exact same location for the front. Looks so much better than the factory mount.

[@joegarcia2113]

what about speedo changes?

[@popseworld28]

Great you have yourself a new subscriber

[@KINGNESS2324]

I’m copying your exact wheel setup when I get my red Supra

[@charles-fq2dw]

I can speak for the GTR community that mp4s tires is one of our best dolllar all around tire from our stock dunlops, i ran 285 square with these tires and it just grips and goes in any weather even in heavy rain. One of the best street tire that last long compared to the others

[@mrpmj00]

I love the non-runflat Michelin Sport 4S tires on my 2017 Corvette with a manual transmission. The 4S hook up better than the non-runflat Michelin Pilot Super Sport. I liked the non-runflat Michelin Pilot Super Sport better than my OEM runflat Michelin Pilot Super Sport because the ride is better and they hook up better.

[@trevorhowell6575]

Very nice choice

[@ckmagz9297]

Is it using stock suspension?

[@tjbmap]

Great advice, I got the tires you recommended and wow does she handle well, thank you! I have a stupid question though. The dealership mounted the wheels and tires and inflated the tires to about 33. Sidewall says max is 50 psi…what pressure do you recommend?

[@liuchang5660]

hi, its been a month now and how does it feel driving after your new wheel he recommended?

[@tjbmap]

@@liuchang5660 I love em but I didn't get exactly what he recommended. I got Asanti Black 31's

[@liuchang5660]

@@tjbmap 20 inch rim and the offset tho?

[@joeyn7399]

I truly like the set up of your Supra.

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you! I've sold the vehicle though...

[@joeyn7399]

@@AutomotivePress if you don’t mind my asking, did you sell it due to having issues with it or were their things you hated about the car? Asking because I am considering buying a 2023 and would appreciate your option. Thank you

[@AutomotivePress]

@@joeyn7399 Actually I loved the Supra but I switch out cars all the time, usually every 1 or 2 years. It was time to move on. Only thing I wasn't crazy was difficult entry/exit, and the interior being small despite the fact that I am not large. Also the steering feel was so so, but I loved the engine. I end up buying a Lexus IS500 but I also sold that vehicle now!

[@andrepadilla9192]

Ahhh no way!! Just got my Greenbelt and wanted to checkout you Auto channel! I too have the GR Supra

[@AutomotivePress]

Congratulations on your Greenbelt Certification! Did you just graduate from the course?

[@sneakrpick]

is the supra lowered as well?

[@tjsullivan4793]

David I am jealous....Enjoy!

[@heh2k]

How/why does this make it handle like a porsche? Is it close to the same setup? (tire size, wheel base, width)

[@seanliu1922]

Great video,

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you!

[@seanliu1922]

@@AutomotivePress Considering a next generation Tundra My first generation 2002 Lexus RX300 original owner it’s got 215,000 km

[@AutomotivePress]

@@seanliu1922 Wow, impressive!

[@Kiteboarding316]

What are your thoughts on going with the same set up but using a 35 profile rather than a 30? We have a lot of pot holes here and I’m fairly certain a 30 profile would end up popped by one.

[@Ghosthamnida]

Would like to know this aswell

[@davepaturno4290]

Reduced unsprung weight does make a difference, although I believe at least some Supra factory wheels are forged and perhaps lightweight, already.

[@NGGamer-nb6bu]

Great video. What size spacers are you using ?

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you! Actually no spacers - just the right kind of offset to make it look fit well

[@NGGamer-nb6bu]

@@AutomotivePress got it. Looks great

[@thomasmorrison4694]

For better traction at higher horsepower which do you think would be better for the rear? 295/30/20 or 305/30/19? Often do pulls from a dig and get lots of wheel spin on the factory size. Love the video btw!

[@kenchen704]

600bhp Ferraris and Lambos run on 305/35/20 and they still wheel spin off the line.

[@tilligetbig]

295/40/18 with MT's

[@wayneh1562]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤the new supra,gorgeous

[@theofficialpeterkim]

Those look great.

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you!

[@blck04gt]

Where are these Variant wheels made?

[@brenthlete]

Hi David, what lowering springs did you install in your GR Supra?

[@AutomotivePress]

Actually I didn't lower the car at all, just looks low because of the tires perhaps.

[@brenthlete]

Wow! Great wheel and tire setup…👍🏼

[@Highlander1432]

Very interesting Good explanation and reasoning As I get older I am more interested in functional everyday performance over bragging rights

[@spyder9172]

👏🏼🔥🔥🔥 Nice!

