The Fourth Generation - Legendary

By 1992, the Supra was getting decidedly long in the tooth. The Corvette had gained the 300bhp LT1 V8 and the ZF 6-speed manual, and the 300ZX Turbo had been updated to the fantastic Z32, with it’s 300-horsepower twin turbo VG. The RX-7 had dropped weight (under 2800lbs) and gained standard twin-sequential turbochargers, which allowed 255bhp and 0-60 in 4.9 seconds. Then there were the 3Si twins, the Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo and the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4. While history hasn’t been kind to these cars, remember what they had back in 1990: 300 horsepower twin turbo V6, four wheel drive, four wheel steering, active aerodynamics, etc. Something had to be done.

So for the MKIV Supra, Toyota went all-out in a way they have never acheived again. When the MKIV Supra debuted in 1993, it wasn’t just a match for it’s Japanese competition - RX7, 300ZX, 3000GT VR-4 - it had Porsche Turbos and Ferrari 512’s getting cold sweats. Oh, it was fast.

The new car switched over entirely to the new JZ block, with base models carrying the 220bhp 2JZ-GE 3.0L I6, almost as much as the old 7M turbo. Big news was the Turbo: the 2JZ-GTE under the hood was a 3.0L iron-block 24v six, fitted with twin-sequential turbocharging. Total power was 320bhp@5600rpm and 315lb-ft@4000 rpm. Oddly enough, US-market Supra Turbos were more powerful than Japanese Market cars. Thanks to smaller, quicker spooling impeller wheels on the turbos and larger injectors, the US-market Turbo handily beat the Japanese market car, 320 to 280. This is due to a “gentleman’s agreement” between the Japanese manufacturers to limit stated output to 276bhp - or 280ps. Of course, it’s unlikely the Japanese market Supras actually only made 280bhp, but it’s still interesting nonetheless.

Performance was explosive. Car & Drive timed a stock, six-speed Supra Turbo to sixty miles an hour in 4.6 seconds. What was most interesting was the extensive lengths Toyota went to minimize weight given all the equipment; a Supra Turbo weighed in around 3400lbs, so they weren’t entirely successful. But seriously: aluminum formed the hood, targa roof, front crossmember, upper suspension A-arms, oil pan, and transmission pan. Then there were the dished-out head bolts, hollow-fiber carpet mats (not even kidding), a magnesium steering wheel, a gas-filled rear spoiler (huh?), and the fact that they chose not to include an unnecessary dual exhaust on the Turbo model. As a result, the model was about 200lbs lighter than the MK3 - despite producing way more power.

The car was a press darling, winning comparison tests and awards left and right. The car continued on unchanged (what needed to be fixed?) until 1999, when Toyota ceased importation of the car to the US due to an unfavorable dollar-to-yen exchange rate. JDM production of the Supra continued until 2002, when upcoming emissions regulations finally killed the car after a 9-year-long run.

Today, the Supra is still enjoying a disproportionately large amount of popularity. Some of it is due to the ease with which one can coax extra power out of a Supra Turbo; “BPU” (Basic Performance Upgrades) MKIV Supra Turbos are easily capable of laying down 400+ wheel horsepower, which is a whole lot of fun. Also, these cars are incredibly overbuilt - the stock block and internals can support up to 800 crank horsepower without upgrades, which is simply insane. However, what’s a shame is that a lot of Supras have fallen into the hands of the ricey tuner crowd, who slap some big wheels and a sewer-pipe exhaust on it after seeing The Fast and The Furious. Still, if you can find a well-maintained (stock) Supra Turbo for a good price, don’t pass it by just because it’s a Toyota. Remember, they weren’t ALWAYS boring.