1,300-HP Japanese Drag Race Goes to Show That Not All Toyotas Are 100% Reliable

Most Toyota owners will tell you that their car is quite reliable. But that might not be the case for those that have tuned their machines for more power. Once you start changing parts and moving away from the factory setup, you're bound to run into problems at one point.

Toyota could have built a 1,000-hp Supra from the factory, but there's a reason they didn't do it. Because a brand new vehicle is supposed to endure the test of time and runs for hundreds of thousands of miles without breaking down.

And you should always remember the holy triangle: cheap, fast, reliable - choose only two! If Toyota would have built a 1,000-hp Supra, it would have had a six-digit price tag, to begin with. Today's drag race has two very capable Japanese cars going head-to-head on an airfield, and one of them is of course a Toyota Supra.

This 1993 model is now using a BMW-sourced DCT gearbox, alongside an engine that's capable of delivering 700 hp. Even though it weighs 3,417 lbs (1,550 kg), it should still be a formidable weapon down the quarter-mile (402 meters).

The 2000 Nissan S15 might have a smaller engine, but we all know that SR20DET units can make a lot of power with the right upgrades. This one happens to be rated for 600-hp thanks to a GTX3071R Turbo and a host of other performance mods.

While its Nissan 370Z gearbox isn't as fancy as the Supra's DCT, at least the S15 is lighter at 2,800 lbs (1,270 kg). The rolling race is the first challenge of the day, and the Supra seems to be struggling for a bit with the damp surface. Still, they're neck-and-neck across the finish line. But it's the S15 that gets the win for this first attempt.

The owner of the Supra realizes that he is out of the game due to a technical malfunction. It's a good thing that the organizers had a MK V on standby for unexpected situations like this. This 2020 model only has 550 hp to play with, while weighing 3,284 lbs (1,490 kg).

At this point, the chances of suffering a technical malfunction are quite low. Getting up to that kind of power with an investment of less than $10,000 and with the peace of mind that it's still somewhat reliable is a dream come true for any automotive enthusiast.

It might not be as capable as its predecessor in the rolling race, but things might be different for the standing quarter-mile (402 meters). It does get a shot at winning after the S15 misses a gear, but otherwise, it doesn't have what it takes to win this kind of challenge.

Once they line up for the normal starting procedure, modern technology comes into play. Today's cars are so much more efficient than their predecessors, and the GR Supra launches like there's no tomorrow. Meanwhile, the older Nissan struggles with wheelspin going off the line and its fate is already sealed.

The Toyota crosses the finish line after 11.51 seconds with a trap speed of 125.48 mph (201.94 kph). Things might have been different if this wasn't a no-prep surface, but given the situation, the S15 clocked in at 12.74 seconds with a trap speed of 122.29 mph (196.8 kph).