One usually doesn’t associate Toyota with exciting cars, but as it so happens, the automaker’s rare efforts at building performance vehicles have turned out smashingly. Case in point, the Supra.
Over four generations, the Supra became as iconic as any model that has ever worn a Toyota badge. It unfortunately isn’t around anymore, but the two-door remains highly-coveted for its sensual styling and wild engines, which can be upgraded to produce mind-boggling amounts of power.
While it’s not the only Japanese sports car preferred by tuners, the Supra is also somewhat less exotic than its rivals, making it reliable and relatively easy to modify.
Few cars in the world have fanbases as passionate as the Mazda RX-7. Why? One word — rotary.
The Wankle-engineered 13B that powered the sports car throughout its life is a flawed masterpiece, one that offsets incredible smoothness and eye-opening horsepower potential with mechanical quirks RX-7 owners usually refer to as “charm.” You can recognize these drivers from the extra quarts of oil they keep on them at all times.
Because of its die-hard aftermarket support, you don’t have to look hard to find quad-rotor RX-7's with 800 hp or more, but even from the factory, the lightweight dynamo was a joy. Here’s hoping the rotary makes a triumphant return soon.
In the 1990s, Mitsubishi led the pack of high-tech Japanese performance cars with models like the 3000GT, Galant VR-4, and its greatest creation, the Lancer Evolution. Sadly they’re all gone today, but the Evo in particular left a long, sideways skid mark in the automotive history books (No, not that kind).
The Evo slowly but surely gained its reputation throughout the 1990's with World Rally Championship success.
Featuring sophisticated all-wheel drive systems and endlessly tunable turbo engines, these diamond-star warriors are still favorites among people who spend their off hours at the track.
Like the Mitsubishi Evo, Subaru’s WRX and WRX STI are ordinary compacts that have been turned into rally machines. With turbocharged boxer engines and all-wheel drive packed into sedan (and sometimes hatchback) bodies, the practical yet fun WRX has always been one of the best performance cars for people who, you know, have lives.
Despite their impressive spec sheets, it wasn’t long before people started modifying the Subaru WRX models, producing some truly awesome modern hot rods.
In a world obsessed with horsepower, vehicles like the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ are breaths of fresh air. Much like the Mazda MX-5, the FR-S prioritised handling over brute force, and the result is an incredibly focused machine built for back roads.
Put simply, the FR-S is a return to form for Japanese sports cars. Its compact size, low weight, and rear-wheel drive character will fill Toyota Celica, Nissan 240SX, and Honda S2000 fans with nostalgia, and the car is only getting better and easier to modify as it ages.
The Scion brand recently folded, so for the 2017 model year, the FR-S will become the Toyota 86, a clear homage to the drift-loving AE86 Corolla of the 1980s.
The darling of car magazines is also the darling of the garage. Modified Euro (meaning German) cars have gotten nearly as popular in the U.S. as staple Japanese models, and we all have the BMW M3 to thank for that.
Its compact rear-wheel drive chassis makes an excellent basis for performance mods, and there’s also plenty of room to improve its handsome-but-staid exterior. Despite its luxury badge, finding a used M3 isn’t all that difficult, and what’s more, every generation is equally epic in its own way.
This one might require a greater reserve of skill and cash, but an enhanced 911 promises equally great results.
The legendary 911 is one of the only high-end sports cars with significant customization support, perhaps because it wears modifications so well. From the peerless builds of Singer and Magnus Walker to purposeful track rats, there’s a remarkable amount of possibilities for a car that hasn’t changed much in 50 years.
The car is still evolving though, as all non-GT3 911s now feature turbocharged engines instead of high-revving naturally aspirated units. That means the car has a different personality than it had before, which presents a whole new canvas for the aftermarket community to fiddle with.
