# Is That A Supra > Is That a Supra? is a 2018 viral catchphrase originating from a Snapchat video of car wash employees reacting with exaggerated shock upon spotting a Toyota Supra in Parkland, Florida. "Is That a Supra?" is a viral catchphrase meme that originated from a 2018 Snapchat video filmed at a car wash in Parkland, Florida, where employees react with wildly exaggerated shock upon spotting a Toyota Supra in the parking lot[1]. The clip spread rapidly across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, turning the phrase into a go-to reaction for car enthusiasts and meme creators alike. The meme taps into the near-mythical status of the fourth-generation Toyota Supra (MK4) in automotive culture, a car made legendary by its 2JZ engine and its starring role in *The Fast and the Furious*[2]. ## Origin On April 25, 2018, an employee at the Rising Tide Car Wash in Parkland, Florida recorded a Snapchat video of their coworkers reacting to a Toyota Supra on the premises[1]. The video captures raw, unscripted excitement as multiple employees scramble to confirm they're really seeing a Supra. One guy cleans his glasses. Another drops what he's doing to stare. The whole thing plays like a nature documentary where the crew accidentally discovers a rare species. Weeks later, on May 11, 2018, the YouTube account ViralHog uploaded the clip with a statement from the original creator[3]. That same day, YouTuber Joe Shaman also shared the video, and his upload blew up, pulling in over 7 million views within three years[3]. The ViralHog version collected more than 63,000 views over four years[1]. - **Platform:** Snapchat (source video), YouTube (viral spread) - **Creator:** Unknown Rising Tide Car Wash employee (original poster) - **Date:** 2018 ## Overview The meme centers on a short video where a car wash employee spots a Toyota Supra and completely loses it. The camera person breathlessly announces the car's presence to coworkers, who respond with equally over-the-top disbelief. One employee famously sprays cleaning solution on his glasses to get a better look. The genuine, almost religious reverence for the car is what makes the video funny. People don't just notice the Supra. They treat it like a holy relic. The phrase "Is that a Supra?" became shorthand for any moment of absurd excitement, whether about an actual car or something completely unrelated. The catchphrase works because it captures a very specific kind of internet-era enthusiasm: the joy of spotting something rare and freaking out about it[3]. ## How It Spread The catchphrase jumped from YouTube to the broader car community almost immediately. By August 12, 2018, YouTuber Burty k uploaded a video of car passengers yelling "IS THAT A SUPRA?" at a passing one on the highway, racking up over 282,000 views[3]. People started filming themselves screaming the line at any Supra they encountered in the wild, turning the phrase into a real-world performance piece. The original video's characters became meme material in their own right. On December 20, 2018, YouTuber Sleempy uploaded a green screen template of the glasses-cleaning guy from the original clip, which picked up over 100,000 views[3]. This template let creators insert the bewildered employee into any context they wanted. TikTok proved to be the meme's second life. The hashtag #isthatasupra accumulated more than 115 million views on the platform[3]. In July 2020, TikToker cabano.cars posted a video of someone yelling "Supra!" at the car and encouraged others to use the sound whenever they spotted one in the wild. That post pulled in over 240,000 reactions within a year[3]. By March 2021, the meme was well-known enough that a Reddit user posted in r/OutOfTheLoop asking about it. A commenter explained the cultural weight behind the Supra: as people realized how rare the MK4 generation had become, resale values skyrocketed, making sightings even more unusual and the reaction even more justified[3]. The fourth-generation Supra's legendary 2JZ-GTE engine, capable of exceeding 800 horsepower when tuned, had made it an icon of the Japanese import scene for decades[4]. Its prominent role in *The Fast and the Furious*, where Brian O'Connor's orange Supra squares off against Dom Toretto's Charger in the climactic drag race, sealed its pop culture status[2]. ## How to Use The meme typically works in two ways: **Straight usage:** Film yourself spotting a