Short answer: Tune it first. On a GR Supra 3.0, a flash tune or a JB4 is the biggest gain per dollar. Next, add a downpipe and a Stage 2 map, and a better heat exchanger so the car stays strong on hot days. After that comes fuel: flex fuel, then a bigger low-pressure pump and port injection if you want big power. Tires, brakes and suspension should keep up with each step. Intakes and cat-backs are mostly for sound.
Parts and tunes in this guide are for off-road / competition use only. Not legal for use on public roads in the United States, including California.
I'm Gleb Blekher. I run B58 Racing out of Dallas, TX, and I've spent 15+ years around motorsports. My own B58 builds are BMWs, an M240i and a 540i. But the Supra 3.0 runs the same B58 engine family, and we sell a lot of Supra parts. This is the order I'd tell any Supra owner to follow.
First: know what's under your hood
Every A90/A91 GR Supra 3.0 uses a Gen 2 B58 (B58B30O1, also called B58TU). That matters, because Gen 1 BMW parts often won't fit. Charge pipes, fuel pumps, injectors and turbos are split by generation. Read our B58 Gen 1 vs Gen 2 guide if you're shopping across forums.
The 2.0 Supra is a different car. It uses the four-cylinder B48. Nothing in this guide is meant for it.
The 2020 cars were rated at 335 hp. 2021 and newer are rated at 382 hp.
Want to see everything we carry for your car? Shop by car: A90 Supra.
The Supra mod order at a glance
| Step | Main parts | What you need first | Honest take | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Tune (bootmod3, MHD, JB4 or EcuTek), fresh plugs | Nothing | Best value on the car | bootmod3 tune |
| Sound and air | Inlet pipe, filter, intake | Nothing | Mostly sound on the stock turbo | Intakes |
| Stage 2 | Downpipe + Stage 2 map | Stage 1 tune | Big midrange gain; louder | AMS downpipe |
| Heat | Heat exchanger, charge pipe | Nothing | The Supra's best reliability mod | Charge pipes |
| Fuel | Flex fuel, LPFP, HPFP, port injection | Stage 2 | Where pump-gas limits end | Fueling |
| Chassis | Springs or coilovers, pads, tires | Nothing | Makes the power usable | Suspension, brakes, wheels |
| Drivetrain | 8HP cooler, 6MT clutch, diff bushings | Tune | Do it before it breaks | Drivetrain |
| Cooling | Radiator, aux radiators, trans cooler | Nothing | Cheap insurance in Texas heat | Cooling |
Stage 1: pick a tuning platform
The tune is the mod. Everything else in this guide supports it. On the Supra you have four real choices.
- bootmod3 (Pro Tuning Freaks). Flash tune with off-the-shelf (OTS) maps, cloud logging and a big custom-tuner network. This is the one we sell: bootmod3 B58 tune. The Supra uses its own bootmod3 license, so make sure your order is for the Supra.
- MHD. Flash tune run from a phone app, with a lower entry price. Its B58 license supports the A90.
- Burger Motorsports JB4. A piggyback that plugs in between the sensors and the engine computer. It does not rewrite the factory software and unplugs in minutes. There is a separate Supra version.
- EcuTek. A flash platform that a lot of Toyota-focused shops use. It is sold through EcuTek's tuner network, so you get a custom calibration from a shop, not an app download. We don't sell EcuTek.
On published claims: bootmod3 lists up to 28% HP and 28% torque for its Supra Stage 2 map on 93 octane. Retailers list the JB4 Supra at up to 80 whp on a stock car on pump gas. Those are maker and retailer figures, not our dyno numbers.
The catch: locked engine computers. Many Supras got a software update that blocks tuning through the OBD port. Those cars need a bench unlock, or an unlock method from your tool's maker, before they can be flashed. A JB4 works on a locked car. Ask your tool's support team about your exact build date and software before you buy.
Not sure which one fits you? Read bootmod3 vs MHD vs JB4.
Spark plugs
Fresh plugs before the first flash are cheap insurance. The Supra and other Gen 2 cars use NGK 96206. Tuned cars should change plugs more often than the factory schedule.
