Toyota responded to these demands in 1982 with the second-generation Celica Supra. Still based on the Celica chassis (back when it was rear-wheel-drive), the MKII Supra sported sharp, angular lines with wide, boxy fenders. It was more aerodynamic and the styling went over a lot better with the general public. It’s not hard to tell why - I still think the boxy looks of the MKII are attractive today, in a retro sort of way.
in the US market, the Supra was initially available in two types: Performance and Luxury. They were mechanically the same, but the P-type got the fiberglass fender flares, 8-way adjustable sports seats (highly reviewed at the time), 7″ wide 14″ alloys (instead of the standard 5.5″ wide wheels), and a few other goodies.
The engine was a derivative of the MK1 Supra motor. Now sporting dual overhead cams (but still 2 valves per cylinder), the 5M-GE made a respectable 145bhp. This dropped the 0-60 time below 10 seconds (remember… 1982!) and the quarter dropped from the low 19’s to the high 17’s. The main improvement was the wider powerband thanks to the dual overhead cam setup which made the Supra a lot more fun to drive. Press and owner feedback alike was overwhelmingly positive; by the mid-eighties the Supra had become something of a new-money status symbol. Mainly because it looked like a space ship.
1983 brought in an extra 5bhp, a 4.10:1 final drive for the P-type to help acceleration, and minor changes. Real updates occured in 1985, with a new throttle position sensor, EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve, and the addition of a knock sensor allowing a higher compression ratio. Power went up to 161bhp (roughly comparable to the turbocharged Nissan 280ZX), and 0-60 was dispatched in a more respectable 8.4 seconds. Production of the MKII Celica Supra ended in 1986, and it’s replacement was even better.
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