4 Of The Coolest Cars Equipped With Toyota's 1JZ Engine

Toyota has made more than 300 million vehicles in its long and prosperous history, and four of the top ten models sold worldwide last year were Toyotas: the RAV4, Corolla, Camry, and Hilux pickup, which has lived through eight generations over 50-plus years. Although those vehicles are known more for dependable and economical operation than flat-out performance, Toyota also has a history of producing some impressive engines for its sportier models.

Among those are two highly regarded inline sixes, including the 2JZ-GE, which earned a spot on our list of the most trustworthy straight-six engines ever made. That twin-turbo, 3.0-liter powerplant had an older but smaller brother, the 1JZ, which displaced 2.5 liters. The 1JZ-GTE debuted in 1990 under the hoods of four separate Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) models, then was added to another for the 1991 model year. The vehicles that got the 1JZ ranged from pure sports cars to sedans that hid surprising performance inside a demure shell; here are a few of our favorites. 

Among that first crop of cars to get the 1JZ-GTE was the Supra GT, but this offering was limited to buyers in Japan and Australia. The 1JZ-GTE equipped model was badged as the Supra GT Twin Turbo R and cost Japanese customers almost 3.3 million yen. At the time, that converted to just under $22,000, which equals about $53,000 today. That got you an engine with an 8.5:1 compression ratio that produced 276 horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque. With a curb weight of less than 3,400 pounds and a five-speed manual transmission, the Turbo R could hustle through a quarter mile in 14.3 seconds, which was less than half a second behind the Porsche 944 Turbo S. 

The Supra GT Twin Turbo R stayed in production through January 1993, putting it clear of the 25-year mark that makes it eligible for import to the United States. They're fairly rare but somewhat affordable if you can find one. Seven have sold in the past five years, for an average price of less than $19,000, according to Classic.com.

Another JDM Toyota to get the GT label for twin-turbo 1JZ-GTE-equipped models was the Soarer, a low-slung coupe that was sold as the Lexus SC300 in the United States. American buyers of the Lexus-badged version got the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter 2JZ-GE engine, though. The Soarer GT-T 2.5's 1JZ-GTE made the same 276 horsepower as the Supra Turbo R's, but torque output was a shade higher at 278 lb-ft. The 1995 Soarer with this engine could cover a quarter mile in under 12.6 seconds, more than a second faster than that year's Nissan Skyline GT-R, which was then in its ninth generation. The Soarer was in production through 2005, but models from earlier stages of the production run have been import-eligible for a few years. 

Soarer GT-Ts with the 1JZ-GTE inline six have recently sold stateside for as much as $22,000 (via JDM Supply). Current listings range as high as $63,900, which is the asking price for a black 1994 Soarer that currently sits in Kissimmee, Florida. 

The Verossa might lack the go-fast styling of the Supra and Soarer, but the four-door sedan got a more potent 1JZ engine than either of those models. The Verossa was introduced in 2001 as a replacement for the Chaser and Cresta, which were sold as the Cressida in the United States. The Verossa only stayed in production through 2004, and Throughout its brief run it was equipped with one of three inline six engines: a 160-horsepower 1G-FE, a 200-horse 1JZ-FSE, or a robust 1JZ-GTE that put out 280 horsepower. 

The engine was a carryover from the preceding models, and the VR25 submodel designation indicated the presence of the high-powered 1JZ, which used a 9.0:1 compression ratio and variable valve timing to make the extra horsepower. The name was a clumsy portmanteau of the Italian words for true (vero) and red (rosso), although it was available in other colors, like the dark purple shown above that was listed as "black cherry mica."

According to Motor Trend, the Verossa was pricey at around $50,000 in 2002 (which equals roughly $88,500 today). It never sold well in its home market, but if you can find one and wait a few years for the 25-year import clock to run out, you can wring 300-plus horsepower from its high-compression 1JZ-GTE with a few small upgrades. 

[Featured image by Kuha455405 via Wikimedia Commons|Cropped and scaled|CC-By 3.0]

The Crown debuted in Japan in 1955 and was the first Toyota to be sold stateside once Toyota crossed the Pacific in 1957, but poor sales led Toyota to focus on other models and the Crown was pulled from American dealerships in 1961. It remained on Japanese lots through 15 generations, though, and returned to the U.S. in 2023 for the 16th. The ninth-generation JDM Crown sedan — which ran from 1991 to 1995 — got the 1JZ as an option in an engine lineup that spanned 2.0 to 4.0 liters. 

The ninth-gen Crown got a 180-horsepower version of the 1JZ in the Royal Saloon version. At first glance, the Crown may not seem terribly exciting, but a performance-oriented submodel called the Athlete V had a stiffer suspension to go with its beefed-up engine, which put out 276 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque.