Vh_Supra26

iTrader: (1)

You are going to have to look right back into the 20th Century if you want to get a feel for the origins of Toyota’s most famous sports car nameplate.


The Supra name was first revealed in April 1978 as a designation for the longer, wider and more powerful derivation of the second-generation Celica coupé. Developed to compete in the grand tourer market in Japan and North America that at the time was ruled almost exclusively by Datsun Z-cars, the new Celica Supra (named Celica XX in Japan) was powered by a range of smooth six-cylinder engines instead of the four-cylinder units available in the Celica, and offered a more luxurious character.

The model’s sporting focus was appreciably tightened with the domestic launch of the Mk2 Celica XX in July 1981, now based on the sharp-suited third-generation Celica platform and known as the Celica Supra in all export markets. A little later, in August 1982, the Celica Supra became available in the European market for the first time, and with supply to the UK limited to just 100 cars per month it benefited from an additional air of exclusivity.


Though identical to the regular Celica coupé from the B-pillar backwards, the Supra ‘recipe’ of longer wheelbase and stretched front-end once again allowed the fitment of a range of straight-six powerplants, including Toyota’s new 2.8-litre 5M-GE flagship twin-cam engine. Further identifying marks of the Mk2 Celica Supra included retractable headlights, a more aggressive flare to the wheel arches and, importantly for enthusiasts, independent rear suspension.

In contrast to the Mk1 Celica Supra, whose greatest achievement in motorsport was being used as a pace car in the 1979 US Grand Prix, the Mk2 enjoyed a fuller racing career. After great success campaigning a Celica and Corolla in the British Saloon Car Championship (forerunner of the BTCC), driver Win Percy moved to the Celica Supra in 1983 and won the ninth round of the 1984 series outright, fending off Andy Rouse’s 3.5-litre Rover. Bike racing legend Barry Sheene took charge of Percy’s car in the 1985 BSCC season, the same year that Per Eklund was declared Group A champion in the Ulster Rally with his identically liveried but not works-prepared Celica Supra.

The Mk2 Celica Supra was discontinued in December 1985, briefly overlapping the new fourth-generation Celica launched in August. From this point onwards, Celica and Supra became independent models on different platforms; Celica making the significant shift to front-wheel drive and Supra carrying on to refine the role of rear-wheel drive grand tourer in the expanding Toyota line-up.


The Mk3 Supra (the XX designation was now discontinued) launched in February 1986 with an all-new coupé body fractionally shorter than the outgoing Celica Supra. Its elegant bodywork covered a chassis that was once again designed to narrow the gap between outright sports car and comfortable cruiser. Double wishbones were now employed on all four corners, the upper arms being made in forged aluminium to reduce weight, while the suspension links were attached to subframes to minimise vibrations entering the cabin.

A total of four straight-six engines ranging from 2.0-litre to 3.0-litre were installed in the Mk3, though not all were available in every market. Most powerful was the gutsy 2954cc 7M-GTE turbocharged and intercooled twin-cam engine with 230bhp found in the Japanese 3.0GT Turbo – a unit later uprated to 270bhp for the limited edition 3.0GT Turbo A. This special was not only the fastest Japanese car of the time but homologated the Supra to compete in Japanese Group A racing, European touring car championships and Group A rallying, where it enjoyed a brief career within the WRC before the high-profile arrival of the four-wheel drive ST165 Celica GT-Four in 1988.

The naturally aspirated relative of the 7M-GTE was the launch engine for UK Supra sales, which started in July 1986 with a competitive pricing strategy that brought it in line with its rivals despite expensive importation costs. A rear spoiler was fitted to European versions as standard, so the only options were metallic paint, leather upholstery and an automatic gearbox.

But it was the car’s superb refinement that was particularly noted by contemporary testers, being virtually unmatched for long-distance motorway cruising while still securing praise for the important areas of performance, handling and ride. Indeed, Toyota was on a roll in the UK, its sporting triumvirate of Celica, MR2 and Supra winning an unprecedented one-two-three in What Car? magazine’s Best Coupe award in 1987.

Though turbocharged models were available in Japan and the USA, the UK didn’t receive a Turbo version until August 1989, soon after the car’s midlife facelift. Powered by the same engine as in the domestic 3.0GT Turbo, it offered 15% greater power and 35% more torque (now 254lb/ft), powering it to a 153mph top speed and a dash to 60mph that was 1.9sec faster at 6.1sec. Befitting of a time when Miami Vice was the must-see television programme, the new Supra Turbo was also available in an optional White Pack, where all exterior trim and coachwork – even the wheels – was finished in Brilliant White.

The late Eighties and early Nineties was a phenomenal period for the Japanese car industry, with Toyota’s rival manufacturers launching vehicles such as the Z32-series Nissan 300ZX, FD-series Mazda RX-7, Honda NSX and Mazda MX-5.

Expectation of an imminent launch of the Mk4 Supra was high but Toyota continued production of the Mk3 until 1992 when it was sure it could debut a new vehicle that would better the best of the current crop. But as a stopgap for the domestic market the 7M-GTE was replaced with the new flagship 2.5-litre twin-turbo engine. It came from the new JZ-series that would go on to become the iconic heart and soul of the next-generation car.

The fourth-generation Supra was first unveiled at the 1993 Chicago Motor Show after a four-year developmental gestation under the guidance of chief engineer Isao Tsuzuki. Tsuzuki-san had also worked on the first Celica and both generations of MR2. Unlike anything Toyota had produced before, the car’s proportions and flowing design owed more to the 2000GT of the Sixties than its predecessor. Thanks to a long, low bonnet line and high-rise optional rear spoiler it was nevertheless aerodynamically efficient and clearly aimed at delivering a much higher top speed.

‘Less is more’ was the key concept during development of the Mk4, manifested in external dimensions that were shorter, lower and wider than the outgoing car, while the extensive use of lightweight materials helped it tip the scales at 100kg less – even the carpet fibres were hollow to save weight! Allied to a simplified engine line-up of either naturally aspirated or twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre JZ-series straight six offering between 220bhp and 326bhp (the Japanese voluntary limit was 280bhp), top-spec turbo versions with Toyota’s first six-speed gearbox now offered supercar performance.

Soon after its US launch in June 1993 new superlatives were dreamed up by testers as the Mk4 Supra trounced ‘Top Gun’ rivals that had been such a cause for concern only a few years previously. Even the 3.6-litre Porsche 911 Turbo could not beat it, while one Australian magazine pitched the car into an unlikely comparison with the Aston Martin DB7, which it duly won on an objective level.


Plaudits continued to flow in when the UK press got hold of the car (only the turbo version was available in Europe). Marginally quicker than the contemporary ST185 Celica GT-Four, the new 2JZ-GTE engine was praised for its flexibility, offering 90% of peak torque all the way from 1300rpm to 4500rpm, before being cruelly cut short at 156mph when the car’s aerodynamically-enhanced stability made it feel like it was travelling at half that speed. Subsequent tuning of the 2JZ engine within the aftermarket revealed it to be such an engineering master class that heavily modified units have been able to reach up to 2041bhp!

Though the Supra’s front engine, rear-wheel drive format never altered, the Mk4 was by far the most successful in motorsport. The model won its class in the Swiss Mountain Races, competed in Le Mans two years running, charged up Pikes Peak, was competitive in American SCCA racing, and became a dominant force in the All-Japan GT Championships (JGTC) from 1995 all the way through to 2003. Despite these successes, however, times were changing and worldwide vehicle purchasing trends were slowly moving away from sports cars like the Supra.


When the Supra was discontinued in the UK in late 1996 it had notched up 600 sales from a total of 16,000 of all Supra generations. By the end of 1998 the Supra’s four-generation run in North America had also come to an end. Which left the domestic market carrying on with lowered annual production runs until the car was finally axed in July 2002, primarily because it was deemed too expensive to meet forthcoming exhaust emissions targets.

From April 1978 to July 2002, total production of the two Celica Supra and strict Supra generations stood at 593,337 units. Time will tell whether that figure will increase in the future…

http://blog.toyota.co.uk/history-of-the-toyota-supra

ISF350

Great read. The MK4 is one of a kind !
I wish toyota bring it back to new MK5 as is w/o hybrid technology.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Well it was dumb to drop both the Celica and Supra to being with. Here's to hoping they bring at least the Supra back (Celica seems to live on through the Toyobaru triplets)

Vh_Supra26

iTrader: (1)

There could be a non-hybrid version as well. Thats what I hoping the BMW partnership will result in.

This line gives me hope that they will.

"Time will tell whether that figure will increase in the future…"

Joey-E

iTrader: (1)

Awesome history but im surprised they didnt mention the SC/Soarer since they share alot of characteristics. I think it will come back soon, history repeats itself 1st we will see a new SC then the new Supra with similar lines and maybe more power.

ISF350

If the new Mk5 stay within 400hp real turbo power, weight at 3200 lb, good handling, cost at $60k, toyota will have good solid sales for the new era as long as they don't have to go after the GTR specs and price !

Aron9000

Just from a styling standpoint, the MK IV Supra is unlike anything Toyota has made before or since. It looks way more like a front engined V12 Ferrari than a Toyota.