Track-Ready: Unleashing the A90 Supra with a Brembo & STOPFLEX Carbon-Ceramic Conversion
Since 1978, the Toyota Supra has been a performance icon, a "people's champion" of the sports car world. The fifth-generation A90 continues this legacy, blending its inline-six heritage with a precision chassis, and it has become the definitive dream car for a new generation of tuners and driving enthusiasts.
But for a car born with JDM modification culture in its DNA, "factory" is just the starting point. While the stock 4-piston brakes are adequate for the street, they are the first bottleneck when the car is truly unleashed. On a track or a spirited canyon run, the stock system quickly reveals its limits, resulting in a soft pedal and critical heat fade. This Supra owner decided to fix that, building a no-compromise system focused on ultimate performance.
The Upgrade Plan: A Curated Performance Build
This is a "best-of-breed" setup, curated by a savvy owner who knows where to allocate performance. The focus is on a front axle built for extreme thermal loads, balanced by a capable rear setup, all fitted inside 20-inch wheels.
Front Axle: Upgraded to Brembo GT350 6-Piston Calipers paired with STOPFLEX 390mm Carbon-Ceramic Discs.
Rear Axle: Upgraded to TTSPORT EP4S 4-Piston Calipers (with integrated e-brake) and TTSPORT 380mm High-Carbon Discs.
Brake Pads: STOPFLEX Performance Ceramic Pads on all four corners to unify pedal feel and ensure silent, dust-free street driving.
Why This Build Unlocks the Supra's Potential
This purpose-built system transforms the A90 from a great sports car into a confident track-day weapon, addressing its two biggest handling weaknesses: braking fade and unsprung weight.
1. Front-Axle Supremacy: The front brakes do up to 80% of the work. This build pairs the legendary clamping force of Brembo 6-piston calipers with the two most significant advantages of carbon-ceramics: limitless heat capacity and dramatically lower weight. The STOPFLEX 390mm rotors provide true, fade-proof performance, lap after lap.
2. Restored Agility & Steering Feel: By replacing the heavy front iron discs with STOPFLEX carbon-ceramics, this conversion shaves a massive amount of unsprung, rotational weight. The effect is immediate: turn-in is sharper, the suspension can react faster, and the steering feedback becomes more communicative. The car feels lighter and more agile—more like the JDM icon it is.
3. A Smart, Balanced System: The upgraded TTSPORT rear setup provides the necessary braking bias and retains full factory e-brake functionality. Using STOPFLEX pads on all four corners ensures a consistent, predictable pedal feel, whether pulling up to a stoplight or braking from 150 mph at the end of a straight.
Installation Gallery: The Enthusiast's Choice
Questions About the Supra "Hybrid" Brake Build
Q: Why mix carbon-ceramic discs on the front with iron discs on the rear?
A: This is an intelligent, performance-focused build. The front axle endures the most extreme heat and braking forces. By using STOPFLEX carbon-ceramics on the front, the owner gets 90% of the total performance benefit (zero fade, sharp handling) at a more effective cost, while the upgraded rear iron setup provides perfect balance.
Q: Is this setup too aggressive for the street?
A: Not at all. This is the ideal "dual-purpose" setup. The STOPFLEX carbon-ceramic rotors and pads are engineered for a strong, silent bite even when cold, making them perfect for daily driving. But unlike the factory brakes, they have the limitless thermal capacity to handle a full track day without fading.
Q: How much does the weight saving on the front brakes really affect handling?
A: It's a night-and-day difference on a car like the Supra. By removing significant unsprung weight from the steering axle, the car feels more eager to turn in. You don't just feel it in the corners; you feel it in the steering wheel, which becomes more responsive and precise.