14 April 2008
by Vijay Pattni
A modified Toyota Supra has lapped the Nardo high speed circuit in Italy at 222mph.
The Top Secret V12 Supra – based on the third generation Toyota Supra of the mid-nineties – packs an incredible 1,000bhp using a 5-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine.
The 1,000bhp Top Secret V12 Supra clocked 222mph on the 7.8 mile banked Nardo ring in Italy which is used for testing top speeds.
But the V12-engined Supra still has a way to go before toppling the Koenigsegg CCR, which holds the Nardo top speed record of 241mph.
Japanese tuner and creator of the Top Secret Supra Kazuhiko Nagata – also known as “Smoky” – swapped the standard 3-litre Supra engine for a V12 powerplant taken from the Toyota Century, a luxury saloon for the Japanese market.
But the V12 only churns out 276bhp in standard form, so “Smoky” strapped on two turbochargers and a wide range of aftermarket accessories to create this 1,000bhp, 222mph monster.
According to the President of Bulletproof Automotive – one of the Top Secret V12 Supra’s sponsors – the scorching Supra is “fully capable of being driven daily”, and is “balanced in tuning philosophy with a creature comfort level exceeding most tuned cars.”
Mr Nagata had reportedly wanted the one-off V12 Supra to lap the Nardo ring at 248mph.
But don’t expect to see this V12 Supra on British roads anytime soon – the estimated $500,000 project was intended to showcase what Toyota should build as the next Supra.
And Lexus - which is owned by Toyota - has unveiled the 5-litre Lexus LF-A Concept to the world's press, which is widely tipped as the next generation Toyota Supra.
