Toyota Supra 3.0i Turbo MkIII A70

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The Supra made its debut in 1978 and was the spiritual successor to the fabulous Toyota 2000GT of the late 1960s, an iconic sports car that first put Toyota on the map as a credible manufacturer of sporting machines and now commands a price in excess of £250,000.

More of a GT than an outright sports car, the original Supra was a natural rival to the Capri 2.8i and the Alfa GTV6 but was better built and equipped than either of them. The MkIII A70 version came out in 1986 and positively bristled with gadgets, sophisticated anti-lock brakes and electronically controlled suspension being among the options offered.

The basic UK model had a 200bhp 3-litre straight-six with twin overhead cams and four valves per cylinder, transmitting its power to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic gearbox. However a turbocharged version was also available which boosted power to 232bhp and 254lb/ft of torque, sufficient for a 0-60 time of just 6.8 seconds and a top speed of 145mph.

This particular Supra Turbo Automatic is a quite remarkable example that has had just one Jersey owner from new (although it was recently put into a second UK name to get a UK number plate, F630 AAB). It has covered only 74,200 miles from new and is in stunning condition throughout with a particularly fine tan leather interior.

The owner purchased the car new in St Helier, Jersey, in July 1989 at a cost of £23,000 and has maintained it meticulously ever since, although the service history and the handbooks were unfortunately stolen from the car on a recent trip to Spain. A letter from the owner in the history file warrants that the mileage is genuine. MOTd until June 2014 with no advisories recorded, the car is said to drive superbly and certainly seemed in good health when we were treated to a short test drive on the occasion of our visit.

Prices for all Japanese neo-classics have firmed up markedly in recent years and the Supra already has something of a cult following, especially amongst the ‘drifting’ brigade thanks to appearances in movies such as ‘The Fast and the Furious’ and in video games like ‘Gran Turismo’. Okay, prices may never hit the levels of the iconic 2000GT but we feel sure they have some way to go yet. This exceptionally well-presented example may yet turn out to be a shrewd investment at the modest guide price suggested today.