35 years of Toyota Supra

For 35 years after its launch in Japan, the Toyota Supra became the speedo boys' favorite in the tuner scene because of its hard-hitting reputation on the road and track. From the early days of the A70 to the iconic A80 that not only became popularized from its involvement in Super GT but also in The Fast and The Furious courtesy of the late Paul Walker, leading the way to the controversial DB82 revival which was met with mixed comments, probably because of its BMW DNA, the Supra is always will be The Sports of Toyota. In honor of the Supra's 35th anniversary, it's time for a quick history lesson of Toyota's legendary sports car that started its life from Toyota's 3000GT to The Sports of Toyota.

2022 Toyota GR Supra 35th Anniversary

A70 (1986) - Launched in 1986, the Supra replaced the Celica XX as their newest sports car that uses the same rear-wheel-drive platform as the Soarer. Known in the commercials as "Toyota 3000GT" because it's basically the spiritual successor to the legendary 2000GT, the Supra is powered by a choice of a 3.0L turbocharged engine, a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine (seen here), and NA versions. A 2.5L Twin Turbo version replaced the 3.0L in 1990, producing 280PS of power which is the maximum allowed for Japanese cars at that time.

A80 (1993) - Dubbed from the TV ads as "The Sports of Toyota", the A80-spec Toyota Supra was launched in 1993 and comes with two engine choices; a naturally aspirated and turbocharged version of the 3.0L 2JZ straight-six engine. The turbocharged variant produces 276HP of power and aside from that, Toyota says that this Supra is the best handling in its class because of its double-wishbone suspension setup. Despite being discontinued in 2002, it remains popular among speedo boys thanks to The Fast and the Furious franchise.

DB82/22/42 (2019) - Toyota unveiled the long-awaited GR Supra at the 2019 North American International Auto Show after a 17-year absence from the lineup and by shock, this new car is built in collaboration with BMW so most speedo boys call this Supra a BMW because it runs on the same specs as the BMW Z4 G29. Built in the same factory where the said BMW is made as well. With the design borrows inspiration from the FT-1 Concept, the GR Supra shares most of the engines from the BMW Z4 such as the 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo engine and the 3.0L BMW TwinPower Turbo engine for the range-topping RZ variant producing 340PS of power and 500Nm of torque. All of the engines are mated to an 8-speed Steptronic gearbox. The 2021MY update gave the GR Supra's 3.0L BMW-derived TwinPower Turbo engine on the flagship RZ variant has been boosted by 47PS, resulting in a 387PS of power output. In addition, the GR Supra 2020 Model features a revised chassis consisting of lightweight aluminum braces, front and rear bump stops, and new damper tuning.

In honor of the Supra's 35th birthday, Toyota launched a special GR Supra 35th Anniversary model, in 3.0L RZ and 2.0L SZ-R variants. The RZ 35th Anniversary is offered in Matte Storm Grey metallic color, red leather seats, and a wireless charger. The SZ-R 35th Anniversary, meanwhile, features red brake calipers, matte black side mirrors, a choice of Alcantara and leather seats, sports pedals, and a choice of five exterior colors with the addition of the variant exclusive Lightning Yellow. Both models feature 19-inch forged aluminum wheels in matte black color and a carbon-fiber trim with the GR Supra 35th Anniversary banner on it.

The 35th Anniversary GR Supra special starts at 6,535,000 Yen for the SZ-R and 7,835,000 Yen for the RZ. Both are limited to 35 units and customers require to sign up for the lottery for the chance to become an eligible buyer of the special model.

Happy 35th anniversary to the Toyota Supra! From the A70 to the speedo boy-favorite A80, to the BMW-derived GR Supra that signaled the beginning of the Reiwa era JDM sports cars, it will always be The Sports of Toyota known the world over.