This 1989 Toyota Supra A70 by Wektor is one of the most unusual cars I’ve photographed this year. In fact, during the shoot I constantly needed to remind myself that we are in 2022, not in the 1980s capturing images for a bedroom poster.
Wektor is a long-forgotten German tuning house, but back in the day European car magazines were creaming over their cars and comparing them to those from Koenig Specials.
The company was founded by Johann Bergmeier in 1988, and at that time Wektor were taking brand new top-of-the-line Mk3 Supras and transforming their looks with a fibreglass wide-body conversion that added 400mm (15.7 inches) of width. This wild styling was backed up with performance tuning that saw the Supra’s 3.0L 7M-GTE engine generate 420hp.
Bergmeier called it the Wektor Competition, and it’s reputed that just 68 cars were built until they were discontinued in ’91.
In ’96, Wektor returned and started building the W48 model, but this was basically a replica Ferrari 348 TS based on the Toyota MR2. That same year, the company wound up.
I have no idea how many Wektor Competitions are still around, but as a bonus, the one we’re looking at today has been treated to a number of modern upgrades including a twin-turbo setup, custom leather interior and a proper sound system. Importantly though, it hasn’t lost any of its ’80s charm in the process.
It’s easy to see where Wektor took some of its inspiration from for this car, and while browsing through some old articles, I noticed that it was nicknamed the ‘SupraRossa’ for this very reason. On top of the Ferrari Testarossa design cues, the car features some of the biggest side ducts I’ve ever seen.
The kit definitely has its quirks; being a 30-year-old creation, some of the panel gaps aren’t the sharpest and there are some cracks in the paint here and there, but none of this lessens the impact. It’s really hard to comprehend that there’s a humble Toyota somewhere behind the outrageous fiberglass body enhancements! And check out that oh-so-’80s stance with no shortage of tire meat and plenty of fender gap.
The Wektor’s owner, Jose Ruiz, purchased the car in Germany back in 2001 while he was working in Spain. At the time, his other option was a Strosek-kitted Porsche 928 GTS, but the Toyota-based creation ultimately won out. In 2002, Jose drove it back to his home in Finland, where it still lives today.
I shot the car at the right time, as it’d just come back from a fully-forged engine rebuild and twin-turbo conversion. I have to admit, I was a bit surprised to hear that there are two turbos strapped to the 7M-GTE when – regardless of the engine – most people are sticking with singles these days. But the company behind the engine work – MW Steel – has a proven drag racing background, so I’ve no reason to not trust their vision, especially since Jose is planning to take the car standing-mile racing next year.
On top of the twin Garrett GTX30s, the turbo system also features a custom intercooler and piping, exhaust manifold, down-pipe and 3.5-inch stainless steel exhaust all from MW Steel. The Finnish tuning shop also fabricated the dual-plane intake manifold and oil cooler system. Fueling comes via a KMS flex-fuel system, Bosch EV14 2,000cc injectors and three Bosch Motorsport 044 pumps.
The last time the car hit the dyno, it made 732hp and 781Nm, running 1.72bar (25.3psi) boost pressure on E85 fuel. With this in mind, the 5-speed R154 transmission was also upgraded with billet gears.
BC Racing coilovers improve the handling, while a big brake kit from Wilwood provides the stopping power. I photographed the car wearing its period-correct, 3-piece 17-inch Tramont wheels, but Jose has 19-inch Weds Kranze Borphe wheels on the way to Finland, so he’ll soon be able to change up the look.
As mentioned, the interior has recently been given refresh with custom red and black leather trim, personalized pitbull logos, and a banging sound system. The most unexpected feature is the JEGS lever alongside the center console, which will deploy the soon-to-be-fitted parachute. Jose will need that once he starts racing the car.
As a long-time career man at Nokia, Jose is now in the position to be able to afford a modern supercar, but the fact he’s shunned that in favor of driving this awesome ’80s relic is something pretty cool.
Vladimir Ljadov
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