Among purists, there’s always a bit of respect reserved for the Porsche 911. Though the toughest critics will condemn the odd engine placement, sheer performance typically wins over the hardest of hearts. The turbocharged 911s have proven to be great all-weather performers with their four wheel-drive and potent powerplants, but not until recent years have they’ve been adopted by the highway racing community. It’s clear that the 996 and 997 Turbos are solid platforms for modification since the number of daily-driven examples with quadruple-digit power figures are becoming more and more common.

Capable of spinning the tires at freeway speeds, the Supra’s weak link its its limited traction.

However, if they’re to establish themselves as some of the quickest cars on the road, they’ll inevitably have to contend with the long-respected Supra Turbo. Are four wheel-drive traction and a modern engine enough to compete with the Supra’s slippery shape and stout build? In this video, we get the chance to witness two cleanly modified cars go head-to-head.

The results are interesting. The 911, with traction as its main ally, consistently performs and on occasion, gets the best of the Supra. However, when the nitrous-fed Toyota finds grip it walks away from the Porsche with some authority. Thanks to a built automatic transmission, the Supra surges forward with uninterrupted thrust. The 911, while an impressive machine to witness and hear, simply cannot keep up. It’s obvious that the tuners at Real Street Performance know what they’re doing with the 2JZ-GTE motor. 

Perhaps the Porsche’s wings or its four wheel-drive system and the accompanying drivetrain losses keep it from stretching its legs at speed. However, there’s no question that the 911 Turbo, becoming more affordable with time, is a serious contender in the freeway racing world.