[@SasukeUchiha-zu6dw]

A bit of topic but will you still be doing the review of the ranger tremor?

[@AutomotivePress]

When it becomes available for a review, yes absolutely!

[@SasukeUchiha-zu6dw]

@@AutomotivePress or was it the regular ranger you started making a video about around a month ago

[@johannjohann6523]

That's a great looking color of White for that car. I'd probably go with brighter rims, but that's me. And either hood louvres or a hood scoop w/ a functioning Ram Air system. :) Perfection I believe. It looks fast just sitting there. Instead of a parking ticket you get a speeding ticket.lol

[@davidy932]

David- I may have missed it, but how much do the 20's weigh? How much do the 19's weigh in comparison? Curious if you have increased unsprung weight. Thanks

[@AutomotivePress]

That's a good question... unfortunately they don't provide the weight information so I have to guess. Based on the design of both wheels, I would expect the Variant to be about the same weight if they were both 19s, but because my Variant wheels are 20s and they are also wider and larger - I would think that they are heavier by a bit.

[@daultonatvariantwheels1445]

Hey David! Our 19 staggered setup are 24-25 pounds, and a 20 staggered setup are 26-28 pounds! Hope this helps!

[@AutomotivePress]

@@daultonatvariantwheels1445 Thanks for providing that information. I absolutely love the design and engineering of the wheels and I am so glad that I went with Variant vs other brands like Vossen. Your products are superior at much lower cost!

[@bobklee2397]

Bigger wheels also means smaller amount of rubber so need to compare weight of wheels plus tyres. When you swap these wheels and tyres for the OEM perhaps you could provide the comparative weights , thank you

[@jacksparrow5281]

Given the change in wheel and tire size how do you go about determining the correct tire pressure for normal and spirited day to day driving - from an engineering standpoint pls.

[@AutomotivePress]

Generally speaking, you can keep the same tire pressure but I usually add 1 to 2 psi for spirited driving.

[@jacksparrow5281]

@@AutomotivePress Thx - good information and good to see that the mfg specs are not blindly followed.

[@TherealGM4NN]

What wheels are those

[@seancdfw]

When I replace my tires I will be getting these. I had them on my Model 3 Performance and I will put them on my new Supra. I will confirm these tires are quieter and quite sticky. 👍

[@E82N55]

Having a low profile tire will result in a faster responding tire which is probably good for the street, but ultimately less total traction at the limit

[@fritzmotu4763]

i'm surprised you don't use smaller rims. angular moment is rpm*momentOfInertia. By using smaller rims, more mass is concentrated toward the axle and hence less momentOfInertia. So basically using small rims means less energy is needed to spin up the wheels. indeed on f1 cars, the rums are small.

[@851995STARGATE]

That doesn't work on performance cars especially a torque one like this you're just gonna hurt the performance

[@joeyn7399]

Did you lower the Supra too or just put larger tires and wheels on the car?

[@AutomotivePress]

I just changed the wheels and tires, but didn’t touch the suspension

[@jsavoni6478]

I might have to try this on my new supra. I may keep stock rims though, I like them 🤣

[@lubyski]

Is your Supra lowered?

[@davidchan5402]

Did you lower you Supra? Or is that stock suspension?

[@AutomotivePress]

That's a stock suspension actually

[@impactXS]

You seem to pride yourself on being an engineer, and good job on keeping the scrub radius the same with the new wheels. With the new setup though, you are making the rear track width wider than your front track width, and my question to you is... was that deliberate or was that an unintentional oversight?

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you for your comment. I worked closely with Variant wheels to come up with the most aggressive stance while keeping the handling balanced. So yes, I worked out the details and chose the appropriate wheel sizes and offsets.

[@Shep-dq6fw]

What about BBS wheels

[@HellzHonour]

They did you dirty giving you DOT 2017 tires in 2021. Lol

[@Noddyunplugged]

Cannot go wrong with Michelins. I swear by them. I’ve a ‘19 BMW M140i shadow edition (read as: “Toyota” Supra in a small hatchback body. Literally. Same engine, trans, different body) and since my old M135i, I won’t run anything else. Especially recommend them for anyone with an open rear diff too, they really help with making things a lot more predictable and controllable.

[@gbass7328]

You didn't mention lighter weights for tires and wheels is a performance upgrade too.....

[@frederickfarias9515]

You are like the Steve Wozniak of cars.

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you!

[@kylenewberry2598]

Love the red center cap to match the pin stripe and brakes. Makes the accents of the brake reflector look great.

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you so much!

[@alb3096]

The best wheels on Supra based on my taste, maybe once the 19 inch tires are burned I might switch to these variants wheels.

