Smokey Nagata: The Story Behind Top Secret and the Legendary Supra

When people talk about legendary Japanese car tuners, Smokey Nagata is a name that instantly comes up. Famous for extreme Toyota Supra builds, high-speed street testing, and his iconic tuning shop Top Secret, Nagata helped create some of the most recognizable JDM performance cars in automotive history.

But who is Smokey Nagata, and why did his builds become so legendary? From secret late-night tuning work in Japan to a illegal high-speed run in the UK and a twin-turbo V12 Supra, his story is pure automotive folklore.

Who Is Smokey Nagata?

Kazuhiko “Smokey” Nagata is a Japanese tuner, master fabricator, and the founder of Top Secret. He gained international fame by building insanely powerful Toyota Supras, Nissan Skyline GT-Rs, and other unique performance cars—often personally testing them at near-200+ mph speeds.

How Did He Get the Name “Smokey”?

Before making high-speed runs, Nagata had a signature habit: doing massive, tire-roasting burnouts to warm up his tires and test engine power. The clouds of white tire smoke that followed him wherever he went earned him the iconic nickname “Smokey.”

Nagata’s approach was never just about throwing huge turbochargers at high-horsepower engines. A true Top Secret build is a complete package combining extreme engine performance, custom metal fabrication, tuned aerodynamics, bespoke wheels, suspension setup, and high-speed stability.

How Did Smokey Nagata Start Tuning Cars?

Nagata’s career began with a passion for mechanics and hands-on tinkering. He eventually landed a job at Trust/GReddy, one of Japan’s premier aftermarket performance companies, where he honed his skills as a master fabricator and tuner.

While working at Trust, Nagata began working on his own personal projects after hours. Because he was using the company’s facilities after-spec, these secret late-night projects were quietly referred to as “Top Secret.” Over time, those late-night sessions laid the foundation for his own independent tuning empire.

What Is Top Secret Japan?

Top Secret evolved from an insider nickname into one of the most respected performance brands in Japan. The shop became world-famous for modifying iconic Japanese sports cars, including:

• Toyota Supra (MK4)
• Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32, R33, R34)
• Nissan GT-R (R35)
• Custom V12 and engine-swapped builds
• Extreme high-power single and twin-turbo setups

The Story Behind the Iconic Gold Paint

One of Top Secret’s most recognizable signatures is its striking gold paint. However, Nagata didn’t spray every car gold. The signature gold finish was strictly reserved for flagship builds that represented the absolute pinnacle of Top Secret’s performance and engineering philosophy.

The Infamous Top Secret Gold Supra (UK High-Speed Run)

The car most closely connected with Smokey Nagata’s international rise to fame is his Gold Toyota Supra MK4.

In 1999, Nagata shipped his heavily modified, single-turbo Supra to the United Kingdom with one goal in mind: break 200 mph on a public highway.

In the middle of the night on the A1(M) motorway, in wet and freezing conditions, Nagata launched the car down the road. Top Gear famously documented the attempt, reporting a top speed of 194 mph, while other telemetry accounts cited 197 mph.

Although he fell just shy of the 200 mph mark, hitting nearly 200 mph on a public British highway shocked the automotive world. The stunt ended with Nagata being arrested, spending the night in a UK jail cell, receiving a driving ban, and being deported from the country the next day. The scandal immediately turned him into an international JDM legend.

The Legendary Twin-Turbo V12 Supra

The UK motorway car was only the beginning. Years later, Nagata built what many consider his ultimate masterpiece: the Top Secret V12 Supra.

For this project, Nagata ripped out the Supra’s factory 2JZ engine and swapped in Toyota’s massive 1GZ-FE 5.0-liter V12—an engine originally built exclusively for the Toyota Century luxury chauffeur car. Top Secret custom-fabricated twin turbochargers, custom manifolds, and bespoke internals to transform the luxury engine into a high-rpm monster.

Nagata took the V12 Supra to the famous Nardò Ring oval track in Italy, where he personally piloted the car to a recorded speed of 358 km/h (222.5 mph).

V12 Supra at a Glance

Feature	Detail
Base Car	Toyota Supra (JZA80)
Engine	Toyota 1GZ-FE 5.0L V12
Turbo Setup	Custom Twin-Turbo
Reported Power	~930 hp
Reported Torque	~745 lb-ft
Top Speed (Nardò Ring)	358 km/h (222.5 mph)
Builder	Top Secret / Smokey Nagata

To support this massive powerplant, Top Secret designed a fully custom wide-body kit (the Super G Force kit), altered front aerodynamics for high-speed cooling, and completely re-engineered the suspension to keep the car stable at over 220 mph.

Other Famous Smokey Nagata Builds

While the Supras dominate headlines, Nagata’s engineering genius extended across the entire JDM spectrum:

• 1,200-hp Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R: One of Top Secret’s highest-horsepower all-wheel-drive street monsters.
• Twin-Turbo V8 Nissan V35 Skyline: Powered by a twin-turbocharged VK45 V8 engine, which Nagata took to 341 km/h (211.9 mph) on the German Autobahn.
• R35 GT-R Gold Projects: Continued development of modern GT-Rs featuring custom aero, upgraded twin-turbos, and signature Top Secret performance tuning.

Top Speed Achievements Summary

• UK A1(M) Highway: 194–197 mph (Gold 2JZ Supra)
• German Autobahn: 341 km/h / 211.9 mph (Twin-Turbo V8 V35)
• Nardò Ring, Italy: 358 km/h / 222.5 mph (Twin-Turbo V12 Supra)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why is Kazuhiko Nagata called “Smokey”?

He earned the nickname “Smokey” due to his signature habit of performing massive, smoky tire burnouts on public roads and tracks before making high-speed runs.

What engine is in Smokey Nagata’s V12 Supra?

It features a heavily modified Toyota 1GZ-FE 5.0-liter V12 engine from a Toyota Century luxury sedan, boosted by twin turbochargers.

How fast did Smokey Nagata actually go in the UK?

During his late-night run on the UK’s A1(M) motorway, his gold Supra reached a verified speed between 194 mph and 197 mph before police pulled him over.

Why are only some Top Secret cars painted gold?

Smokey Nagata strictly reserves the signature gold paint finish for Top Secret’s flagship projects that meet his highest standards of performance and engineering excellence.