We discussed just recently how the fourth-generation Toyota Supra has seemingly become of the next flavor of the month, knocking the E30 M3 out of the way as the latest import icon to spike in prices seemingly overnight. In particular, dealers seem to be getting in on the action by snatching up survivor-grade cars and putting seriously inflated price tags on them. In the case of this 1997 Toyota Supra Twin Turbo here on eBay, the selling dealer has invested heavily in both a mechanical and interior restoration, and has listed it for sale with a price tag of $79,995.
There’s a few things working in this example’s favor, regardless of what you think of the asking price. For one, it’s the twin turbo engine; for another, it’s the limited production 15th anniversary example. For a third, it’s got great colors, wearing white on black, and finally, the Toyota dealer has effectively rebuilt an already reliable supercar using all Toyota OEM parts. The Supra has just over 155,000 miles on it, and while the body appears to be in great condition, no specifics on any cosmetic fixes are offered. Chrome wheels aren’t my thing, but they appear to be in great condition.
Now, the 15th Anniversary edition status is a touch confusing, as I’ve always felt like every 1997 car wore these special badges indicating this was the year of the Supra’s milestone anniversary, but others claim only a handful got the designation. Regardless, what’s more important here is that the Toyota dealer that’s selling this specimen has completely restored the interior, with the listing specifically noting the installation of “…brand new leather seats,” to go along with the substantial mechanical overhaul noted in the description.
But before we get to that, you may have noticed the automatic transmission. Yes, a lot of these cars had slushboxes, and it doesn’t matter a whole lot because many enthusiasts felt like the robust horsepower numbers more than made for any slowness in shift action. Plus, it reveals the dichotomy of the Supra’s personality, allowing it to be a deceptively fast highway cruiser, or a menace on the backroads to any slow-moving drivers. The seller notes the engine rebuild was handled by Toyota certified technicians, so hopefully this pricey Supra has plenty of years of fast cruising left in her.
I’ll have some of what this seller is smoking, thank you…
Negatives. White. Automatic. Chrome wheels. < (Easy to change). Price.
I would say $30,000…
For a higher mileage automatic example, yes, it’s only worth about 80k. Way more for a manual and low miles. This is one of the A-list 1990s cars, which draws the type of buyer who sneezes and 80k comes out.
In white that “bar of soap” styling really shows up.
So they went through an entire rebuild and couldn’t find an ash tray or lighter? Lol. There are so many things wrong with this car (and lies by the dealer):
1. The hatch badges are located wrong and crooked
2. Those are not original Supra seats with that white stitching. Looks more like Riddies covers
3. The passenger air bag cover is warped
4. It’s a respray (and a poor one at that)
5. Fender VIN tags are missing – probably hood missing also
6. Under hood insulation is missing (this and the fenders makes me think ‘accident’)
7. $800+ worth of ‘original’ floor mats are missing (still available from Toyota)
The bottom line is that with all the questions the above brings up, there is no way this is an $80k car. And by the way, all 1997 Supras were shipped with the fender badges/decals and an ash tray plaque for the 15th anniversary. It was up to the dealer to install and some just didn’t
8. Whomever applied the “Limited Edition” decal on the front right fender had dirty fingers, leaving permanent dark smudges *between* the decal and the “new” paint.
9. Sharp eyes from JoeNYWF64 spotted color difference in mirror covers vs body paint.
10. How many bottles of ArmourAll did they pour on that dash?
IMHO.
My sister had the same one ( same color, interior, and automatic.)While driving it once I jumped onn it while cresting a incline and went airborne, these twin turbos we’re fast and stylish. Rare beauties ( BTW when she sold it she made a profit of $15,000 over what she paid, to think what it could be worth now😏 )
Interesting:
1997 Toyota Supra Turbo, 0-60 mph, 5.2 sec. 1/4 mile, 13.7 sec. Asking Price, $80,000.
2009 Infiniti G37S Sedan (manual), 0-60 mph, 5.2 sec. 1/4 mile, 13.7 sec. Asking Price, …..A tad below $80,000 :-) :-)
Yep. And if you raced this against a new Mustang GT, Camaro SS, or Challenger Scat Pack, you would be over a second and a half behind in the quarter mile, and considerably further behind on a road course. Your $40,000 lighter bank account would in no way erase the difference!
But it’s not really about that. These cars have attained icon status. There really isn’t any rational explanation. It is what it is.
The colors of the mirrors from the front view do not seem to match the rest of the car – or is it the lighting?
A FRONT drive 3000gt non turbo DOHC V6 actually has more empty space/room under the hood, tho i believe it’s a wider car than the Supra.
Surprising no oil press or voltmeter/ammeter gages on Supra, or are they digital?
I was a tech at the local Toyota dealer when these were new. I did like the looks of this generation, but quite honestly I was disappointed in the performance. They handle well, but the acceleration felt lacking. (yes, I am referring to the turbo models) It is possible that it ran well and was just boring? My daily driver was a 10 second S10, so maybe I was jaded.