[@johnpaul5438]

how much your supra David ?

[@AutomotivePress]

You mean how much if I were to sell it? I think it's worth about $65,000 CDN...

[@dwightbernheimer331]

David, I must admit if you changed offset, wheels and tires I would have thought you would have done something with the suspension. Surprised it doesn't make that much of a difference. Taking into consideration how tight those tires are inside the wheel well. Maybe you have a lot better roads than we do in Glendale Arizona LOL Thanks so much for posting, great stuff

[@AutomotivePress]

Thank you for your comment always! Based on my engineering investigation, I decided not to lower the suspension because that would impact the entire suspension geometry and it would only lower the ride quality. With the larger tires and wheels, I can achieve similar improvement with almost no compromises and the tires still fill the wheel wells nicely. I carefully calculated the max tires size that I can fit and making the offset as aggressive as possible - the result is that the tires stick out a bit out of the body which increases stability and they look amazing as well! Yes the roads here are pretty good!

[@dwightbernheimer331]

@@AutomotivePress Obviously you never rode with me when I had my NSX LMAO. Thanks once again for taking the time to get back to me. Your stuff is definitely the best on KZbin. Probably cuz you're an...A.E. and everyone else is not LOL

[@AutomotivePress]

@@dwightbernheimer331 Would have loved to see your NSX! My all time fav car! Thanks again for your comments!

[@dwightbernheimer331]

@@AutomotivePress bought it from the store in Greenwich Connecticut where Montel Williams bought his. Montel Williams put another $150 Grand in his... I did Not... Have to admit I was always a Corvette guy... Now at almost 80 it's boats and trucks... Thanks again David

[@AutomotivePress]

@@dwightbernheimer331 Let's stay in touch!

[@MachinegunAK]

why would you not do proper winter tires if you already have two sets of summers? I'm guessing you don't drive this car in when it snows then.

[@AutomotivePress]

I don't drive this in snow and we hardly get snow here in the westcoast

[@MachinegunAK]

@@AutomotivePress that's fair if its not your daily driver. Great choice in wheels by the way. It fits the style of the car perfectly.

[@VedantPundir]

Damn!!! I thought Jackie Chan started vlogging 🤦🏽‍♀️

[@AutomotivePress]

Ha ha, maybe I am secretly related to him!

[@saulespino2510]

Weird that the engineer didn't mention if the wheels are forged or not.

[@Nightfury0695]

Variant Xenons are forged rims

[@zcmdzpp127]

Porsche? 911 or cayman…rear engine/mid engine not likely..but your Supra looks nice..

[@abel5763]

Can you please kindly explain how does increasing the wheel size from 19 to 20 considered an upgrade in your over 35 years of automotive engineering experience ? By doing so, Wouldn't it cause the car to ride harsher due to thinner tyre sidewall tyres? Also, bigger rims and tyres would naturally mean more unsprung weight which means slower acceleration. Lastly, larger wheels mean higher centre of gravity.

[@PremiumUserUltra]

That would make sense if all wheels weighed the same lol

[@fmartin59]

@@PremiumUserUltra the person literally just using basic physics concepts. 😂

[@kevinj1229]

This guy keeps saying he has how much automotive experience….😅 but the video just shows he bought a set of budget 20-inch wheels and fairly old PS4S tyres. When he says aggressive summer tyres I thought it would be AR1 or AD08R sort of things but PS4S…..😅😅😅

[@JohnDoe-ut3sz]

you should change your name to BUNTA

[@user-og3ys8qw5i]

真不错，在中国大陆，supra被相关利益集团卖出了高价

[@jako_b5828]

What an engineer would do bigger Wheels there is no technical reason.

[@zcmdzpp127]

Yeh have you driven any Porsches?

[@AutomotivePress]

I've owned 3 different Porsche's over the last few years and I currently own a 2022 Macan GTS. I've driven every Porsche from 718 to 911 as well.

[@sebastianwalczak9847]

5:45 I saw "5017" on front, they sold you 3years old tires...

[@AutomotivePress]

This video is two years old, and the Supra is 3 years old!

[@sebastianwalczak9847]

@@AutomotivePress and today these tires are almost 6 years old :p 5017 means tires were made in 50th week of 2017

[@AutomotivePress]

This car was sold 2 years ago. I don’t even have this car car anymore...@@sebastianwalczak9847

[@sebastianwalczak9847]

@@AutomotivePress ok

[@jamesrose298]

Where is the Supra??..that’s a GR BMW

[@catsaretasty]

20 rear,19 front=the best.