Five Things: Ranking the Supras

Monday, 23 November 2020

The latest Toyota Supra is somewhat controversial in some circles due to its BMW underpinnings.

But you know what else is controversial? Ranking the five generations of Supra, but we’re going to do that anyway! If you don’t agree with us, make your pick in the poll at the bottom!

1. 1993-2002 Supra A80

Okay, this is obvious really – while the styling of the fourth-generation Supra wasn’t universally loved at the time, it quickly became an utter legend largely thanks to the wild tune-ability of its 3.0-litre 2JZ-GTE engine.

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Available in either 164kW naturally-aspirated form or twin-turbo form that produced 203kW in the domestic market, 239kW in Canada and the USA and 243kW in the European market, the 2JZ-GTE could be wound up to insane levels and beyond.

The A80 was high-tech and well-regarded, but by the late 1990s buyers had largely lost interest in large coupes, so the Supra was quietly dropped in 2002.

2. 1981-1985 Celica Supra A60

Like the original, the second-gen Supra continued to be based on the Celica (and also continued to be known as the Celica XX in its home market), but featured an upgraded independent rear suspension system, a nicer interior and significantly more power.

It arrived at a time when pretty much every manufacturer was getting in on the affordable sports car act and was the model that cemented the Supra as a driver’s car.

In New Zealand we only officially got the most powerful 133kW 2.8-litre version, which was sold here between 1984 and 1985.

3. 2019-present Supra A90

Argue all you want that the BMW underpinnings and powertrain mean this isn’t a “real Supra”, but it carries the name and is powered by a brilliant straight-six and is a thoroughly awesome driver’s car, so it ticks all the boxes.

After Toyota revealed its FT-HS concept car in 2007 rumours started swirling that it was going to resurrect the Supra, but it wasn't until 2018 that Toyota finally confirmed that the name would be used on the coupe that it had co-developed with BMW.

The latest Supra is also the first to use a four-cylinder engine – BMW's 2.0-litre turbo four, but we don’t get that here.

4. 1978 -1981 Celica Supra A50

The first generation of Supra wasn't originally called Supra - it was first sold in Japan as the Celica XX, which tips you off to its origins.

Essentially a Celica with a longer nose to fit an inline six-cylinder engine, the Celica Supra was unleashed on the world in 1979, a year after it debuted in Japan as the Celica XX.

Initially available with the choice of a 92kW 2.0-litre or 82kW 2.6-litre engine (the export models only got the larger engine), the Supra was upgraded to a 2.8-litre six that produced 87kW for its final year of production.

5. 1986-1993 Supra A70

Considered a very high-tech car at the time, the third generation of Supra saw it separate entirely from the Celica, with the Celica going to the FWD Corona platform, while the Supra remained RWD, sharing its platform and engines with the Japanese market Toyota Soarer.

And it got heavy. Really heavy.

Toyota steered the Supra more towards being a plush grand tourer than a driver-focussed sporty car, but it was still a great car that has many fans today.

Despite its heftiness, Toyota still managed to make it decently quick, particularly when a 2.5-litre turbo six was added to the range taking the third-gen Supra's power to 206kW.