autoevolution
 

Turbo Pontiac Trans Am Drags Toyota Supra, Domestic vs. Import Is Photo Finish Classic

Coincidence or not, both Pontiac’s fourth-generation Firebird and the iconic Mk IV Toyota Supra were offered in North America around the same time. It was the early 1990s (1993, to be more precise), and everything was cool.
Turbo Pontiac Firebird Trans Am vs Toyota Supra Mk IV on DRACS 9 photos
Photo: Drag Racing and Car Stuff / YouTube
Turbo Pontiac Firebird Trans Am vs Toyota Supra Mk IV on DRACSTurbo Pontiac Firebird Trans Am vs Toyota Supra Mk IV on DRACSTurbo Pontiac Firebird Trans Am vs Toyota Supra Mk IV on DRACSTurbo Pontiac Firebird Trans Am vs Toyota Supra Mk IV on DRACSTurbo Pontiac Firebird Trans Am vs Toyota Supra Mk IV on DRACSTurbo Pontiac Firebird Trans Am vs Toyota Supra Mk IV on DRACSTurbo Pontiac Firebird Trans Am vs Toyota Supra Mk IV on DRACSTurbo Pontiac Firebird Trans Am vs Toyota Supra Mk IV on DRACS
No one seemed to care about what happened to the planet or how much fossil fuels do we still have to burn before we get a wake-up call. Today, the times should be different, but the sad truth is that not many of us would renounce our habits for the sake of the greater good.

One day, soon, we’ll have to do it (probably). So, we better cherish the moments when ICE-powered cars were allowed to do their best. Both on the street and at the drag strip. And such traditional encounters between imports and domestic only help us imprint our memory with treasured action. Plus, it’s easier to pass the baton towards full sustainability if you’ve seen them all.

So, let’s scratch off the all-time quarter-mile drag racing list an encounter between the fourth-generation Pontiac Firebird Trans Am and Toyota’s legendary Supra Mk IV. The skirmish between a subtle gray Trans Am and the menacing black Supra took place at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, North Carolina, during testing for the Street Car Takeover event.

But that doesn’t mean these two racers didn’t give all from their aftermarket builds. Instead, they went for an entertaining battle where mere fractions of seconds made the difference. So, after a great start from both, the Supra seemed to have the upper hand, if only by just a few inches.

In the end, the digital scoreboard noted a time of 8.9s (at 148 mph/238 kph) for the Japanese icon against the American legend’s 8.95s ET (at 156 mph/251 kph). But, as it turns out, the glory of winning the race went to the latter, according to the track signals (perhaps the Supra driver tripped the red light, who knows)!

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Aurel Niculescu
Aurel Niculescu profile photo

Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories