Minneapolis Street Sighting: Toyota Supra Mark IV

In my years of carspotting, there have always been a select few of my favorite cars that have somehow eluded me. Maybe it has to do with rarity, or simply because of where I live; the Supra falls into both of those categories I'm afraid. Marketed as Toyota's halo car when it went upmarket, the last-generation Supras are quite rare compared to earlier cars.

First established in 1978, the nameplate was made into a separate model in 1982; it is Toyota's answer to Mazda's RX7, and Datsun/Nissan's beloved Z-car.  Like its two main competitors, the Supra has always relied on one main powerplant--variations of an inline-six cylinder engine, which, in later years had the option of being turbocharged. Like its turbo-Z competitors and RX-7 competitors, the Supra turbos are quite the collector item--if not molested.

While some car enthusiasts (mainly on the muscle car side) have the idea that Supras will never be as fast as certain cars, the fact of the matter is, they can. As with a vast majority of other Japanese supercars, they can be turned into quite quick monsters with very little effort. I have not seen many tuned Supras up close, but as a general car enthusiast, I would like to.

I am proud of this find; for starters, Mark IV Supras are pretty uncommon here in any form--and rightfully so. This is Toyota's halo car--and this example certainly looks the part.Being all stock helps matters in this case, as its a rare feat for one of the world's most renowned tuner cars.

All the correct bits are present here; the stock (and slightly bland) wheels, the stock (and often duplicated) rear wing, and hey look! Supra taillights-- but wait.. This is a Supra!

I notice that this one has badges on the fenders, marking this one a 15th Anniversary Edition; that little tidbit marks this example as a 1997. Surviving nearly seventeen years as a stock car is one thing, but to do so in a world where this car is widely coveted by people who refuse to leave it stock is quite another.

I am quite happy with this spotting as I hardly ever see Toyota's supercar, stock or not. This is the only Mark IV I've shot in depth, and I hope it won't be my last.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Toyota Supra

I have long been a fan of sporty Japanese cars--and the Celica/Supra has been a longtime favorite of mine; although I like almost of them (save for the 2000+ Celica), there are a few generations which have become my favorite. I absolutely love the Mark II cars, depicted here. Introduced in 1982 and lasting till 1986, the Supra Mark II is not a popular car with ricers, much like the Mark III and IV cars; instead, the Mark II is a popular car with actual enthusiasts-- not only because these old Supra don't "look sick", but thankfully there's not a huge aftermarket selection of cosmetic parts for these.

Introduced in 1984, and lasting till 1986, this style with the 4 spoke wheels and bodycolored fender flares was called the P-Type; as with hoards of other Toyota fans, I think the P Type is the better looking Mark II; everything about it just looks right. From stance, to the monotone body, it has a certain appeal has only gotten stronger as the car has aged. Even nearly thirty years on, the P-Type Supra stands the test of time--quite well.

Like the Lynx before it, this  Supra isn't quite mint; bumper fade and minor crash damage hold true to its status as a daily driver; and to be honest, most enthusiasts would balk at that. I don't; I understand that cars are meant to be driven. Yes, the Supra is a fairly rare car today--and I don't think it was exactly common when new either, but still.

The paint on this example is clean, and is likely original; all the trim is there, and the ever-present rust seems to be missing on this almost-fine specimen--a true testament that whoever owned this thing definitely took-and takes--great care of it.  I don't see many on the roads these days, and most of them are in worse condition than this.. so props to the owner.

I didn't get to look inside, so I can't vouch for the condition, but I would hope that the interior is as clean as the body; I bet that driver's seat at least has some wear, but hey, what do you expect? It's a thirty year old car in Minnesota, that gets driven. It's gonna have wear. I'm just glad (from what I remember) that interior is still in decent shape.

This is a future classic (and it already is sort of a classic in its respective enthusiast circles), and definitely deserves to be saved; but it's nice to see a sports car that is still driven. This thing has a ton of potential, and it appears the owner is holding on to this car as if he (or she) is the last owner. Kudos to you, Supra owner. One more classic Toyota is still prowling the roads.