1979 Toyota Supra
First generation · Celica Supra (A40/A50) 1979–1981
Launched as a longer, six-cylinder version of the Celica — the 'Celica Supra' — pairing the Celica's body with an inline-six and a stretched nose.
Photo: “1979 Toyota Celica Supra Mk I Coupe (23155184553)” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY 2.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
The 1979 model year
Overview
The Supra story began for 1979 with the first Celica Supra — a longer-nosed, six-cylinder version of Toyota's Celica. By stretching the Celica to accommodate an inline-six, Toyota created a grand-touring companion to the four-cylinder Celica that would, three generations later, become a standalone performance icon.
Specifications
- Body styles
- Liftback coupe
Year over year
What changed
- First model year of the Celica Supra in the US.
- Inline-six engine in a stretched Celica body — the formula that defined the nameplate.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- A late-1970s Japanese GT; rust and originality of trim are the chief concerns on survivors.
Worth knowing
Notable
- The origin of the Supra nameplate, still badged 'Celica Supra' at this point.
Sources
Other First generation years