White is the color of a ghost.
In November 1998, well before the dawn of the social media era, Kazuhiro “Smokey” Nagata made an audacious move. He assembled a film crew with a daring goal, to achieve a record-breaking 200 mph on a UK motorway, a feat no one had previously succeeded with. However, his daring endeavour fell just shy of the mark, as he reached a still-impressive 197 mph despite challenging rain condition at 4 o’clock in the morning. Smokey’s audacity did not go unnoticed, as he was apprehended, arrested and incarcerated, instantly making global headlines.
Fast forward to today, the influential algorithms of social media have rekindled Smokey’s legend, more than two decades after his both unsuccessful and yet remarkably triumphant endeavour. Millions of car freaks across the globe now marvel at the sight of his golden fourth-generation Toyota Supra flying on the motorway.
While Smokey’s record run is not commendable, his jail time did teach him a valuable lesson, as he conducted his next high-speed run on the closed Nardò Ring.
The saying goes “Legends never die”, but can they be reborn? When Toyota unveiled the fifth generation Supra in 2019, enthusiasts, like Smokey, were left in awe. A 17-year hiatus from the market is a significant time for any car model, and during that time, the legend of the fourth generation Supra had only grown stronger. Reviving a legend is a risky attempt, as expectations soar often to unreachable heights. Yet, other brands have managed to do it, so why could not Japanese engineers and designers be able to do it as well? It is possible that they too had their doubts, hence the collaboration with BMW and their model, Z4. This strategic partnership probably just aimed to infuse the new Supra with the best genes from both Asia and Europe.
The inclusion of a manual gearbox in Supra was a masterstroke, a decision that Toyota initially dismissed but eventually embraced, adding that final perfect finish touch. The manual Supra is a versatile masterpiece, suitable for daily commuting and smoky weekend track sessions. While it may not possess the raw power of Smokey’s heavily modified beast with over 1000 horsepower, it certainly captures what made the Supra so legendary in the first place.
Despite all the jokes about the Supra being a product of BMW, it receives a lot of love and attention from fellow car enthusiasts and city dwellers alike. In white, it’s not the flashiest, something ghosts can appreciate, but it still turns heads wherever it goes. People are well-educated about the Supra; they know about the BMW motor B58, the 340 horsepower, and every little BMW part in the car.
The GR Supra stands as a symbol of what can happen when automotive legends are reborn, reminding us that while legends never truly die, they can indeed be reborn. Hopefully, one day, we will see a stripped-down race version of the Supra. It has all the potential to be even faster, lighter, more powerful, and one step crazier.
