The Toyota Supra is probably one of the most recognizable cars on the road, and not just by car enthusiasts. Even among gamers and movie-goers, this classic sports car gets a lot of appreciation. It has been featured in games, like the Need for Speed. It also figured in The Fast and the Furious.
Also classified as a grand tourer, the Supra is a rear-wheel-drive car with a front-engine and a 3-door liftback for a body. The Toyota Motor Corporation started producing it in 1978, and right now it's in its fifth generation.
Another reason this car may seem familiar is that the Toyota Celica inspired its design, though the Supra is broader and longer. Up until 1986, the car also carried the Celica name and was known as the Celica Supra. Naturally, this caused a lot of confusion between the two cars until the name was changed.
Throughout its life, the car saw the production at different Toyota plants. The first three generations of the Supra were produced at the Tahara plant in Aichi Prefecture of Japan, followed by the fourth-generation, which Toyota manufactured at the Motomachi plant in Toyota City itself.
Currently, the car is being built in another part of the world, in Graz, Austria. The Supra now shares the same plant as the G29 BMW Z4, being produced by Magna Steyr.
First Generation (1978-1981)
As mentioned earlier, the Supra takes its styling from the liftback-bodied Toyota Celica. The Supra was different in that it was slightly longer and broader especially in its front, to fit the Supra's larger engine.
Transmission-wise, the first-generation offered a 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic. The international versions of the car either had an engine producing 82 kW of power and 184 Nm of torque, or another option with an output of 87 kW and 197 Nm.
Second Generation (1981-1985)
In 1981, the Toyota Supra went through a redesign. In Japan, the car was called the Celica XX, but everywhere else, it was still called the Celica Supra. This generation saw changes made to its front-end, especially the inclusion of fully-retractable pop-up lights which were symbolic of the '80s.
The car had a slightly larger wheelbase and was longer to fit a larger engine. It also came in two types, the Performance Type (or P-Type) and Luxury Type (L-Type). The powertrain was the same, so the only thing separating the two was the tyre and wheel sizes and the body trim.
For the Australian version, this car had an output of 104 kW power and 226 Nm of torque.
The L-Type wasn't available in the country. The variant sold in Australia had a digital instrument cluster and ’84-style lights, giving it a state-of-the-art vibe that had fit well with the era of the '80s.
Unfortunately, up until 1990, the car had a terrible reputation for safety in Australia because it apparently did not provide proper protection for occupants during a car crash.
Third Generation (1986-1993)
The third generation was when the Supra finally became its own car, completely separating from the Celica in every way. The Supra stayed as a rear-wheel-drive while the Celica changed over to a front-wheel-drive.
The third generation of the Supra saw the introduction of a few high-tech features. These include things like a 3-channel ABS, TEMS, and even an Acoustic Control Induction System (ACIS). All models also came standard with double wishbone suspension for the front and the rear.
The model that made it to Australia carried an engine with an output of 149 kW and 266 Nm. Transmission-wise, there were the options of 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic.
Fourth Generation (1993-2002)
Entering the fourth-generation, the Toyota Supra went through yet another redesign. Under the leadership of Isao Tsuzuki, a new concept car was developed for the Supra with a new body. Prototypes of this new car were hand-built. It was only in April of 1993 when mass production began on the fourth-generation Toyota Supra.
This generation placed a stronger emphasis on its image as a high-performance car. It also shared its platform with the upscale Soarer coupé, known in America as the Lexus SC, which, yet again, caused confusion between the Supra and the other car. There was one way to tell them apart quickly: the Supra was shorter than the other vehicle.
This car came with transmission options of 5/6-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. Most models at the beginning of this generation carried an engine with an output of 16 4kW of power and 285 Nm of torque.
The production of the Supra ended in 2002. There were a few reasons for this, one being that sales had dropped in the US and Canada. Around the same time, the Japanese currency was much stronger, which caused the price of the car overseas to rise along with it.
Despite being discontinued, this wasn't the last time that the Supra showed its face to the world. The car eventually made a comeback over a decade later in 2019.
Fifth Generation (Starting in 2019)
The fifth generation of the Toyota Supra only went on sale in Australia in September of 2019. For the first time, this version of the Supra resulted from the collaboration between Toyota and BMW, using the Z4 as inspiration.
This time around, there are two BMW engine options available: one with an output of 145-190 kW and 320–400 Nm of torque, while the other has an output of 250 kW and 500 Nm of torque.
In Australia, the fifth-generation Toyota Supra comes in two variants: the GT and the GTS. The GT includes state-of-the-art features like smart entry and keyless ignition and sonar for clearance. Its interior is also modern with ornaments giving it a carbon look, with the comfort provided by 8-way powered and heated front seats.
The GTS is a sportier version, with a HUD, forged alloy wheels, and sports brakes with red calipers. The interior offers the optional red leather or black Alcantara seats.
For the earlier generations, replacement parts might be hard to come by. In this case, the used car and car parts industry would be a cost-efficient source. Visit us at Carpart Australia for our listed parts and sellers or send us a request for parts thru hello@carpart.com.au!
- Rasyad 'Ray' Hasbollah