The Toyota Celica is an automobile produced by Toyota from 1970 until 2006. The Celica name derives from the Latin word coelica meaning heavenly or celestial. In Japan, the Celica was exclusive to the Toyota Corolla Store dealer chain. Produced across seven generations, the Celica was powered by various four-cylinder engines, and bodystyles included convertibles, liftbacks, coupés and notchback coupés.
In 1973, Toyota coined the term liftback to describe the Celica fastback hatchback, and used the name Liftback GT for the North American market.
Like the Ford Mustang, the Celica concept was to attach a coupe body to the chassis and mechanicals from a high volume sedan, in this case the Toyota Carina. Some journalists thought it was based on the Corona due to some shared mechanical parts.
Fourth generation (T160; 1985–1989)
In August 1985 the Celica was changed completely. It was an all-new vehicle with front wheel drive, a rounded, flowing body and new 2.0 L four-cylinder engines. The Celica was no longer built on the Toyota A platform, and instead realigned with the Toyota T platform underpinning the Toyota Corona. The Toyota A platform was now exclusive to the Toyota Supra. The coupe bodystyle in Japan was used only for the Corona coupe, sold only at Japanese Toyota dealerships Toyopet Store without the retractable headlights. An optional feature only offered on the Corona coupe was four-wheel steering, not shared with the Celica during this generation, however, the turbocharged engine on the Celica was not installed in the Corona coupe.
Toyota introduced the “ultimate Celica”, the GT-Four (ST165) onto the Japanese market in October 1986. With full-time all-wheel drive, including an electronically controlled central locking differential, and a turbocharged version of the GT-S 2.0 L engine producing 190 hp (142 kW) (3S-GTE), it immediately took its place as the flagship of the Celica range and became the official Toyota rally car for all years of production. The GT-Four, with a revised viscous coupling central locking differential, began export in 1987 (1988 U.S. model year) and marketed in North America as the All-trac Turbo. It was rated at 190 bhp (142 kW; 193 PS) and 190 lb⋅ft (258 N⋅m). The All-trac system was also offered for a limited time on the Camry, and Corolla in North America without the turbo, as well as the normally aspirated and supercharged Previa.
The ST165 chassis design was quite acclaimed in its time. Toyota chose not to make any drastic suspension changes for the AWD GT-Four. The front suspension comprises MacPherson struts with an anti-swaybar and strut tower brace, while the rear employs struts with a trailing link and twin lateral links per side plus an anti-swaybar.
The ST165 GT-Four made its World Rally debut in the 1988 Tour de Corse and finished 6th. The first victory came in 1988 Cyprus (non-WRC), and the first WRC victory in 1989 Rally Australia.
As with the previous generation, the convertibles were fitted by ASC. Coupes were shipped from Japan to their facility in Rancho Dominguez, California, where the top was chopped and a power convertible top, reinforcements to the chassis, rear quarter windows, and a one-piece fold-down seat were installed. ASC also handled the process for the Japanese market. Partially built, right-hand-drive Celicas were shipped from Japan to California, ASC performed the conversion, and the completed cars made a second trip across the Pacific back to Japan. The Celica convertible was in high demand in Japan because of the exotic appeal of the American modifications.
