1986 Toyota Supra - Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?

"Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind" by The Lovin' Spoonful tells the tale of a young man who has to choose between sisters who are vying for his attention. The song, written by John Sebastian of the Spoonful was pure fantasy; Mr. Sebastian had a crush on two sisters he had met a summer camp but any romantic feelings for him were allegedly not reciprocated. Nonetheless, it made for a hit record in 1966. Today, let's use the premise of the song to decide if I would have purchased today's subject car, a 1986 Toyota Supra, or the car it competed against, the Chevrolet Corvette. After all, in reality, I had as much a chance to buy either of these cars new in 1986 as, apparently, John Sebastian had with either of those girls.

The new for 1986 Toyota Supra wasn't the sexiest sports car on the market in 1986 but it was, arguably, the best. Especially for the money which one would need less of than to buy the car it competed against for buyers, the 1986 Chevrolet Corvette.  

Driven back to back with a more expensive Corvette, why would anyone buy a Corvette instead of a brand new Supra? Because as amazing as this car is, it's not a Corvette; that having had  as much to do with marketing and association as anything else. Image is a powerful thing.

From 1978 through 1985, "Supra" was the top of the line model of Toyota's fabulous Celica. With a an exotic DOHC, fuel injected six and impeccable build quality, it was a wonderful car that while not faster in a straight line than a Corvette, it literally ran circles around it. However, the Celica and Celica Supra were not, per se, marketed at Corvette buyers; they were marketed at, if anything, the disenfranchised pony car market. 

That changed in 1986 when Toyota split Celica and Supra into two completely new and different automobiles. The Celica remained targeted at the pony car/sporty economy car market switching to Toyota's "T-platform" which it shared with the front wheel drive Corona. Supra, which remained a rear wheel drive  grand touring car or sports car, was targeted at more expensive fare like Corvette and to some degree the Porsche 928. The well informed riche that could care less about a car's lack of pedigree or cache appreciating a bargain as much as anybody.

1980's Japanese automobiles were so far superior to everything built domestically I have to wonder why anyone bothered to by American back then. Then again, when I put my 1986 vintage Members Only jacket on I remember that Corvette had as much a mythic pull on the American automotive psyche as it does today - if not more. Although, in reality, the car's image was far greater than the car itself. In fairness, the 1986 "C4" Corvette was world's better than the car it replaced but it wasn't nearly as solid an automobile as Toyota's new Supra was. Also, regarding sales of Japanese cars in the United States, Japanese cars were still fairly niche back then; it wasn't until late in the '80's that their full effect on sales of domestics was felt.   

Thirty years later the answer to the question of which to buy, Supra or Corvette, is as obvious as it was back then. However, the answer today is completely different from what it was back then. What would I have bought in 1986 had I been of the means? Corvette. Of course. What should I have bought? Supra. Of course. 

Did you ever have to make up your mind?
You pick up on one and leave the other one behind
It's not often easy and not often kind
Did you ever have to make up your mind?

Did you ever have to finally decide?
And say yes to one and let the other one ride
There's so many changes and tears you must hide
Did you ever have to finally decide?

Sometimes there's one with deep blue eyes, cute as a bunny
With hair down to here and plenty of money
And just when you think she's that one in the world
Your heart gets stolen by some mousy little girl

And then you know you better make up your mind
And pick up on one and leave the other one behind
It's not often easy and not often kind
Did you ever have to make up your mind?