Toyota Celica 2006 News

In Russia, drift and rally fans don’t need big power to finesse their skills thanks to the Federation’s near perennial abundance of snow and ice.As a result, any old Lada Riva or Samara can be slewed sideways through the snow and slush, or even a GAZelle commercial van – if you’ve got one handy.The above video captures all of these in super slow-mo, with a dash of Ford Fiesta and Sierra, Subaru WRX and Toyota Celica GT-Four to showcase the yaw potential of front, rear, or all-wheel drive. Watch the desktop version of the budget Russian drift video here. This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

"I first saw her spinning around in the Pennant Hills showroom in 1994 and knew I had to have her," Morris says. I "I was actually there shopping around for a MR2, but it only took a look at the Celica to change my mind." Even the 'gulp factor' of the price tag didn't dampen his enthusiasm.  "It cost $93,000 - the list price at the time was $78,000, but it had been fitted with a few options. "It was a bit more than I went down to spend. But I couldn't argue with that, because it was about the only one left in Australia... they brought 77 out and each dealer got only one.  So I thought "if you want the car, you've got to pay". "I left a $50 deposit - that was all I had in my pocket - and came back the next day with the full payment. She was mine!" Morris says his love of the car hasn't faded a bit since that day. "It's still beautiful. Our relationship is now almost 17 years old and each day I look at her I still smile," he says.  "Everyone that notices her out on the road turns their heads to have another look - and are lost for words when I tell them how old she is.  Like any fine red, she improves with age." Morris has resisted any temptation for major modification to the Celica. "An exhaust system change and different wheels are the only mods," he says.  "Nothing needs to be changed - she is perfect.  She is very forgiving when being driven, always responsive when asked, and very exciting to drive. " I feel privileged to own her. She just gets better with age.  She's only got 92,000km on the clock - which isn't a lot for a car of that age. I don't want to wear her out". 1994 ST205 Toyota Celica GT4 Group A Rallye. Engine and outputs: 2.0-litre, 178kw Transmission: 5-speed manual, all-wheel drive How many built: 2500 world wide (to qualify for world rally entry) Australian allocation: 77 Cost When New: $93,000 Value now: $35,000

A Mustang is a wild brumby in the USA but also one of the all-time best muscle cars; the LandCruiser does just what the name says, even if the land is the worst of the Australian outback; and the Enzo is a tribute to the man who founded the world's best-know supercar company, Ferrari.But the name game can go badly wrong.  The Nissan Cedric was never going to be a hit in Australia with a name that creates a picture of an aging uncle Arthur in a cardigan, Taurus is tough in the USA but was always going to flop against the Falcon, and the Skoda Roomster has just been dumped after failing to find a home down under.Holden was careful to avoid the VD in its Commodore line, but why did it start with the VB and not the VA? And what about the Statesman, which went well as the WB but was never updated into the WC?  Just this week I was following a Citroen Jumpy delivery fan in Portugal, and wondering if the name was a reflection of the driver's behaviour or the way it runs on the road.The craziness goes on and on, like the Citroen Picasso people mover which is anything but an oil painting.  Today's showrooms also have cars whose names have more numbers and letters than a cryptic crossword, with just as much meaning. Who really knows the difference between an A7 and a C350?But head back in history and there are some absolute clangers.  Henry Ford named the 1950s Edsel after his son, but is now recorded as one of the biggest flops in blue-oval history.  Japan has given us everything from the Daihatsu Rocky and Rugger to the Honda Ascot and Acty Crawler and on through the Isuzu Big Horn to the Subaru Justy.Nissan created the Tiida name from nothing, even though it claims it has something to do with waves breaking on a beach, and Lexus is even a made-up brand name, in contrast to Mercedes which was named after an early Daimler customer's daughter.  Over in America, the AMC Gremlin was a flop, the Dodge Neon never went up in lights, Plymouth Reliant never lived up to its promise, and the Lincoln Town Car was so big it needed its own postcode.Even some of the names which have worked create more questions than answers about their creation.  The Kia Mentor is more likely to need one, the Honda Jazz is not much of a music machine and the Suzuki Cappucino was too frothy to sell in Australia.Some names also paint a picture because of their history.  Mention Celica and lots of people in Australia think hairdresser.  Ask about the Nissan GT-R and you'll hear about Godzilla.Camry is shorthand for fridge-on-wheels, Kingswood is classic sixties kitsch, and then there is the Goggomobil.  So, what's causing a Rukus today? The Toyota Rukus, for a start.We could also get the Nissan Cube, which is as boxy as its name, although Nissan Australia is also pushing for a return of the Pulsar badge which worked so well before the silly switch to Tiida.  Right now we have the Skoda Superb in Australian showrooms. If that's not a name which creates a serious expectation then we don't know our Falcodores.When Toyota was looking for a new name for a mid-sized car alongside the Camry it thought it had the ideal choice. It settled on Centaur - the mythical man-horse - because it sounded tough.  But no-one at Toyota Australia had taken into account a nasty incident in World War II during the battle for the Pacific.A hospital ship called the Centaur was sailing towards Brisbane when it was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine. The idea of a Toyota Centaur sunk even faster.  The Centaur badges were crushed, all the paperwork was changed and so was the advertising. The Centaur quickly became the Avalon for Australia.  How do we know? Carsguide made the call to Toyota to warn about the problem. Japanese cars have always led the way in the silly-names race.  How about the Mazda Bongy Brawny? No, not the name for an off-road tough SUV, it was the badge on the back of a city delivery van with a 1.3-litre engine.Everyone has heard the story about the Mitsubishi Starion, and whether the company's sales team actually meant to call the turbo coupe the Stallion.  And then there is the Pajero. It's called the Montero in Spain, because Pajero is the word for something usually done alone in private.

