A very different animal from today’s Supra, the Mark IV didn’t use a BMW chassis and engine options. Toyota set out from the get-go to create a high-performance sports car with overdeveloped underpinnings, and the 2JZ-GTE engine cemented the fourth generation’s street and strip cred with a lot of tuning potential.
The thing is, A80 models on the second-hand market are expensive. And because the 3.0-liter engine is so easy to modify, you’ll have a hard time finding an unmolested Supra like the one we’ll cover today.
As the headline implies, you’re looking at a one-owner car with 36,477 miles (58,704 kilometers) on the odometer since 1997. The Limited Edition 15th Anniversary stickers and interior plaque add to the specialness of this twin-turbo time capsule finished in Renaissance Red paintwork.
Listed on Streetside Classics for the mind-boggling price of $92,995, the Mark IV before your eyes is almost as expensive as the Lexus LC with the eight-cylinder engine. For further reference, the original window sticker reads $40,320 including destination charge or $64,410 in today’s money.
The three-door liftback is undeniable a head turner, “lightly traveled and still very much in its prime.” A ton of documentation is included in the sale, starting with the owner’s manual, a supplement, a mini manual, as well as maintenance records. Streetside Classics mentions that servicing was made at Toyota, giving some peace of mind to whoever ends up buying the Mark IV.
Like all Supras with the Two-Jay-Zee in GTE specification, the straight-six engine sends all of the exhaust gases to the first turbine for reduced lag from 1,800 rpm. The other turbo gets into the groove at 3,500 revs, but it really starts spinning at 4,000 rpm. The sequential setup is a rarity by today’s standards, and the first production car to use sequential turbocharging was the Porsche 959.
1997 was the final year for the four-spoke steering wheel in the Supra, and this example still features the original unit with little signs of wear. Come 1998, both the free-breathing and force-fed motors of the Mark IV were treated to VVT-i intelligent variable valve timing technology.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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