Matchbox 1995 Toyota Supra

The fourth-generation Supra is one of the most well-known Japanese sports cars to car enthusiasts thanks to a starring role in the first “The Fast and the Furious” movie in 2001 and since then has created all sorts of replica’s based on the movie car.  That is also the downside as it is hard to find a nice, clean, stock version of the Supra until you realize that Matchbox had one years before the Fast and Furious hype.

The fourth-generation Supra was a radical move from past Supra’s; in the first two generations the Supra was nothing more than a Celica with a longer nose to accomidate the I-6 motor under the hood, then by the third-generation the Supra started to become its own model as the Celica went to front-wheel drive.  The fourth-generation also shares its platform with the new Lexus SC400 coupe and has similar rounded styling, though the Supra has a sportier look with multi-projector lamps front and rear and a tall rear wing spoiler not seen since the Plymouth Superbird of 1970.  The interior has a driver-oriented layout with the controls on the dashboard curved toward the driver and the option of a removable targa top on some models.  Engines also came in two, whether the naturally aspirated 3.0L DOHC I-6 or the twin-turbo I-6 that uses sequential turbo’s to combat turbo lag (one for low-speed spool and the other for high-speed spool) to produce 320 horsepower and was offered with a six-speed manual over the 5-speed of the non-turbo models.  Rising Yen and low demand for sports cars led to the end of the Supra in the U.S. for 1998, Canada for 1996, and for the rest of the world in 2002.

Matchbox was first to replicate the Supra casting, which is surprising give the Tyco-era Matchbox that was focused on cars with vivid colors, wild graphics, and animal-shaped vehicles.  The Supra has a metal base with detailed engine, drivetrain, and exhaust systems and earlier versions had a hole in the center of each axle for no apparent reason.  The car started life with wild graphics unless you opted for the Premiere series like the gold one shown here and this is where you get realistic details; by 1998 Mattel owned Matchbox and thus cleaner models started to appear with the new 5-spoke wheels and the clean look is shown in this black version with gold Supra across the doors.  The front has a stock look with detailed tri-headlight projectors on the Premiere model and lower grille with signal lights in the side grilles.  The sides have a clean, sweeping profile with side scoops just ahead of the rear wheels to cool the rear brakes and the sweeping fastback roofline that ends in the metal rear spoiler.  The rear has detailed quad taillights and Supra on the metal base tab license plate area on the Premiere model; the one downside of these Premiere models is the wheels that are too wide and stick out past the fenders and also rub up against the fenders hindering the working suspension on most models.  The Supra does not have a working suspension.  Inside the interior has seating for four, a smooth dashboard layout with no controls, 3-spoke steering wheel and on the Premiere model a nice red and black two-tone look.  Since then more Supra castings have appeared, yet again most of them go for the tuner look so this Matchbox version is the only stock example of the Supra in 1:64, though it would’ve had a better time if it was released during the Mattel-era’s clean, minimal tampo era.