Toyota Suprabird Is a Supra That Thinks It’s a Plymouth Superbird

We wouldn’t have been surprised to see Dodge drum up excitement for its new Charger by building a tribute to Richard Petty’s 1970 Plymouth Superbird for the SEMA show. While you’ll find a modern-day interpretation of the Road Runner Superbird displayed in Las Vegas, it’s somewhat confusingly displayed by Toyota.

Meet the Suprabird. What’s the link between a current-generation Supra and a 54-year-old NASCAR legend, you ask? It’s behind the wheel: Richard Petty. “The King” drove the emblematic Superbird in 1970 and joined Toyota’s NASCAR outfit as a team ambassador in 2023. His son Kyle played a role in the project as well.

Toyota started with a GR Supra 3.0 Premium owned by NASCAR analyst and brand ambassador Rutledge Wood. The 3.0-liter straight-six engine is rated at 382 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque when left stock, but it might make a little more of both because it’s fitted with a cold-air intake and a cat-back exhaust system. Wood also added coilovers to dial in sharper handling and fitted wide 19-inch wheels.

As for the body kit, well… it’s a little more Fast and Furious than Superbird. It includes a carbon fiber front splitter, wheel arch flares, a spoiler on the trunk lid, and a rear diffuser. In contrast, Petty’s Superbird was characterized by a pointed front end, side panels that were nearly flat, and an absolutely giant rear wing. At least the Suprabird is finished in the appropriate shade of blue with contrasting white “43” logos.

Nothing suggests the Suprabird is anything but a one-off model; at least not if we’re talking about a life-sized car. If you want one, you’ll have to settle for the 1/64-scale Hot Wheels replica due out shortly.