Toyota Celica News

The motor show tease for the crucial new coupe has been clipped of its giant flared guards and ground-scraper nose in the first Carparazzi pictures of the real car during testing close to the Nurburgring in Germany. The 2.0-litre rear-drive hero car is being shown at the Australian International Motor Show in Melbourne in July ahead of sales in 2012. Pricing is expected to start at $35,000.

... the giant rear wing and a deep front spoiler fitted to one of the German test cars. The extra body bits hit there will be at least two versions of the born- again Celica, with turbocharging at the top end.

"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.

It's not called the Celica yet, and it's not confirmed for production yet, but the Toyota FT-86 Concept is the best sign yet that the world's biggest carmarker wants to put a sporty coupe back into its line-up. It is also proof that Toyota is serious about its sports car collaboration with Subaru, since the FT-86 packs a two-litre boxer engine under its bonnet that is being provided by its new go-faster partner. The Toyaru coupe should go live within a year and is likely to make it to Australia in the early months of 2011 as both a Toyota and — with visual tweaking — a Subaru. No-one at Toyota Australia is prepared to talk about the FT-86, which will be rolled out at the Tokyo Motor Show this month as Toyota tries to put some positive spin back into the car business following the global economic meltdown. Even Toyota in Japan is keeping everything but the basic details a secret. It admits the car has the 2-litre flat-four engine and says the car has an overall length of 4160mm, a width of 1760mm, is 1260mm tall and rolls on a 2570mm wheelbase. The car is a genuine five-seater with a low centre of gravity and lightweight construction. It is painted in a colour called Flash Red, with a leather-wrapped interior in black and cream. Toyota says the cabin is deliberately minimalistic to give a sporty feel, "with many of the structural elements left uncovered". The other Toyota Tokyo concept to break cover this week is the FT-EV II, an electric city car. It is nowhere near as funky as the Renault and Peugeot electric concept cars that starred at the Frankfurt Motor Show last month, but it proves Toyota is accelerating plans to have a range of plug-in cars in production in the next few years. Toyota says the EV-II is even smaller than its current baby, the iQ, but can still seat four adults. It uses drive-by-wire technology to replace the conventional steering wheel and pedals with a joystick, a move that also frees more legroom in the cabin. It has a low-set nose that even includes an extra window below the windscreen to improve visibility for parking, with sliding electric doors on both sides. Proving the EV-II is a production testbed, Toyota claims a top speed of 100km/h and an 80-kilometre range between charges, although it has yet to reveal any details of the electric powerpack or battery system.

