The first-production Toyota Supra sold for a whopping $2.1 million at Barrett-Jackson’s charity auction in Scottsdale, Arizona over the weekend. It’s a staggering sum, even for a first-production unit of a sports car that has been hyped up for more than five years. The hype is real, folks, even if the reception of the Supra isn’t as hot as Toyota probably expected. Still, the polarizing reaction had no effect on the first-production model’s appeal. Bids flew around furiously before ultimately topping out at $2.1 million. The winning bidder gets to take home the first-production model, which bears the VIN “20201,” a nod towards model year (2020) of the Supra and the first model out of the production line (1). In addition to the first-production Supra, the winning bidder also receives a full VIP race track experience, a customized professional racing suit, a pair of VIP and hot passes to the TOYOTA OWNERS 400 - Richmond Raceway, and a chance to drive the race’s pace car with none other than Michael Waltrip. All the producers from the auction will go to a number of charities, including the American Heart Association and the Bob Woodruff Foundation.

$2.1 For a Toyota Supra - That's a Lot of Money

Did you do a double-take when you first saw the headlines? I certainly did when I got wind of it. The first-production Toyota Supra sold for $2.1 million at the Barrett-Jackson charity auction. Incredible. It’s an eye-popping top bid for any first-production model. Consider this: the first-production 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 also went under the hammer at Barrett-Jackson, and it fetched half the price — $1.1 million — of the first-production Supra.

The first-production Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat was auctioned off in 2014, and it sold for $825,000. The first-production Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 did a bit better when it sold for $925,000 at last year’s Barrett-Jackson auction in Arizona. It’s not unusual, either, for a first-production model to break $1 million. That’s what happened to the first-production Acura NSX, which sold for $1.2 million back in 2016. There have been instances, too, where a first-production model fetches a price that’s way beyond what the first-production Supra made over the weekend. Predictably, those first-production models are usually of the supercar and hypercar varieties. The Bugatti Chiron Number One, for example, went or $5 million at an RM Sotheby’s auction back in December 2017.

The point here is that people will pay good money to go home with a first-production model. It’s still surprising, though, that the first-production Supra went for $2.1 million when the sports car itself starts off at “only” $50,000. Is the “Supra” nameplate really that sought-after that someone would be willing to pay that much to go home with the first Supra model to roll off the production line? Put some context behind that question, and the answer is probably “yes.” The Supra’s history, pedigree, and legacy is unassailable. It’s an icon in every sense of the word, even if the all-new Supra received a largely polarizing reaction when it was unveiled at the 2019 North American International Auto Show. The first-production Supra probably didn’t sell because it was an all-new model; it sold because it was the all-new Supra.

Fortunately, the winning bidder is going home with a car that at least justifies its first-production billing. That means that no other production Supra will wear this particular color. Red mirror caps and matter black wheels complement the matte gray exterior paint finish. It’s a striking color scheme that brings out a different visual look for the Japanese sports car. I’m not a fan of how the new Supra looks, but the first-production model is a different story. It looks sexy in that color. It also carries an extra layer of provenance, thanks to Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda signing the coupe’s engine cover.

The exclusive touches continue in the interior where the Supra “20201” features a red and black theme with matching carbon fiber inserts. There are no engine upgrades to speak of, and unless Toyota pulls off a surprise, the first-production Supra will feature a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine that produces 335 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque.

The good news is that all the proceeds from the sale will go to a healthy cause or a pair of causes in this case. The American Heart Association and the Bob Woodruff Foundation will split the proceeds.

As for the winning bidder? He’s going home with a car that every Supra enthusiast would love to have in their own collection. He’s not just going home with the car. The winning bidder also receives a full VIP race track experience, complete with a fully customized professional racing suit. A pair of VIP passes and hot passes to TOYOTA OWNERS 400 — Richmond Raceway are also included with the car, as is the opportunity to drive a pace car with none other than two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip.

The entire package is compelling, but is it still worth $2.1 million? Probably not, but then again, this is the first-production Toyota Supra we’re talking about. That $2.1 million isn’t so much about the car itself as it is the distinction of being the first one to own it.

Further Reading

Toyota Supra Returns After 21 Years with BMW Engine; And it's Not Cheap

Read our review of the 2020 Toyota Supra

Check out our full review of the 2014 Toyota FT-1 Concept

Read our full, in-depth review of the 2019 BMW Z4