Remember racing the Castrol TOM’s Toyota Supra in PlayStation2’s Grand Turismo? Now gaming kids of the 1990s can buy as close as you’ll get to the real thing in a UK charity auction with this special machine donated by Toyota GB for Comic Relief.
Friday 13th of March is going to be lucky for somebody with the chance to own this traffic-stopping piece of motoring history in the UK charity auction ending tomorrow.
In fact lovers of Toyota rarities and exotica have the chance to own not just one but two pieces of motoring history in the charity auction. Toyota, an official partner to Red Nose Day, is inviting bids for the machines from its UK heritage collection.
They are the Supra, fully kitted and liveried to match the world-famous Sony Gran Turismo car; and a wild version of the 1990s Picnic MPV, packing a rally-bred Cel;ica GT-Four 2.0-litre turbo engine. It’s hoped the mean machines’ unique qualities will attract plenty of interest and boost Toyota’s mission to raise £1 million to support Comic Relief’s great work in the UK and Africa.
Scott Brownlee, Toyota’s general manager, said: “This is a truly one-off opportunity that we hope will attract lots of attention from the legions of Toyota fans. Both cars were developed here in the UK to demonstrate a more off-beat, street-savvy side to the brand.”
The auction is being hosted on the Pistonheads.com website Supra , Picnic where eager bidders can offer their best price. Bidding continues through to 13 March, when the winners will be announced.
The Supra is one of the last of the UK models, a 1996 version beefed up with a host of performance components. The twin turbo 3.0-litre in-line six engine produces around 370bhp, driving the rear wheels through a four-speed auto ‘box. The 5×19 Lenso Concept Five alloys are fitted with 235/35×19 tyres. There is a Veilside full body kit, including huge boot spoiler and front bumper, plus lowered suspension using Eibach springs.
The looks match the muscle: the Supra is finished in genuine full Castrol racing livery to replicate the look of the world-famous Gran Turismo game car. In the cabin there is a matching full-leather interior and a powerful Kenwood audio system feeding a suite of Memphis speakers via a 2,000W class D amplifier.
The Gran Turismo game is based on tuning up used cars to race spec and Daddy of them all is the Castrol Supra. With millions of games sold, the Castrol Supra is one of the world’s most famous race cars – yet never raced outside Japan.
This car started as a standard Supra – the company car of a Toyota director in 1996 – and via Redline magazine was tuned and modified with all the kit that makes the Supra one of the favourite cars in the custom world. Road legal, it turns heads like no other machine thanks in part to the Castrol livery – the only real racing part direct from the TOM’s racing team in Japan.
But it’s sweet to drive, with HKS front-mounted intercooler, Samco water and boost hoses, Blitz SUS air filter, and with Blitz Nur Spec-R cat-back stainless exhaust system and Blitz Super-sound blow-off valve sounds great too.
For this photo shoot by NWVT’s Nick Williams, the natural location for daylight static shots was Japanese Performance Parts in Crawley – for extreme goodies and, just as in Gran Turismo, the Supra leaves the competition crumpled in its wake. For the night shots the facility was courtesy of Toyota’s pristeen TPC.
The Picnic was a typically clever Toyota MPV that proved a popular family choice in the 1990s. Toyota GB’s press department wondered what it would be like if the car was fitted with a 210bhp 2.0-litre turbo engine from the mighty Celica GT-Four. The result was the Picnic Sport Turbo, a unique, street-legal Q-car that can move from 0-100 km/h in 7.5 seconds. It comes with lowered suspension, a heavy-duty clutch and a hot red leather interior.
