The First Supra

The first generation of the Supra was basically a lengthened Celica with an inline-six cylinder engine instead of a 4. Overall length went up 5.1″ over the Celica, but it was all from the A-pillar forward. The 2.6L 4M-E under the hood was a simple iron-block unit with a 12 valve head, and made 110 horsepower. It was also Toyota’s first engine to sport electronic fuel injection. Supras came with either a 5-speed overdrive manual transmission, or a 4-speed automatic, which was high tech back then.

Ok, so it wasn’t pretty by modern standards, but by 1979 standards it was powerful, reliable, and well-equipped.The first-generation Celica Supra was in production until 1981, and received minor updates during that time frame. The Japanese-market Supra received a turbocharged version in 1980, with a 2.0L M-TEU motor making 145 horsepower. This 2.0L engine was Toyota’s first turbo motor, and acceleration was greatly improved.

For in1981, the base model US Supras received a mild upgrade - the 4M-E became the 5M-E, with displacement boosted to 2.8L and power going up to 116. Increased torque, lower peaks, and a shorter final-drive ratio made the performance a little more segment-appropriate, but still left something to be desired.