TOYOTA CELICA
ONE OF THE MARQUE'S OLDEST NAMEPLATES IS ALSO ONE OF ITS MOST ENDEARING
Adecade and a half after its 1971 debut, Toyota’s Celica was in trouble. The rear-wheel drive design was old-fashioned, underpowered and expensive and no ordinary upgrade would guarantee its survival.
What it got in November 1985 was a makeover that shocked even hardened automotive journalists and preserved the Celica nameplate for another 20 years.
The ST162 Celica was literally new from the ground up with a sleek shape, pop-up headlights, a twin-cam 2.0-litre engine and 103kW if you opted for the $35,000 SX version.
Four years later came the restyled ST184 model; sitting on the same 2525mm wheelbase as its predecessor but 65mm longer and slightly narrower. Power was down marginally and weight increased, knocking the feisty edge off the SX version’s performance.
In ST162 form a five-speed manual SX would slip below 10 seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint but what really got it noticed was the in-gear acceleration. 80-120km/h in third gear took a rapid 5.2 seconds and it delivered a V8-like 16.5 for the standing 400 metres. Later cars (GT4 Turbos excepted) were slower.
The shape changed again in 1994 when a new nose with ovoid headlights replaced the flip-up units. Inside was as before with cloth-trimmed seats and a well-stocked dash. With luck there was air-conditioning as well because the slippery shape and long windows didn’t siphon a lot of air into the cabin.
Under the bonnet was a conventional 2.2-litre Toyota engine transversely mounted which made some servicing tasks more difficult but left lots of room up front to install the airconditioning components.
Despite being accessed by a very long and heavy hatch door the Celica boot is compact and oddly-shaped. To maximise luggage space, folding the low-set rear seats and leaving them that way is a sensible idea. From late 1995 the up-spec ZR gained dual air-bags, ABS braking and cruise control all as standard.
The basic ST184 shape lasted until 1999 when superseded by the most radical Celica of them all. The ZZT model that launched in November 1999 and sold until 2006 used a 1.8-litre VVT engine that demanded high rpms and made 140kW at a raucous 7600rpm. Four speed automatic transmission with sequential shifting was the choice of most buyers but a six-speed manual gearbox was optional.
Brand new in 2001 a ZR Liftback cost $47,000. For the money you got ABS and air-bags, a 6-stack sound system, power sunroof and alloy wheels.
Most expensive of these Celicas but still unlikely to make $10,000 are very late, low-kilometre ZZT models and pre-1990 SX manual Hatchbacks. Less than half that money buys a decent everyday car from the early 1990s.
Celicas built throughout the 1990s and more recently sold well and were durable so survival rates are high. Parts availability hasn’t as yet become a problem, however some body panels and new parts for the interior aren’t easy to locate within Australia.