Toyota Supra (any generation, but the MK4 gets the biggest reactions) and react with exaggerated shock. Scream "IS THAT A SUPRA?" at maximum volume. Bonus points for cleaning your glasses, dropping whatever you're holding, or running toward the car. **Ironic usage:** Apply the same level of unhinged excitement to something that is clearly not a Supra. People use the catchphrase over clips of random objects, other cars, or completely unrelated situations to mock how seriously car enthusiasts take their hobby. On TikTok, creators often use the original audio or cabano.cars' sound clip and film their reactions when encountering Supras at car meets, on the highway, or in parking lots[3]. ## Cultural Impact The meme crossed over from car culture into mainstream internet humor because its appeal is universal. You don't need to know anything about the 2JZ engine to find the video funny. The sheer intensity of the employees' reaction sells the joke on its own. Tattoo artist and car enthusiast "daintykellie," who owns a Subaru STI, got the meme permanently inked on her leg, a moment that was featured on PASMAG's *Tuning 365* TV show[1]. The gesture captured how deeply the meme had embedded itself in automotive culture. The meme also helped introduce younger internet users to why the MK4 Supra held such a revered spot in car culture, sparking broader conversations about JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) cars and the legacy of 1990s Japanese sports engineering[4]. ## Fun Facts - The Rising Tide Car Wash in Parkland, Florida, where the video was filmed, is a social enterprise that employs individuals on the autism spectrum[1]. - The fourth-generation Supra's engineers used hollow headbolts and hollow fiber carpet to save weight during manufacturing[4]. - The 2JZ engine platform was so robust that Toyota used it across multiple Lexus models including the SC300, GS300, and a detuned version in the IS300[4]. - The U.S.-spec Supra Turbo actually made more power than the Japanese version (320 hp vs 276 hp) because it wasn't subject to Japan's gentleman's agreement limiting output to 280 PS[4]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Where did "Is That a Supra?" come from? The original video was recorded on Snapchat at the Rising Tide Car Wash in Parkland, Florida on April 25, 2018, then went viral after being uploaded to YouTube on May 11, 2018[3]. ### What does "Is That a Supra?" mean? The phrase expresses exaggerated disbelief and excitement at spotting something rare or impressive, based on the near-mythical status of the Toyota Supra in car culture[3]. **How do you use "Is That a Supra?"** Film yourself reacting with absurd levels of shock to a Supra sighting, or apply the catchphrase ironically to non-car objects for comedic effect. On TikTok, use the original or cabano.cars sound clip[3]. ### Is "Is That a Supra?" still popular? The meme peaked between 2018 and 2021, with the TikTok hashtag #isthatasupra collecting over 115 million views. It still circulates in car enthusiast communities[3]. ### Why is the Toyota Supra so special? The fourth-generation MK4 Supra (1993-2002) featured the legendary 2JZ-GTE engine capable of extreme tuning, and gained mainstream fame from *The Fast and the Furious*[4][2]. ### Who was in the original video? The video features employees of the Rising Tide Car Wash in Parkland, Florida. The individual names were never publicly revealed[1]. ### What happened to the green screen glasses guy? YouTuber Sleempy uploaded a green screen template of the glasses-cleaning employee on December 20, 2018, which received over 100,000 views and became a reusable meme format[3]. ### How many views did the original video get? Joe Shaman's YouTube reupload received over 7 million views in less than three years. ViralHog's version collected over 63,000 views in four years[3][1]. ### Did someone really get a tattoo of the meme? Yes. Tattoo artist and car enthusiast "daintykellie" tattooed the meme on her leg, which was featured on PASMAG's *Tuning 365* show[1]. ## References 1. ["Is That A Supra!?" Meme To The Next Level - PASMAG is the Tuner's Source for Modified Car Culture since 1999]() 2. [Is That a Supra? - Know Your Meme]() 3. [List of Fast & Furious characters]() 4. [Is That a Supra? - Urban Dictionary]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/is-that-a-supra Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library