5 Lesser-Known Toyota JZ-Engined Heroes

The JZ-series from Toyota was a group of straight-six engines built to add a sprinkling of performance to the company’s 90s and ‘00s road cars. The 1JZ came first, featuring 24 valves and 2.5-litres of displacement followed by the 2JZ which had its stroke increased, amounting to 3.0-litres. The predecessor to those engines is the 7MGTE which is known for having various cylinder head issues, but the JZ series was built much stronger, making it perfect for some serious tuning.

With the A80 Supra being the poster boy for JZ-powered Toyotas, let’s take a look at the hidden gems that also happened to use JZ-powertrains. There are some seriously tempting potential sleepers out there…

Toyota Verossa VR25

The successor to the Toyota Chaser, the Verossa used two iterations of the 1JZ (FSE or GTE) depending on the trim level. At top of the range was the VR25 which uses the GTE in single turbo form, making 276bhp and 278lb ft of torque. It sends its power rewards via either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission along with a limited-slip differential.

Toyota Aristo

The renowned 2JZ-GTE engine actually debuted in the Aristo which was dropped and sold only as the Lexus GS after 2005. Using the basic block of the 2JZ-GE, the GTE uses sequential turbos in comparison to the 1JZ-GTE’s parallel setup. The Aristo features the engine in a 270bhp form and is fondly known as the ‘Gentleman’s Supra’.

The Aristo/GS would keep JZ powertrains up until its third generation when it switched from I6 to V6 engines, with the 3UZ V8 carried over.

Lexus SC300

The smaller-engined cousin of the V8-powered SC400, the first generation of Lexus SC features a sleek design with its elongated bonnet and low roofline. Introduced in 1992, the SC300 uses the 3.0-litre NA 2JZ-GE engine but was given a slight tune to around 245bhp, five more than the equivalent engine in the Supra of the time.

The introduction of VVT-i in 1997 further improved the powertrain and led to the SC300 achieving a 0-60mph time of 6.8 seconds in the manual variant. Built to take on the Mercedes SL and Acura Legend in the North American marketplace, this two-door coupe could be a solid secondhand purchase for someone wishing to gain an entry into JZ life.

Toyota Mark II Blit

The ninth generation of the Mark II can be found in this quirky wagon form, utilising the famous Toyota combination of straight-six and rear-wheel drive. The Blit can be found with JZ engines across its range starting with the 2.5-litre iR-S (1JZ-FSE) up to the iR-V (1JZ-GTE). The latter is the range-topper which uses a single CT15B turbo to produce the elusive JDM power output of 276bhp, very much keeping to that old gentleman’s agreement.

Being the rear-wheel drive replacement to the Mark II Qualis wagon, the Blit was produced from 2002-2007 when it was itself replaced by the Mark X Zio minivan which used inline-four and V6 powertrains.

Toyota Crown

One of Toyota’s most popular saloons, the Crown has been a hit since 1955. But it was in its ninth generation that it managed to acquire a legendary JZ powerplant. Using both 1JZ and 2JZ variants depending on the age and trim level, the Crown featured these straight sixes from 1991-2003, mating them to either four or five-speed transmissions.

The greatest JZ-powered Crown is said to be the Athlete wagon that used the naturally-aspirated 2JZ-GE featuring the VVT-i shared with the almighty A80 Supra. On the other hand, arguments can be made for the Athlete V sedan that uses a parallel-turbocharged 1JZ-GTE along with a side-mount or front mount air-to-air intercooler.

Apart from the Supras, which JZ-powered car does it for you? Do you prefer the 1JZ or 2JZ? Or are you more of a Nissan RB fan? Comment below with your thoughts!