At its launch in 1970, the original series 1 Celica set the standard for affordable sports coupes for the younger generation. Utilising an overall layout similar to the Alfa Romeo GTV, the Celica offered good performance with its lightweight design, front-engine rear-wheel drive layout and reliable in-line 4.cylinder engine While the packaging was borrowed from the Alfa, the styling was very much targeted at the American market. The pillarless hardtop coupe had styling cues from the Chevrolet Camaro, while the Liftback GT introduced in 1976 was often referred to as the Celica Mustang as it utilised many styling cues from the iconic Ford model. The Celica was first shown in October 1970 at the Tokyo Motor Show, and fast-tracked to the market by December. Public and press reception was very good and the Celica helped Toyota build a reputation as makers of affordable and practical cars that appealed to the enthusiast driver. This reputation continued through until 1986 when the most significant change in the seven generations of production occurred: the introduction of front wheel drive. However, the first generational change came in 1978 with the series 2. Gone was the pillarless hardtop — replaced with a solid b-pillar. The styling, while well-accepted for the period is not as timeless as the classic series 1. The Series 2 provided more power and better fuel economy and recieved several awards globally, including Motor Trend's "Import Car of the Year". Series 3 was introduced in 1982 with a very hard-edged styling. This model also saw the introduction of the first Celica turbo. The GT-T was a homologation special to meet the FISA regulation for Group B Rally for the World Rally Championship, 200 were built. The Celica went on to win the 1982 Rally of New Zealand and between 1983 and 1986 it won all six WRC events it entered in Africa. Introduced in 1986, Series 4 switched to a front-wheel drive layout and in doing so somewhat confused its target market. The Celica went from being clearly a car for the young or young at heart that required practicality while enjoying a stylish drive — to having no clear market focus. The styling left most people underwhelmed. The more performance oriented buyers continued to be catered for with the four wheel drive rally focused GT-Fours but these where limited production. The average enthusiast shied away from the new layout and the direction the styling department had taken, while the average performance enthusiast in Europe gravitated towards front-wheel drive. The Australian market has closer ties with the Americans who prefer the rear-wheel drive layout. Series 5 came in 1990 and Toyota introduced its new ‘organic’ styling. The flowing lines and rounded corners were said to introduce strength and structural integrity while keeping weight down. While the new organic style was copied by other manufacturers it polarised opinion here in Australia. The car however remained a moderate success and received good endorsement from the Australian motoring press. Series 6 was introduced in 1994 and was an evolution of the previous model. The organic design was further refined and incorporated into the headlight treatment. The GT-Four version of the sixth series introduced the most powerful variant produced, the 3S-GTE engine produced 178kW in its Australian configuration. The GT-Four continued a highly successfully rallying career and they are now a desirable collector’s model. Celica sales were lagging by the end of the millenium and Toyota introduced Project Genesis to try to attract the younger buyers back. The Celica was one of three Toyota models chosen for specialised targeted advertising, the other two were the MR2 and Echo. All three are now longer in production. The seventh series Celica introduced a mixture of flowing lines and hard edge creases, which again was an extreme re-direction in styling. During this period the ‘tuner’ enthusiast movement was in full swing and the Celica failed to capture a share of that lucrative market. Most of the available buyers headed to Nissan with their 200SX - a rear wheel drive platform. Production of the Celica ceased in 2005. But enthusiasts still hold out hope for a return - potentially with the often vaunted partnership with Subaru to develop a new rear wheel drive platform. All seven series present a good option for budget conscious buyers - many have been well-maintained as the Celica has attracted a keen brand loyalty. Poorly-maintained cars in general should be avoided unless you are looking for a cheap project car.   Series One: A20/35 Series - 1970-1977 Body Types notchback coupe 2-door hardtop Layout Front engine - Rear drive Engines 1.4 L T I4 1.6 L 2T I4 1.9 L 8R I4 2.0 L 18R I4 2.2 L 20R I4 Transmissions 4-speed W40 manual 5-speed W50 manual 3-speed A40 automatic Length: 4171 mm Width: 1600 mm Curb weight: 890 kg Early Coupe 1166 kg - Liftback   Series 2: A40 Series - 1978-1981 Body types 3-door liftback 2-door coupe Layout Front engine - Rear drive Engines 2.2 L I4 20R 2.4 L I4 22R 1.6 L I4 1.8 L I4 2.0 L I4 Transmissions 3 speed A40 automatic ('78-'80) 4-speed A40D automatic ('81) 5 speed W50 manual   Series 3: A60 Series - 1982-1985 Body types 3-door liftback 2-door coupe Layout Front engine - Rear drive Engines 1.9 L I4 21R 2.4 L I4 22R 2.4 L I4 22RE 2.0 L I4 1.6 L I4 1.8 L I4 Transmissions 4-speed A40D automatic 5 speed W58 manual   Series 4: T160 Series - 1985-1989 Body types 3-door liftback 2-door coupe Layout Front engine, Front Wheel Drive / 4WD Platform: T160 Engines 1.6 L I4 4A-GE 1.8 L I4 4S-Fi 2.0L I4 2S-FE (1986 only) 2.0 L I4 3S-FE 2.0 L I4 3S-GE 2.0 L turbo I4 3S-GTE Transmissions 4-speed automatic 5-speed manual Wheelbase: 99.4 in (2525 mm) Length: 4409 mm coupe - 4366 mm liftback Width: 1709 mm Height: 1265 mm   Series 5: T180 Series - 1990-1993 Layout Front engine, Front Wheel Drive / 4WD Engines 1.6 L 4A-FE I4 2.0 L 3S-FE & 3S-GE I4 2.0 L turbo 3S-GTE I4 2.2 L 5S-FE I4 Transmissions 4-speed automatic 5-speed manual Length Coupe: 4470 mm Normal body Liftback: 4409 mm Wide body Liftback: 4420 mm Width 1990 ST Coupe:1689 mm 1991-93 Coupe, normal body Liftback: 1704 mm Wide body Liftback: 1745 mm Height Liftback FF: 1280 mm Coupe, Liftback 4WD: 1285 mm   Seriess 6: T200 Series - 1994-1999 Body types 3-door liftback 2-door notchback - coupé Layout Front engine, Front Wheel Drive / 4WD Engines 1.8 L 7A-FE I4 2.0 L 3S-FE & 3S-GE I4 2.0 L turbo 3S-GTE I4 2.2 L 5S-FE I4 Transmissions 4-speed automatic 5-speed manual Wheelbase: 2537 mm Length: Coupe 4496 mm Liftback: 4425 mm Width: 1750 mm Height 1295 mm Liftback: 1290 mm   Series 7: T230 series - 2000-2005 Body styles 3-door liftback Front engine, Front Wheel Drive Engines 1.8 L 1ZZ-FE I4 1.8 L 2ZZ-GE I4 Transmissions 4-speed automatic 5-speed manual 6-speed manual Wheelbase 2601 mm Length: 4331 mm Width: 1735 mm Height: 1306 mm  

