Toyota was the spearhead of the JDM game in the '90s, so when the Mk4 Supra was threatened by the GT-R Skyline, the response was more of an afterthought than a challenge. They took one of their best non-Lexus sports cars, one comparable to the IS 300, and slapped a 2JZ and AWD combo on it just for fun!
The result was the JZX100 Toyota Chaser, an opening to bless a sportier, smaller car with the same luxury components afforded the Crown. The 1JZ-powered RWD X100 and the AWD 2JZ-powered JZX100 both topped the 276-horsepower limit but only the JZX100 was a 3.0-Liter driven through a 4-speed ECT-iE automatic transmission.
8 It Can Now Be Imported To The U.S.
The 6th generation of Chasers kicked off in 1996, which means this year, 2021, is the very first that it can legally be shipped to the United States thanks to some hotly contended import laws. Even so, this is the last generation of the Chaser, a car exclusively sold in Japan.
Because it's been around since 1977, you may have seen Chasers before now (not to be confused with "chaser," a term meaning the one following in a twin drift). They are now often made into drift cars because they were all made with rear-wheel drive, but the JZX100 is actually unique.
7 It's The First Chaser With 4WD
In the '90s most sports cars with the maximum 276 horsepower were rear-wheel drive because they were simpler, could have lower-mounted engines, and were better for drifting! Well in the late '90s, the Honda Civic EK9 and GT-R were having massive success as grip began to be the clearer advantage (and safer alternative).
To play along, Toyota was able to put their always-on four-wheel-drive capabilities from TRD into the machine without compromising. The JZX100 was now totally capable in Japanese winters.
6 1JZ Engine And 2JZ Option
The JZX100 is the 4WD that comes with a 2.5-liter 1JZ engine which makes 276 horsepower with the help of just one turbo (instead of the biturbo predecessors), but if you feel like getting your grubby mitts on the legendary tuner engine, a 3.0-liter 2JZ was available to push out the same horsepower, but with more tuning ability.
They both only came in automatic which may make you wonder why anyone uses them for drifting. They both had electronic control type transmissions or ECT. In modern terms; sport mode. With just four gears to choose from and a more intelligent version on the 2JZ, it's no wonder these are such fun vehicles to own! If you need a manual, one will be available in the states in 2023.
5 Gets 200-300 Horsepower
Both the 1JZ and the 2JZ engines made 276 horsepower, the maximum set by Japanese automakers at the time to appease the government and create the right kind of market. The difference is that the 2.5-liter 1JZ has a turbo, which is why the JZX100 seems so popular now.
There is something to be said for the 2JZ, still. Having the same crazy engine as the Supras that make 800 horsepower on the original engine block and pistons is a huge benefit, and being naturally aspirated yet reaching the same horsepower has major advantages.
4 It’s A Sleeper Sedan
This has to be one of the best sleeper cars ever! The nearest visual US equivalent is the Lexus ES sedan of the same year, and yet this has the less-sporty-in-America Toyota badge. The '90s luxury sedan look makes it seem sluggish and Cadillac-like, but don't be deceived.
It has often been dubbed the "4-door Supra" and it lives up to the name. Besides taking all of your friends along for the ride, it has the 4WD to keep the whole thing balanced. It was still just 187 inches, compared to the 1996 Chevy Impala's 214 inches.
3 It’s Turbocharged
The 1JZ did only have one turbo instead of two like the Chasers before it, but that's because the updated 1JZ engine was too close to the 276-horsepower ceiling to handle another turbo without going over.
The turbo that they did put in makes 9 PSI of boost. With the stock setup, you can go 0-60 in just over five seconds. If you want to really get in there, the 1JZ can be persuaded to make upwards of 600 horsepower, while the 2JZ version can give you 800.
2 It’s A More Reliable Competitor To The GT-R
Reliability in cars tends to be an ambiguous and hotly debated concept, but the fact is that '90s Toyotas engines have had 30 years to prove themselves, and it's hard to deny the power and reliability of 1JZ and 2JZ engines. In fact, those are two of the most common engines used in swaps and competitive builds.
Beyond that, Toyotas can still be in shockingly good shape inside and outside. One such 25-year-old Chaser JZX100 is for sale via JDM Expo has almost 200,000 miles and can still be mistaken for brand-new!
1 First Chaser With Variable Valve Timing
There are a lot of jokes about Honda and their V-Tech, but variable valve timing is no joke. Just to make sure they didn't get beaten out by any old EK9's, the Chaser donned Toyota's VVT-i or Intelligent Variable Valve Timing for this model in 1996. Though not quite as effective as V-Tech, being applied to an inline-six helps a ton.
Perhaps you've seen the VVT-i on Toyota engine covers? By changing the lobe profile based on rev speed, the VVT-i is able to create more torque at both low and, more importantly, high RPMs. The result is what feels like a late turbo boost and more sustained power; great for racing and drifting when high-RPM-power is the only way to win.