Toyota Supra MK IV: The Best All-Around Sports Car Ever
79The Toyota Supra MK IV was arguably one of the best all-around sports cars ever made. The fouth generation Supra was produced from 1993 to 1998 and only about 2000 per year were sold in the U.S. This is the same car that was featured in the The Fast and the Furious with Vin Diesel. In the movie, the Supra beat a Ferrari...in real life, it still would have beat the Ferrari, trust me.
It Was Fast
I once had a 1994 twin turbo model. Beautiful solid black inside and out with a Targa top. I modified it with an electronic boost controller to double the boost from the turbochargers, put in a TRD racing clutch, a high flow air filter, and a high-flow exhaust. These mods are what Supra enthusiasts like to call the BPU (basic performance upgrade) for that car. It would take a stock twin turbo Supra from 320hp to about 400hp and go from 0 to 60mph in right at 4 seconds flat. All that power and speed from just a 6-cylinder 3.0-liter engine!
And I'm Furious
Ever since I totalled the car in February 2000 (that's another story), I've been on the lookout (and on a waiting list) for Toyota to re-introduce the Supra, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen, at least not the way I was hoping. Here you see a photo of Toyota's FT-HS (Future Toyota Hybrid Sport) concept car.
If this car goes into production and hits the market by 2010 as some enthusiasts have speculated, it should boast some impressive stats: 3.5-liter NA (normally-aspirated, meaning non-turbo-charged) engine, 400-hp, 0-60 in 4 seconds...my kind of numbers.
What has me furious is that the price tag will be around $70,000 and that may just not fit in my budget. The MK IV Supra twin turbo sold for $45,000 new and was priced to compete with Nissan's 350Z and Mazda's RX8. Call me old fashioned, but I like my Japanese sports cars priced to compete with other Japanese sports cars, not German ones.
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Comments
You gotta deal ;-)
I want to buy this today LOL
Lgali, if you get one before me, you have to let me take a spin...
Shayne Hall sure i will
Interesting, but I don't know about best sports car ever =) Sadly the MKIV Supra is a bit dated now and the newer Corvette Z06s and such running around would take a heavily modified Supra to match their performance. It was pretty much king of Japanese cars for a long while though.
Of course I'm biased toward the Supra. I agree with you, the Vette Z-series is an incredible car...I'm speaking from experience because I have driven a Z. And yes, the Z which goes from 0-60 in 4 seconds (ok, 3.9) outperforms the stock MKIV Supra which had a 0-60 time of 5 seconds. BUT, the Z is a $80K car! The Supra sold for 1/2 that and was just as fun to drive. It handled just as good as the Z. So, all-around a better deal, IMHO.
is the mk5 supra better then the mk4
Nick, I don't know. It depends on your definition of better. We'll have to wait and see what the actual production car is like...it's not out yet.
Oh yeah the SUPRA is KING!
1cardude, thanks for your vote in favor of the Supra! Have you owned one before?
i own a 83 toyota supra, celica. 2.8L stright 6. fastest car in my town, beats the shit out of all thought GMC trucks in my town from red lights- 120kms
Interesting, but I don't know about best sports car ever =) Sadly the MKIV Supra is a bit dated now and the newer Corvette Z06s and such running around would take a heavily modified Supra to match their performance. It was pretty much king of Japanese cars for a long while though.
skytop: Thanks for your input...here's a comment I left a few months ago:
Of course I'm biased toward the Supra. I agree with you, the Vette Z-series is an incredible car...I'm speaking from experience because I have driven a Z. And yes, the Z which goes from 0-60 in 4 seconds (ok, 3.9) outperforms the stock MKIV Supra which had a 0-60 time of 5 seconds. BUT, the Z is a $80K car! The Supra sold for 1/2 that and was just as fun to drive. It handled just as good as the Z. So, all-around a better deal, IMHO.
Love Supra's and anything about Supra's nice hub.
Harper,
Thanks for your comment. I like your taste in sportscars ;)
Sorry, but it looks like the "Supra Replacement", the Lexus LFA, will cost upwards of $350,000 and only 500 will be made.
Eliezer,
I appreciate the update. Yeah, $350K is a little out of my price range...wow.
the ultimate aero ssc would demolish that supra.Same with the Bugatti Veyron and Ferarri Enzo
Zach, You're absolutely right about that, but what's the sticker price on those cars...six figures, right? My hub title says "All-Around" meaning that, FOR THE MONEY (about $45K), the Supra MKIV was the best, IMHO.
Love the supra. Im i have only had mine for a little under a year. She is still beautiful and such a great robust engine.
smallshinyant - nice. There are very few left on the road these days. If you have pics, I'd love to see them. My email is msh4665(at)gmail(dot)com. Thanks for your comment.
Its all about the single turbo conversion with a t51r spl, there’s a bit of turbo lag but once its on boost it is a truly terrifying experiences (in a good way)
Chris44 - Yes, I'm familiar with that conversion and have read reports about the monster it creates. I ran the BPU (basic performace upgrade) with an electronic boost controller to dial up the stock 11psi boost to 22psi with a high flow air intake and a 3" downpipe with no cat to open up air flow. And I threw in a TRD racing clutch to avoid any slippage. That was enough for me!
Shayne i think your right about the supra being one of the best all around sports cars it’s deferentially value for money, the 2JZ is pretty much bullet-proof.
Jennifer Bhala says:
10 months ago
Maybe by 2010 the $70,000 will fit your budget. I will hope and pray for you that it does, so long as you promise not to total that one.