...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. 

Adelaide native Stuart Martin has owned everything from a 1974 Jeep ragtop to an early Celica - complete with vinyl roof - that soldiered on through a frantic "30 minutes or die" pizza delivery career.Passionate about anything with wheels and an engine, Martin is young enough to cope with hybrid technology and old enough to remember carburettors; he's happy behind the wheel - of anything from a Suzuki Swift to an M3 - and preferably with a bit of opposite lock on.

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. 

Funny lady Julia Morris, who is singing up a storm with opera star David Hobson on Channel 7's It Takes Two (7.30pm Tuesdays), admits to being a latecomer to the joys of driving.  But few can boast having the late motor racing great Peter Brock as their "driving instructor''.Having recently relocated back to Australia with her Welsh husband, comedian Dan Thomas, and 15-month-old daughter Ruby Charlotte, the 39-year-old comedian/performer cannot wait to take them for a spin down the Great Ocean Rd, once she ditches the "rental'' and gets herself a new set of wheels.What was your first car?I was 28 when I got my L-plates and then bought myself a brand new Toyota Celica SX in gun metal grey with double back spoiler. Such a superb car to learn in, it was low and smooth. Grrr.What do you drive now?A rented "No Birds'' Toyota Corolla. We have only just moved home from the UK, so we are just easing in gently. I do have my eye on the Kluger though. I had better get saving.Do you have a favourite drive and who would you take?Now that we have a baby, we only get to drive short trips. But as soon as she is old enough we will be hurtling down the Great Ocean Rd so I can show my Welsh husband one of the more spectacular roads in our country.How far would you drive in a year?Sadly, with travelling so much it is likely that I only have the time for about 15,000-20,000km a year.Do you have a favourite motoring memory?Having Brocky (Peter Brock) teach me to drive on the Grand Prix practice track to get my CAMS license for the celebrity race. What a great way to learn. I did stall three times at the start on the day, but hey I also indicated around the corners to observe safety first. But I needn't have worried . . . there was no one behind me.What would you buy if money was no object?A Bentley Continental Don't you think it would make every day seem like a special occasion?What music is playing in your car?My practice CDs from It Takes Two and, of course, Merrick, Rosso and Kate on Nova 96.9.How much is too much for a new car?Are you drunk? I have never heard such a question. Too much? It doesn't exist when it comes to a great car.What should be done to make driving safer?Compulsory fitment of reversing cameras. For as little as $300 we could save so many Australian lives.