...by the withdrawal of the last official factory team in the series and top-name drivers Neal Bates and Simon Evans.Toyota withdrew its support from rallying yesterday as it ended all involvement in Australia motorsport as part of a move to cut non- essential costs from its troubled local sales operation.It followed Ford and GM Holden in slashing its spending on motorsport but took it to the next level, trumping its rivals' multi-million dollar cuts on their V8 Supercar programs with a total withdrawal.The decision ends 20 years in the Australian Rally Championship, the speedway support of national champion Brooke Tatnell, a blossoming program in drag racing and even support of the youth-focussed Australian drift championship.The biggest casualty is Neal Bates, who has won three national rally titles for the company and provided the cars to give Simon Evans two more."I'm devastated by it. I only got the news last night," Bates said yesterday."I'm sad but I feel privileged to have had the success we have had in all sorts of cars, from the original Celica through to the latest Corolla we designed and built at our base in Canberra. The worst thing is that people are going to lose their jobs and this is like a family."Bates and his co-driver Coral Taylor still plan to compete in the opening event of this year's ARC, Rally Tasmania next month, as well as the team's home event in Canberra. He is also hopeful of finding buyers for Corolla rally cars."I want to keep doing but I don't plan to send myself broke." We've already had a few possibilities come along today, but there is an enormous difference between a possibility and a signed deal," Bates said.Evans' plans are unknown for the moment, although he has rallied before in Subaru cars and has had offers to compete in the China Rally Championship with his co-driving wife Sue. 

The share market is shot, superannuation is in “negative growth” whatever that means, house prices are dropping alarmingly and interest rates look like falling. Where can you make an honest investment dollar these days? Well, art has some attraction but the numbers involved would make plenty of people tremble in their boots.What about collectable classic cars?We have all heard the stories about the six figure Falcon GTHOs and Monaros not forgetting the European thoroughbred classics, some of which go for multi-million dollar prices.But what if you're just an average punter and want to get in on the action.Take a look at Japanese collectable cars - is the advice coming from those in the know.This is because they have the potential for increased value from a relatively low base. And depending on the car (and luck) you could have a tidy little nest egg in the garage, one that you can take out and actually enjoy at your discretion.Christophe Boribon is the National Auction Manager for Shannons Auctions and he has some firm ideas on what cars are good buying with potential appreciation and those that are dead certainties.Chris' named the Toyota 2000GT as the most collectable classic Japanese car in Australia because of its rarity (only eight imported) and the specification of the car. He says a good one will go for between $2-300,000.Hardly accessible to the average punter.But other cars from most Japanese manufacturers operating here are shaping up well at the auctions and as long term prospects.Mazda's 1960s R100 coupe is worth a look at 10 grand according to Chris' as is the original, glass back RX7.“The RX3 is also good buying at $25-35,000 if you can get a good one and it should appreciate if looked after,” Chris' said.”Then there is the late '90s twin-turbo RX7 and RX7 SP - a locally fettled hotrod that will appreciate because it was a low volume performance car.”“You will pay big dollars for a Mazda Cosmo (up to 100 grand) but the first MX5 is a good proposition for not much money.” He said the SP versions of the later MX5 will be worth more in the long run and even the Japanese turbo model, the SE, should appreciate over time.Toyota has a few potentially collectable models including the late '60s Celica RA23 and TA23 models as well as the rear drive Sprinter 1.6. Celica GT4s should also be good buying if you can find one that hasn't been raced. Honda's most collectable car is the NSX but Chris' says the first S2000 sports cars are worth a look if you can get one that hasn't been thrashed. The tiny S600 and S800 sports cars are good property and even the quad headlight Integra TypeR could appreciate given time.Any Mitsubishi Lancer Evo in reasonable road condition will be worth a punt as a collectable particularly the Evo 6.5 Makinen edition. And if you can get hold of a twin turbo GTO 3000 (non-factory import) it should be a solid investment.Nissan has plenty of collectable cars dating right back to the 1960s. Think Datsun Fairlady sports cars, Datsun 240Z and 260Z coupes and of course the R32 Skyline GTR Godzilla Bathurst winning car - (Australian spec) of which only 100 were imported by the factory. You'll pay about $35,000 for Godzilla these days and it's on the way up for a decent standard one.Subaru has a couple of collectable cars too, the SVX coupe 3.3-litre flat six all-wheel-drive has possibilities and the 22B two door Impreza WRX STi for which you'll pay about $100,000 and going up.Good luck.