First impressions can be deceiving.
When first we set eyes on the 1993 Toyota Supra we were disappointed. Toyota brought a preproduction, glued-together coupe into a Chicago hotel banquet hall to unveil for the news media. The all-black sport coupe looked a bit frumpy. The rear end seemed to be all bumper, and bloated at that, while the roof line resembled an eggshell, similar to the Nissan 300ZX’s.
Toyota officials boasted about performance because the new Supra not only was built on basically the same platform as the Lexus SC300 coupe from Toyota’s luxury division but also featured the same 3-liter six, only with twin turbos to provide more muscle.
Yet the car didn’t look too inviting. Some speculated the new Supra might suffer the same fate as the Toyota T100 pickup, for which the company had to resort to massive incentives for resuscitation.
The Supra arrived last week, but this time in production form. Rather than sullen black, which magnifies dust, dirt and imperfections, this one was dressed in “renaissance” red-an apt name denoting rebirth, because this car looked alive. And all the pieces were tight and snug and bolted down.
In front a trio of headlamps on each side is housed behind glass covers, and a huge air dam flanked by fog lamps allows for engine breathing. Scoops behind the doors allow air to cool the brakes. In back, round lamps integrated into the red, body-colored bumper make for a clean, sporty appearance. Modest wheel-well flares complement the overall look. Only the optional $400 deck-lid spoiler was missing.
Supra is offered in regular and turbo coupe versions; both are available with the removable, one-piece Sport Roof. The 3-liter, 24-valve, six-cylinder engine develops 220 horsepower in its normally aspirated version in the base Supra, 320 h.p. with the addition of twin turbos. The turbo comes with a six-speed manual transmission, while the turbo Sport Roof offers a four-speed automatic option.
We tested the turbo Sport Roof with automatic.
Slip inside (no need for a shoehorn, unlike in the Chevy Corvette), turn the key and the 3-liter six wakes up. Kick the pedal and those twin turbos and 320 horses spring to life. The Supra packs a wallop with a claimed 0-to-60 m.p.h. time of about 4 1/2 seconds and a top speed of 180 m.p.h. (though the top end has been limited to 155 m.p.h. for the U.S. market). Yet the mileage rating is a respectable 19 m.p.g. city/23 highway.
The low-profile Michelin P235/45ZR 17-inch tires in front and P235/40R17 tires in back grab the road as if equipped with suction cups. Traction control is standard to prevent wheel spin from a standing start or on slippery surfaces when moving.
We headed for a construction zone where a film of dirt and a salting of gravel covered the road. The Supra bent and twisted but didn’t slip or slide or even hint at losing its footing.
On the straightaway the turbos break into a whistle, the signal you’re about to be nudged back into the leather-covered bucket seat. Several more quick turns and the car continues to sit flat each time. The seat-side bolsters hold you in place and in control.
Stand on the brake pedal and the car comes to a sure stop with the aid of four-wheel anti-lock brakes. In the event of the unexpected, dual air bags offer driver and passenger protection. Air bags, anti-lock brakes, traction control-safety is covered.
The Nissan 300ZX we recently drove (Transportation, July 25) doesn’t have the road manners of the Supra-nor the traction control, dual air bags or 17-inch tires. The Supra was quicker, its ride was less harsh and its handling was more nimble and in tune with driver input. The Supra’s sight lines were vastly better than the 300ZX’s with its numerous blind spots. Prices were about even.
The Corvette ZR-1 is about 50 horses livelier than the Supra-but it also costs about $20,000 more, the ride is granitelike and the front and rear ends don’t have the harmony of the Supra, which can be aggresssive yet comfortable, powerful yet sure-footed. In that respect, the Supra reminded us of the Acura NSX.
Supra fits like a designer suit. All gauges, dials and buttons the driver needs are spread semicircle-fashion within easy reach and use. We especially like the large dials for cold/hot air and the fan. A quick twist puts the temperature and fan speed at the right setting.
But there are some annoyances. In very unsportscarlike fashion, Supra has two bucket seats in back, perhaps to avoid high two-seater insurance premiums. But there’s no leg or headroom in back to allow anyone other than a toddler to use the seats.
Also, open the hatch and there’s precious little storage room. You can fit a suit, but not a suitcase. The rear seat backs fold but remain high in the air so that you don’t gain cargo depth. Rear seat bottoms will handle a couple bags of groceries at best.
Keeping with the theme of limited storage, the center armrest opens to reveal a compartment only big enough to hold the wrenchlike tool needed to remove the roof panel for open-air driving.
The list of standard equipment is impressive and includes four-wheel double-wishbone suspension; speed-sensing power steering; four-wheel power-vented disc brakes; limited-slip differential; aluminum-alloy wheels; integrated fog lamps; and color-keyed dual power (and heated) mirrors, as well as color-keyed door handles and bumpers.
Our test car added leather seats and armrest trim for $1,100; a sound-system upgrade with cassette, CD player and seven speakers for $760; and carpeted floor mats for $76. With a $350 freight charge the sticker read $42,186.
While $42,000 plus change is a mighty sum for a Toyota that doesn’t bear the Lexus name, when judging Supra, consider it a sport coupe priced $20,000 less than a Corvette ZR-1-without the bumps and bruises thrown in. That will make the sticker easier to bear.
When Supra bowed in the 1979 model year, it was a sportier, six-cylinder upgrade of the plain-Jane four-cylinder Celica. For 1982 and ’86 1/2, new versions came out focusing on luxury rather than performance. For ’93 the attention is back on performance.
Supra has been a big sales disappointment in recent years. Sales peaked at about 20,000 in 1988 but slid to roughly 1,200 last year. The car had gone too long without updating.
Toyota expects to sell 3,000 Supras in the abbreviated year that began in June. In 1994, with a 12-month year, it’s counting on sales of 6,000.
