Toyota Supra

The Toyota Supra was a sports car produced by Toyota. Production began in 1979. The Supra was built and designed on the legacy of Toyota's former super sports car, the 2000GT. It bore the common chassis code of "A".

Toyota Celica Supra Mk I (1979-1981)

The first generation Supra was based largely upon the Toyota Celica liftback, but was longer by 5.1 inches (doors and rear section same length as celica but rear panels differ). Most importantly, the Celica's 4-cylinder engine was replaced by an inline 6. Toyota's original plan for the Supra at this time was to make it a competitor to the very popular Datsun (now Nissan) 240Z; it, in some degree, succeeded.

The 1979 (1978 Japan market) Mk 1 was originally equipped with a 110hp (82kW) single overhead cam inline-6 motor, the 2.6L 4M-E (MA46 chassis code) (which was the first Toyota engine with electronic fuel injection). In 1981, the Supra received the 2.8L 5M-E, (MA47 Chassis code) making 116hp (87kW) and 145ft·lbf (197N·m) of torque. It was also available in Japan with the 2.0L M-EU engine MA45 chassis code) and possibly the M-TEU turbo.

As with all subsequent versions of the Supra, the Mk 1 was equipped with either 5 speed manual (W50) or 4 speed automatic transmission, and it also came standard with 4-wheel disc brakes, but retained the T series solid rear axle configuration of the celica in the MA45 version and a larger F series (and optional LSD) in the MA46 and MA47.

1981 was the last year that a Celica Supra could be purchased equipped with an 8-track stereo.

Toyota Celica Supra Mk II (1982-1986)

Though the Celica name was still used, in its second generation the Supra stood more apart from the Celica. The Mk 2, with its all-new design, quickly became a success in the US where it was awarded the Import Car of the Year by Motor Trend. It also made Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1983 and 1984.

In the US, the engine was changed from the SOHC 2.8L 5M-E to the DOHC 2.8L 5M-GE. The MK2 came in 2 flavors: the P-type (Performance type) and the L-type (Luxury type). They were differentiated by the available options, tire/wheel combo, and body trim: the P-type had fiberglass fender flares over the wheel wells, while the L-type had simple smaller flares molded into the metal above the wheel wells. Typically the P-type came with either 4.10:1 or 4.30:1 rear gearing, while the L-type came with 3.727:1 rear gearing. Both were offered with either the W58 manual 5-speed transmission or the A43DL (1982 only)/A43DE (1983-1986.5) 4-speed automatic transmission. The P-type came with 14X7 wheels and 225/60/14 tires, and the L-type came with 14x5.5 wheels and 195/70/14 tires. As a complement to the superb engine, the Celica Supra's suspension was specially designed by Lotus.