Toyota has produced a lot of intriguing cars over the years. Toyota has always focused on efficiency, usability, and affordability, from the Prius to the RAV4. Looking back at earlier Toyota models to see how far the company has advanced in terms of design and quality is also enjoyable.
The Toyota Celica is one of the more well-known Toyota models that is no longer in production. We wonder what happened to the Toyota Celica because it seemed like everyone knew someone who owned one. Despite the fact that manufacture was only stopped in 2006, there aren’t as many of them on the roads nowadays. Sure, there are a few here and there, but it begs the question as to why many more didn’t utilize this sporty yet efficient vehicle.
A quick overview of the Toyota Celica’s history is necessary to comprehend what transpired with the vehicle. The car was produced from 1970 to 2006, but the drivetrain’s move from rear- to front-wheel drive in 1985 was the biggest shift.
The original Celica came in three trim levels: LT, ST, and GT, and was a hardtop coupe. The GTV trim level was also available; it was released in 1972, handled a little better, but had a less opulent interior. A 1.6L or a 2L engine was standard on the Celica.
When the second-generation Celica was introduced in 1978, it was offered as a coupe and a liftback with a “B pillar. 2.2L engine provided power to the base model Celica of the second generation.
When the third generation of Celicas was introduced in 1981, buyers once again had a choice between a coupe and a liftback. In 1984, a convertible version was also released. This generation of Celicas comes standard with a 2.4L engine. In 1982, all Celicas sold in North America were required to have fuel injection.
Toyota Celicas of the seventh and last generation, which were coupes, were sold from 1999 to 2006. Power locks and windows were installed in the center console, and the car was lighter and more cheap than prior model years. In its base model, it had a 1.8L engine that generated 140 horsepower. Due to poor sales, Toyota declared that it would stop manufacturing the Celica in the United States in 2004.
The Celica eventually evolved into the Celica Supra, then into just the Supra, but that is a another tale for another day. Live long and prosper, Toyota Celica!
In This Article...
Will Toyota ever reintroduce the Celica?
It would be foolish for the division to rest on its laurels now that Toyota’s Gazoo Racing (GR) performance branch is firmly established.
Then there is the Celica, a reasonably priced coupe that went through seven incarnations from 1970 to 2006 and soon gained a reputation for offering a lot of enthusiast appeal at a reasonable price.
Similar to the final-generation Celica, Theophilus Chin’s reimagined 2022 Celica is built on a borrowed Corolla platform, which isn’t the most interesting foundation but offers plenty of room for customization as a member of Toyota’s modular TNGA chassis family.
This adaptability makes a variety of powerplant alternatives possible. Again, going back in time, there is space for engines from both the Corolla and the Camry, resulting in base engine tuning of at least 125kW and 152kW from the 2.0-liter and 2.5-litre engines of the source cars, respectively.
The 2.5-liter engine would make a fantastic base model for Australia, with the 2.5-liter hybrid Camry serving as the “flagship” model, tuned to produce at least 170kW with, hopefully, development room to pair it with a manual and conventional automatic, as opposed to the Camry’s less-exciting 160kW with a CVT.
Our eighth-generation Celica carries on from where the angular seventh-gen car left off rather than ripping up the rulebook and starting from scratch. Similar low profile, with an improvement over the previous triangular headlight.
Although the body is still a liftback design, it is now more horizontal in nature like those found on Toyota’s popular models.
The front bumper intake makes a connection to the present Corolla, but the thin slit grille calls to mind the previous Celica.
Even while the vehicle is still, the inflated wheel arches, wider front and rear tracks, vented front guards, rising bodyside feature lines, and sill panels give the appearance of motion.
With LED lighting and bumper garnishes in the shape of vents, the rear of the car is highlighted by a tail-light panel that wraps around the corners like a strut brace, emphasizing the forward-motion design.
We’d want to see the maximum output 220kW engine from the GR Corolla combined with the 390Nm output from the GRMN Yaris because the outputs for the GR Celica can only be range-topping. Similarly, ‘circuit’ suspension, forged alloy wheels, and Torsen limited slip differentials front and back are non-negotiable.
The GR-exclusive stepped central air intake, the larger vents behind the front wheels, the GR Corolla’s trio of functional exhaust tips, the ST205 GT-Four-inspired bonnet scoop, and, of course, GR’s distinctive Frosted White paint were all exterior features we simply had to have.
Sadly, there are currently no signs that Toyota will produce a new Celica; instead, the firm seems pleased with the GR86 and GR Supra. We can fantasize.
What Toyota was the Celica’s successor?
In January 1980, Toyota introduced the four-door Celica Camry to the Japanese market. This vehicle was essentially a 1977–1981 Toyota Carina (A40 and A50) from the second generation with a front end that was extended to match the 1978–1981 Celica XX, also known as the Celica Supra in export markets. This Carina-derived Celica is a four-door sedan as opposed to a coupe or liftback, unlike other Celicas. When the front-wheel-drive Toyota Camry (V10) model was introduced in 1982, Toyota replaced the Celica Camry.
