Let's face it. Car enthusiasts of the world love the fourth-generation A80 Toyota Supra. Even after three years with the present-day A90 Supra, folks still hold the 1990s icon on a pedestal that seems insurmountable by anything short of a modernized A80 packing a 2JZ under the hood. Meanwhile, the third-generation A70 Supra has languished in the shadows, robbed of the love it deserves. Perhaps these renderings can help change that.

We have Hakosan Designs on Instagram to thank for this glorious vision of a new wedge Supra. The car is instantly recognizable as an A70 thanks to the long, flat hood, pop-up headlights, and simple fastback shape. This fictional upgrade rounds off some of the edges while honoring the classic wedge shape, keeping it low and wide. In fact, this interpretation is even wider thanks to flared fenders, beneath which sit fat tires and upgraded brakes.

The A70's iconic thin black strip is retained at the front, incorporating modern lights with an aggressive lower fascia and a modest grille for feeding and cooling the engine. Speaking of which, Hakosan Designs is totally on-board with A70 and A80 love, envisioning this 1980s restomod using a 2JZ, 1JZ, or even a modified 3S four-cylinder engine making 500 hp. the 3S-GTE is known for powering the range-topping fourth-generation Celica in the late 1980s, but lest we forget, the Supra began life as a Celica trim level.

In fact, the A70 marks the official split between Celica and Supra. It debuted in 1986 looking like something from the future, and while American sports cars were returning to V8 engines, Toyota offered a competitive 3.0-liter inline-six good for about 200 horsepower. A variety of six-pots were available through the years, culminating with the twin-turbocharged 2.5-liter 1JZ making 276 hp for the Japanese market. In the states, the range-topping Supra featured the single-turbo 3.0-liter engine making 232 hp.

There's no question the fourth-gen Supra with its 330-hp 2JZ outclassed its predecessor in almost every way. Claiming a prominent place in The Fast and the Furious certainly helped it achieve superstar status, but it's always nice to see some love given to the A70.

Source