FEATURE: Supraficial - The Remus Supra

In an era where modern supercars dominate the streets, we often forget about the iconic “Ferrari-killers” of yesteryear – and in particular the cars that shaped our views on the speed-dominating culture today. For me that was none other than the Toyota Supra made famous by The Fast & The Furious Franchise. Driven by a thirst for street and strip dominance, the Supra was intended to do one thing and one thing only – haul ass!

Combining a hefty 3-litre 2JZ-GTE 6-cylinder engine with a twin turbo Hitachi turbo setup saw power figures exceeding the 239kw mark in stock European and American derived guise, with the sprint to the 100km/h mark from standstill being hit in sub 5-seconds – not too bad for a model produced in 1993!

Deon Visser, the man behind Remus Exhausts South Africa, is the blessed owner of this example of Japanese Fury. After initially seeing the car taking part in local drag races in the United Kingdom, Deon knew that this would be his ultimate weekend toy, and immediately set the ball rolling on purchasing it and having it shipped through to South African shores.

With an ultimate goal of producing a showstopper on any stage, be it a show and shine contest or a drag race, Deon’s aim for this toy was to produce the perfect weekend toy; one that delivered respectable power to enjoy without being too wild and uncontrollable, and had the looks and ride quality to take it out onto practically any tarred road at any time. In saying this, having a Supra running stock gear is like doing a sprint in sneakers – it can be done but is better with high performance sprinting spikes.

Like anabolic steroids to Arnold Schwarzenegger, the twin turbo setup was binned in favour of a much larger and more capable charger in the form of a Trust T88 turbocharger – so large in fact that is capable of swallowing a small pet whole! With an increase in boost comes the need to adequately cool this addition in airflow, and to do this, Deon slotted in a massive Blitz front-mount intercooler – replacing the two smaller stock units.

The standard 550cc injectors together with a pair of high-pressure aftermarket fuel pumps and Earl fuel lines deliver the 95-Octane pump fuel through to the thirsty power-plant. A set of feral HKS cams ensure that the intake and exhaust valves stay open just a little longer. Controlling the chaos under the bonnet is performed by none other than a home-grown GoTech Pro-X system, whereas the rumble of the rich and deep exhaust tones are harmonised with one of Remus’s signature Wild Label performance exhaust systems. All of these additions have seen the power translate into 340kw being planted directly onto the rear wheels, and at only 0.9bar! With the wheels spinning all the way into third gear at such a low rating producing more than enough of a thrill for even the biggest boost lovers out there!

As mentioned before, this Supra is not all go and no show. As you can clearly see, Deon definitely did not go the regular route of a simple bodykit and a paint job. A genuine Veilside bodykit adds more flare to the exterior, while a combination of blood red, jet black, and silver from DNA Paint’s costly HolaSpex range makes it look like no other. This paint coat really is the business, incorporating special metallic flakes which flip the colours in the sunshine. Other exterior additions include upgraded side mirrors, headlights and taillights, mirror tint on the windows, as well as a carbon fibre drag rear boot spoiler that has been sprayed in the same blood red as the rest of the partial body.

The interior has remained relatively tame in comparison, and sees the carpets being redone, as well as the seats which have been enveloped on upmarket and fresh black leather. Pointing the Supra in the right direction is the job of the Momo steering wheel, while a variety of gauges aftermarket Greddy gauges assist Deon in monitoring the anarchy that’s taking place under the hood.

No show car would be complete without having the full package – from power to eardrum blowing performance so Deon enlisted the help of Ebie from Creative Rides to give the Supra a proper once-over and to give a strong system that will be pleasing to the ear. Nothing but the best components were used for the custom build with the amplifier, subwoofer, and split system all coming from the Rockford Fosgate stable. Finally, a JVC in-dash DVD unit was tossed in to keep your eyes and ears happy if the hum of the 2JZ becomes too much to handle.

With a build as extensive as this, the wheel and tyre setup has to match the power and killer looks. Under the arches, a set of 20-inch Route II wheels in Yokohama rubber take their place, while meeting of the arch and rubber is brought closer thanks to Tein electronic suspension with height adjustable shock absorbers. Further stability control comes from TRD front and rear anti-roll bars, along with special custom polyurethane suspension bushes. Deon’s desire to build a showstopper has come to life with this Supra, and it’s an ideal platform to use to showcase his exclusive Remus range of exhausts.

Media and Words by Ryan de Smit for Durban Drags®