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There’s little that stands in the way of Smoky Nagata and his quest to go faster – least of all himself.
Nagata’s latest project, the stupefying V12 twin turbo Toyota Supra, was built with the intention of surpassing 213mph, a record that he himself set in July 2005 behind the wheel of his own CV35 Nissan Skyline.
Both the Skyline and the new Supra are Top Secret products, and Nagata had everything to do with from the chassis up.
The question is simply this: can Smoky’s new creation outstrip its predecessor?
The V12 Supra is a realisation of Nagata’s desire to clock at least 250mph over an empty stretch and while churning out 1000HP.
The Toyota Supra in standard guise is an attractive thing to behold, and besides the superstar status thanks to cult flick Fast and the Furious, it’s not too shabby in the performance department either.
Everything for this particular Supra changed after it was given the Top Secret treatment. The straight-six 2JZ lump was replaced with the 5-litre V12 1GZFE engine courtesy of the Toyota Century, a high-end sedan in Japan, a version of which was produced for use by the Japanese Imperial Family.
Throw in the twin turbos and all the wiring that goes along with it, and you’re in for a tight squeeze in the engine bay. Nonetheless, Nagata found room for the two N15 throttle bodies to provide that guttural roar he likes so much.
A JZA80 Getrag six-speed transmission, the same as in the CV35, was fitted. Because nothing more could possibly fit under the hood, Nagata had to manoeuvre the intercooler into the front bumper and fit the three-row radiator (along with the ducts to funnel in cool air), into the trunk – next to the 35-litre aluminium fuel cell.
After all the fettling and fiddling, the Supra’s power-steering and air-conditioning functions are still in full working order!
As for suspension and braking power, Nagata built his signature Super Damper suspension around the basics of the Aragosta suspension set-up.
Brakes are from the stable of GReddy with 8-pots in the front and 4-pots at the rear. The 19-inch Volk Racing rims are sprayed the Top Secret gold and make a beautiful match for the rest of the car. Like all the Top Secret monster machines, Nagata held nothing back in the aesthetics department when designing the Supra.
It’s an aggressive, powerful-looking ride, best driven by someone who knows how to handle the kind of unbridled power lurking beneath the hood.
Dipped in Top Secret gold and sporting decals bearing testimony to the quality bits on the inside, it’s a head-turner without being too gaudy. However, if the looks on the outside don’t you, then the roar coming from the inside definitely will.
The CV35 is hardly a pile of scrap metal or a distant memory just yet, but it has to make way for what Nagata fanatics are sure will trounce the Skyline on an empty stretch of highway.