Supra MK4 Price: MSRP, Trims & Real-World Cost

The MK4 is the fourth-generation Toyota Supra, sold in the United States from the 1993 model year. Enthusiasts often use the "A80" chassis code for it. It became a collector favorite for its twin-turbo inline-six, its styling, and its place in tuner and film culture, and that following explains why prices today bear little relation to what the car cost new.

This guide covers the two prices that matter. The first is what a new Supra Turbo cost in the 1990s, taken from a published road test. The second is what recent buyers have paid at auction. A third point needs care: some of the cars sold in the United States today were never sold here new, and they are priced on their own terms.

The figure in the box above comes from a Car and Driver comparison test of the 1993 Supra Turbo. The low end of the range is the base price of the car, and the high end is the as-tested price with options added. It does not cover the non-turbo model, later model years, or any dealer markup or fees. If you need the figure for a specific year, check a period road test or brochure, or the manufacturer's records for that model year.

The price comparison is also complicated by inflation. A sum that bought a high-end sports car in 1993 would not buy the same thing now, so treat the original price as a historical reference.

Used MK4 values are set by auction results and private sales. The sales below are individual results from Bring a Trailer, an online auction site. They are single cars on single days, not averages, and the labels show the year, trim, mileage, and any special features.

Read the labels closely, because they explain most of the spread:

• U.S.-market Turbo with a six-speed. The 1993 Turbo hardtop with a manual transmission sold at the top of this group. A manual gearbox is the combination many collectors look for.
• Low-mileage, long-owned example. The 1995 SE Edition with about 30k miles and a single long-term owner brought a strong result, but less than the 1993 Turbo.
• JDM imports. The 1994 RZ Turbo and the 1995 JDM car are Japanese-market vehicles. Their listings note this. They were built to Japanese specifications and imported later, so they should not be compared directly with U.S.-market cars. One of them carries a widebody modification, and the other reports mileage in kilometers.

• U.S. spec or JDM import. Equipment, emissions, and documentation differ, and buyers value them differently.
• Turbo or non-turbo. The twin-turbo cars have long carried a premium over the naturally aspirated versions.
• Transmission. A manual is generally preferred by collectors, though the exact premium changes over time.
• Mileage and condition. Low-mileage, unmodified cars tend to sell higher, while accident history and heavy modification can lower what a buyer will pay.
• Modifications. Tuned and widebody cars appeal to a narrower set of buyers. Whether a particular modification adds or subtracts value depends on quality and the buyer.
• Originality and records. Original parts, service history, and documentation are important for collectible cars.

A car that was not sold new in the United States generally has to meet federal import rules. For many vehicles, that means being old enough to qualify for the 25-year exemption. Confirm that an imported car was legally imported, that the paperwork is complete, and that it can be titled and registered in your state. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation publish import requirements on their websites, and a customs broker or your state motor vehicle agency can answer questions about a specific vehicle.

Ask also whether the seller has the export certificate and import documents, and how the odometer reading was verified. Japanese-market cars may show mileage in kilometers, so check that any conversion in the listing is correct.

Collector cars of this age deserve a careful inspection. Order a vehicle history report where one is available and have an independent mechanic with experience in these cars perform a pre-purchase inspection. Look at the condition of the body, the engine bay, and the drivetrain, and ask for service records. Because many MK4 Supras were modified, it helps to find out which parts are original and which were added.

Insurance is also worth pricing before you buy. A collector or agreed-value policy may fit a car like this better than standard coverage, and premiums vary by driver and location.