Article by: Paul Watkins (watkinzez)
Pictured from: Need for Speed: Underground
Created by: Toyota
First appearance: 1979 (non-game)
Bio
The Supra line of cars extends over 20 years of history and four iterations of Toyota's model. Unveiled in 1979, the Supra was designed as a spin-off sports car, inspired from the company's Celica line. It wasn't until 1986 that the Supra was officially recognized as its own model, though to this day influences from its origins still stand. Supra is a Latin derivation that means to 'stand above, over, to be greater than'.
Four models of the car were made over the 20 years after its inception, ranging from Mark I to IV. The first, made with the intent to compete with the popular Datsune, was not far off the Celica liftback. The second iteration redesigned the front of the car and adjusted its length, allowing for a larger engine. It was the Mark III which separated the Supra into its own line of car, keeping its rear wheel drive and adding a more powerful engine than its 2.8 and 3.0L predecessors. Over the latter years of the '80s, the Supra received new tail lights, a front bumper, badging and side trim amongst other features.
The Mark IV, featured in Need for Speed: Underground as shown above, took a big leap for the Supra's direction as a major sports car. The 1993 release featured two new engines, the turbocharged variant able to reach 60 mph from rest in 4.6 seconds over a quarter of a mile. The IV's twin turbos operated in sequential mode rather than the standard parallel mode, acting as a gear to increase speed with reduced lag. This resulted in boost and enhanced torque as much as 1800 rpm. Toyota also took extra measures to reduce the weight of the car, using hollow carpet fibers and aluminum for the hood. It was in 2002 that the company stopped production in Japan altogether, citing a decline in sales. Only recently there have been hints of a revival, targeting different directions in the car.
Selected game appearances
PlayStation
- Gran Turismo (1998)
- Gran Turismo 2 (1999)
PlayStation 2
- Gran Turismo 3: A-spec (2001)
- Need for Speed: Underground (2003)
- Gran Turismo 4 (2005)
References
