1983 Toyota Celica Supra Specs

The Toyota Celica Supra was rolled out by the Japanese auto giant Toyota Motor Corporation in 1978 at the Tahara Plants, and forty years down the line, the three-door liftback Coupe has seen many generations, and it is still highly regarded today.

The sports car received excellent reviews from Cars and Drivers and many car enthusiasts for its extraordinary reliability record and fantastic drivability. The car, which was Toyota's answer to the very popular Datsun (now Nissan) Z-car, had five generations of wonders on wheels.

The first generation was built between 1978 and 1981, the second between 1981 and 1985, the third generation out from 1986 to 1992, the fourth generation was produced from 1993 to 1998, and over two decades break before the Supra was reintroduced in 2019. Let's take a closer look at the cost of the various generations that existed throughout the 1980s.

The First Generation (1978 – 1981)

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Toyota Celica Supra's first generation was primarily inspired by the Toyota Celica hatchback (Celica XX). One of the few notable differences was the more extended front panel, as more room was created for its bigger inline-6 instead of the 4-cylinder engine that the Celica had. The A40/A50 Supra had a 5.1 longer inch wheelbase and was 8.1 inches longer as a whole.

Although the A40 Supra resembled a longer Celica, with 110 HP, single-overhead-cam, and a 2.6-liter inline-6, it became the first Toyota engine with electronic fuel injection, and that made a difference. Other notable differences are the; four-wheel independent suspension and four-wheel disc brakes, and buyers had the option to either choose the 4-speed automatic transmission or the 5-speed manual. It also had power windows and power locks and a much heftier base price of $9,780. This is according to Hagerty.

In 1981, the A50 model was unveiled. The A50 boasts of a more powerful engine as its 2.8-liter version of the inline-6 can generate 116 HP and 145 Ib-ft of torque and has a 0-60 MPH acceleration time of 10.2 seconds. The first generation Supra was not made with speed in mind, but it was still smooth to handle and was very reliable.

The Second Generation (1981 – 1985)

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In 1982, the Supra got more noticeable changes and had two series available in the North American Market; the L-Series (Luxury Series) and the P-series (Performance Series). The price got heftier as the Performance Series had a $14,598 base price while that of the Luxury Series was $13,598.

The A60 Toyota Celica Supra got an upgraded engine, but there were no changes to the transmission. The A60 was powered by a 2.8-liter 12 valve engine that had an 8:8:1 ratio, and this increased its power output to 145 HP (108kW), generating 155 Ib-ft of torque and this was later upgraded to generate 161 HP in the 1985 model A advanced vacuum distributor was also introduced. The A60 had a 0-60 MPH acceleration time of 9.8 seconds.

The L-Series had the option of the 5-speed manual or the 4-speed automatic transmission. Both transmissions featured an overdrive, and the automatic had a locking torque converter. The second generation Supra later got a two-piece automatic- off the light of light instead of one. The A60 won Import Car of the Year by Motor Trend and made the Driver Magazine's Ten Best list for 1983 and 1984.

The Third Generation (1986 – 1992)

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The Supra eventually became divorced from the Celica in 1986, and they ended up as two different models. Celica moved to a front-wheel-drive layout while Supra kept the rear-wheel-drive structure. A new 3.0-liter inline-six engine generating 200 HP was introduced. By 1987, a turbocharged version was added, which boosted HP to 230, and the Supra had an improved 0-60 MPH acceleration time of 6.0 seconds.

The A70 got other notable features like electronically controlled independent suspension – TEMS, Removable Sport-Roof Panel (Targa Top), double wishbone suspensions, and anti-lock brakes. The A70 Supra had a base cost of $17,990, and Toyota sold around 109,000 of them from the time it was released till it was off the market.

The fourth generation was introduced in the late 1900s after a short break. Still, by then, the market for sports coupes was already declining in North America, and the Supra had withdrawn from the North American market shortly after. However, the collaboration between Toyota and BMW led to the reintroduction of the Supra in 2019.

Current Price

Via Wheelsage.org

The price of the Toyota Celica Supra in the 1980s varies as factors like; model, series, and year of production are considered. The price was between the range of $9,000 and $19,000. However, the Supra is now considered a collectible car, which still gives it an excellent value in today's market. The older models attract a higher price. The current price for the Supra of the '80s is between $8,000 and $70,000, and modifications can take the price higher.

NEXT: 2021 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 Review: Tons Of Power For Such A Small Package

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