Air: inlet, filter and intakes
Here's the honest version. On a stock turbo, an intake is mostly about turbo sound and looks. It is not where the power is.
- B58 Racing Silicone Inlet Pipe (resonator delete). Fits the A90/A91. It swaps the factory resonator section for a smooth silicone pipe, so you hear more turbo. See the inlet pipe.
- ProRam stock-box air filter. A drop-in for the factory airbox. ProRam B58 filter.
- Full intakes. If you want the whole kit, the Mishimoto Supra intake and the AWE S-FLO carbon intake are good places to start. aFe, Injen, AMS and K&N options are in our intakes category.
Stage 2: downpipe and a Stage 2 map
The downpipe is the exhaust right after the turbo. It's the part that Stage 2 maps are built around. On a tuned Supra it's the biggest hardware step on the stock turbo.
- AMS Performance Supra street downpipe with GESI catalytic converter. A catted option for owners who want less smell and a calmer sound. AMS Supra downpipe.
- More options are in downpipes.
Run the Stage 2 map that matches your downpipe. Expect a louder car and some drone on the highway. Like every part in this section, it's for off-road / competition use only.
Cat-back exhaust
A cat-back changes sound. It doesn't need a tune and won't add much power on its own. If you want one, the AWE Touring Edition is a calmer choice. Akrapovic, Borla, Dinan, Injen and aFe systems are in our exhaust category.
Heat: heat exchanger and charge pipe
The Supra uses a water-to-air intercooler built into the intake manifold. That cooler is only as good as the water loop feeding it. When the water gets hot, intake temps climb and the tune pulls power. Back-to-back pulls and Texas summers are where you feel it.
- Heat exchanger. This is the part I'd buy first for heat. The CSF G-Series/Supra heat exchanger and the Mishimoto A90 heat exchanger both replace the small factory unit up front.
- Charge-air cooler manifold. For big-power or track cars, CSF and Wagner make upgraded intake manifolds with a bigger cooler inside. Shop charge pipes and intercooling.
- Charge pipe. At stock-turbo boost, the factory pipe is usually fine. An aluminum pipe is cheap insurance at higher boost. The Mishimoto B58TU charge pipe and the do88 B58TU kit are made for the Gen 2 engine. Gen 1 BMW pipes will not fit.
Fuel: flex fuel, pumps and port injection
The Gen 2 B58 runs a 350-bar direct-injection system, a big step up from Gen 1. That gives the Supra more headroom on the stock high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP). Fuel still becomes the wall once you add ethanol or more boost.
- Flex fuel. Ethanol adds knock resistance, and the tune turns that into timing and boost. A flex fuel kit reads ethanol content live, so you don't have to mix perfectly every fill.
- Low-pressure pump (LPFP). Ethanol loads up the in-tank pump first. The DeatschWerks DW440 Supra pump is a common step. DeatschWerks also makes dual- and triple-pump modules for bigger builds.
- HPFP. Gen 2 options include the Dorch Engineering Gen 2 DS25 (350 bar). Dorch says higher-flow injectors are needed to use all of it.
- Port injection. For big-turbo and high-ethanol builds, port injection adds fuel on top of direct injection. The Radium Engineering Supra port injection kit needs injectors, a controller and a custom tune.
Trade-off: ethanol isn't sold everywhere, and you burn more of it. If you can't buy E85 nearby, a pump-gas Stage 2 Supra is still very fast. Shop fueling.
If you want to go further than this, see turbos and engine parts. A turbo upgrade needs a custom tune and a fuel system to match. Turbos are head-specific, so check 2-port vs 6-port first.
Chassis: suspension, brakes, wheels and tires
The Supra is short and stiff, and a tuned one has more torque than the stock tires want. Spend here before you chase more power.
Springs or coilovers
- Springs. The cheapest way to lower the car and cut body roll. Options: Dinan Supra performance springs, Eibach Pro-Plus kit (springs plus anti-roll bars), and Whiteline lowering springs.
- Coilovers. Height and damping you can set yourself. The KW V3 is a solid street-and-track kit. The Ohlins Road & Track is another top choice. KW Clubsport is for dedicated track cars.
- Alignment parts. SPL Parts makes adjustable links and eccentrics for the A90 if you lower the car and want to dial in camber and toe.
Brakes
The factory brakes are fine on the street. For track days, start with pads and fluid. The Hawk HPS 5.0 front pads are a street pad with more bite. The DBA T2 slotted front rotor helps with heat. Race pads like the Hawk DTC-60 are for the track only.
Supra brake sizes can vary by model year and trim. Check your rotor size before you order pads.
Wheels and tires
Tires are the best performance mod you can buy for a tuned Supra. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S is our street pick; check that the size matches your car. For drag racing, the Mickey Thompson ET Street R is the go-to. If you run aftermarket wheels or spacers, Supras use a 5x112 bolt pattern. Dinan and aFe spacers are in suspension, brakes and wheels.
Drivetrain: 8HP automatic vs 6-speed manual
Every Supra 3.0 has used the ZF 8-speed automatic (8HP). For the 2023 model year, Toyota added a 6-speed manual (6MT) on the 3.0. Reviews of the 2023 car report the manual is a ZF-sourced unit with a larger, reinforced clutch.
8HP automatic. It's strong and shifts fast. A transmission tune removes factory torque limits and can speed up shifts.
Heat is the 8HP's enemy on a tuned car. The CSF #8183 transmission cooler and the Mishimoto Supra transmission cooler both help.
6-speed manual. The clutch is the weak link once you add a lot of torque. Plan an upgrade before your power goal, not after the slip starts. Options include the Clutch Masters FX400 6-puck kit and the ACT Mod-Twin 225 HD sprung street clutch. Check flywheel compatibility before you order.
Both. SPL solid differential mount bushings cut wheel hop on hard launches. Expect more noise and vibration.
Cooling: cheap insurance
In a Dallas summer, cooling isn't optional on a tuned Supra.
- Radiator. The CSF #7226 all-aluminum radiator or the Mishimoto Supra radiator.
- Auxiliary radiators. The Mishimoto Supra auxiliary radiators help track and hot-weather cars.
- Oil. A Mishimoto Supra catch can keeps oil vapor out of the intake. Shorter oil changes on a tuned car are smart.
Shop cooling.
My recommended order for most Supra owners
- Tune (Stage 1) and fresh plugs.
- Tires.
- Heat exchanger.
- Downpipe and Stage 2 map.
- Transmission cooler and tune (automatic) or clutch plan (manual).
- Springs or coilovers, pads and fluid.
- Flex fuel and an LPFP.
- Only then: port injection, HPFP and a bigger turbo.
For the BMW side of the same engine, see the best B58 mods, in order.
FAQ
What is the best first mod for an A90 Supra?
A tune. A flash tune (bootmod3, MHD or EcuTek) or a JB4 gives the largest gain for the money. Everything else builds on it.
What is A90 Supra Stage 1?
A tune on an otherwise stock car. Stage 2 adds an aftermarket downpipe and a map built for it.
Can I tune a locked Supra?
Often yes, but many cars need a bench unlock or a maker-approved unlock first. A JB4 works without one. Check with your tool's support before you buy.
Does an intake add power on a Supra?
Not much on the stock turbo. It mostly adds turbo sound. Spend on the tune, tires and heat exchanger first.
Do BMW B58 parts fit the Supra?
Some do. Tunes, plugs, filters and many engine parts are shared with Gen 2 BMWs. Intakes, exhausts, downpipes and suspension are usually Supra-specific. Always check the fitment line.
Sources
- Supra bootmod3 Stage 2 claim and Supra license: Hack Engineering, bootmod3 Supra
- bootmod3 Supra unlock requirement for November 2019+ software: Garage Whifbitz, bootmod3 A90 Supra
- JB4 Supra fitment and gain claims: BMP Tuning, Turner Motorsport
- EcuTek on the A90 and bench unlocks: National Speed
- 2023 Supra 6-speed manual (ZF-sourced, reinforced clutch): Cars.com, Motor1
- Gen 2 fuel system and Dorch Gen 2 DS25 notes: BMWTuning.co, B58 HPFP upgrade, Hack Engineering listing