02/06/2026
The Toyota Celica Supra A60 arrived at a fascinating moment in automotive history.
It was the last Supra before the model became a standalone icon.
And that's what makes the A60 such an interesting part of the Supra story.
Built from 1982 to 1986, the A60 still carried the Celica Supra name, but Toyota was already pushing the car in a different direction. Compared to the standard Celica, the Supra received a longer wheelbase, a longer nose, and the smooth inline-six engine that would become one of the model's defining characteristics.
And Toyota made sure it looked different, too.
Pop-up headlights, aggressive fender flares on later Performance Package models, sharp 80s styling, and proportions that still look fantastic today. The A60 had a presence that made it feel far more expensive than it actually was.
But the real story was under the hood.
North American models were powered by Toyota's 2.8L DOHC 5M-GE inline-six, producing up to 161 horsepower and 169 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers may seem modest today, but in the mid-1980s the combination of smooth power delivery, rear-wheel drive, and an available five-speed manual transmission made the Supra feel genuinely sophisticated.
And that's what separated it from many of its competitors.
The A60 wasn't just trying to be quick.
It was trying to be refined.
Independent rear suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, an available limited-slip differential, and a well-balanced chassis gave the car a level of maturity that many sports coupes of the era struggled to match.
And that's a big reason enthusiasts still appreciate them today.
The Celica Supra A60 came from a time when Toyota was figuring out exactly what the Supra should become.
Looking back now, it's easy to see the foundation being laid.
The inline-six.
The rear-wheel-drive platform.
The grand touring character.
The performance potential.
Everything that would later define the Supra was already there.
It just happened to wear a Celica badge.