What should I look for in a used Toyota Celica coupe?
The only thing you really need to consider when buying a Celica is the appropriate color and trim combo. The business consistently places highly in our reliability polls, and the Celica frequently receives favorable ratings from JD Power surveys, where it was named the best coupe in 2006 and ranked in the top 20 overall in 2005.
Warranty Direct claims that while Celica issues are uncommon, the suspension accounts for 50% of them. Another third is attributable to the engine. Other than that, the only issues we’ve heard of are the tailgate struts collapsing and brake discs rotting on cars that don’t receive much use.
Is the Toyota Celica a unique automobile?
Toyota’s Celica was a crucial sports vehicle. As a rival to vehicles like the Ford Mustang on the global market, the Japanese manufacturer launched the Celica on the market. They even debuted the vehicle in the WRC, where they often prevailed. Before it was withdrawn, Toyota had released seven models of the Celica on the market. The 2-door sports car is currently quite uncommon and is undoubtedly a vehicle that a fanatic would adore having in his or her garage. We previously highlighted a six generation Toyota Celica that was for sale, and this week we have a seventh generation Toyota Celica sports vehicle that is for sale on the used auto market.
Actually, a vendor from Kalol, Gujarat, published the advertisement for this Toyota Celica. The vehicle in this image is a silver seventh and last generation Toyota Celica. The Toyota Celica boasts a modern appearance that prevents it from seeming antiquated even now. It appears from the pictures that the automobile has been well-maintained by its present owner. The car doesn’t have any significant dings or scrapes. The Toyota Celica’s production began in 1999, and the sports vehicle featured in this advertisement is a 2001 model.
The Celica was supplanted by the Supra.
It takes 40 years to the latter half of the 20th century to trace the history of the Toyota Supra, an iconic model that bears what is undoubtedly Toyota’s most well-known sports car badge.
The Supra name, chosen as a new suffix designation for a longer, broader, and more potent spin-off of the second-generation Celica coup, was first introduced by Toyota in April 1978. (above). The model’s A40 chassis code served as an additional means of identification.
The new A40 Celica Supra (known as Celica XX in its domestic market) replaced the Celica’s four-cylinder engine range with a silky smooth six-cylinder engine that offered a more opulent character in an effort to compete in the popular grand tourer market in Japanese and North American markets at the time, which was almost entirely dominated by Datsun’s Z-cars. So the story of the Toyota Supra began…
How durable are Toyota Celicas?
If you don’t misuse it, a properly kept Celica can travel between 250.000 and 300.000 miles. You can anticipate the automobile to last you 16 to 20 years if you drive an average of 15,000 miles annually, which is the typical for American drivers.
Is a JDM a Celica?
The best deal in JDM performance cars is the Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205. The powerful Toyota Celica GT-Four, a rally homologation vehicle that spans three generations, is frequently disregarded.
Solution:
The performance of the valves is a well-known issue with the Celica 1.8-liter vehicles. These can corrode quickly because they have a soft valve seat, which means they can wear out quickly. There won’t be much of a choice but to remove the cylinder head and rebuild it with the BreakerYard valves. Despite the size of the task, there are numerous walkthrough manuals accessible.
Which Celica is the fastest?
A 2011 Toyota Celica with 800 horsepower was the fastest vehicle overall at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, accelerating up the 1.16-mile driveway of Goodwood House in in 48.07 seconds.
The Celica had to defeat numerous well-known racers, including current Formula 1 cars, in order to win.
Jonny Milner, a former British Rally Champion, developed and drove the vehicle. In 2011, Milner, who had previously come close to winning, returned with an additional 100 horsepower to claim the FTD (fastest time of the day) in front of a sizable crowd that had been boosted by the appearance of celebrities like F1 champion Lewis Hamilton.
The route, which rises more than 300 feet from the starting line to the finish line, is very tricky and difficult, putting the world’s greatest drivers and riders to the ultimate test of focus and speed.
Milner, a former British Rally Champion, lost out on the televised “shootout” on Sunday afternoon due to a slight error, but his time from earlier in the day was the fastest of all 200 cars during the famous three-day tournament.
Milner’s car, which is based on the sixth-generation Celica, is incredibly light, weighing in at only 1,050kg. The wheel arches and upper suspension mounts have been raised to lower the car’s center of gravity and relocate the driver’s position back 12 inches for better weight distribution. A level of ground effect is added with a flat floor and rear diffuser.
The engine comes from a winning Corolla from the World Rally Championship and has recently been upgraded with a Rotrex supercharger to increase maximum output to more over 800bhp. Turbo-lag was lessened via a nitrous oxide injection system, enabling speedier acceleration. Specification for ultra-soft rallycross Slick Michelin tires also contributed significantly to the efficient transfer of all that power.
What Toyota vehicle is the fastest?
Toyota’s GR Supra. Toyota now makes the fastest automobile, the GR Supra. In order to match its performance and power, it also sports the most obnoxious and athletic exterior design yet.