Celica

For more then three decades Celica was one of Toyotas most popular vehicles. The Celica targeted youthful customers who were looking for a fun-to-drive car that was also economical. The Celicas popularity helped to create and solidify the affordable sport coupe market segment in America. The Celica also made its mark in motor sports, racing in a number of competitions from the Pikes Peak Hill Climb to NHRA drag racing. The 1976 Celica was the first Toyota vehicle to win Motor Trends Import Car of the Year Award. The second-generation, 1978 Celica was designed at Calty Research Design, Inc. in Newport Beach, CA. Celica served as the official car of the Toyota Pro-Celebrity Grand Prix and the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach for 30 years, 1975-2005. Whether it is being sculpted in rattan, modified by tuners, racing to the top of Pikes Peak, or starring on Discovery Channels Monster Garage, the Celica remains one of Toyotas best-known models. Toyota began selling the first generation Celica ST, based on the EX-1 Car of the Future concept vehicle, in the summer of 1971. It boasted sports car features such as a tachometer, radial tires, hood vents, and rally stripes with the fuel economy and price of a compact car. In 1973, Toyota added a 3-speed automatic transmission. In 1974 the Celica line expanded to include a GT model with a larger, 2.0-liter engine along with an LT base grade. It also featured one of Toyotas first 5-speed overdrive transmissions at a time when fifth gear was primarily reserved for luxury sports cars. In 1975, the engine was upgraded to 2.2-liters with transistorized ignition, under hood heat shield, electric fuel pump, and a bigger radiator. The 1976 Celica line included a Liftback version for the first time. In the same year, Celica won Toyotas first Motor Trend Import Car of the Year award, a distinction it earned again in 1978. The 1978 Celica, available as ST, GT, or Liftback models, were enhanced for comfort with more shoulder and headroom, lumbar support, and optional power steering. It was one of the first vehicles crafted primarily by Toyotas U.S. design studio Calty Research Design studio in Southern California.
Supra In mid-March the Celica Supra arrived at dealerships as a 1979 model. Toyota designed the Supra to fill the upper end of the sporty subcompact market. This model featured a standard 2.6-liter, 6-cylinder electronic fuel injected engine producing 110 hp. This was the first time electronic fuel injection was offered on a Toyota passenger car in the U.S. The Supra was re-designed for 1982 and won Import Car of the Year from Motor Trend magazine. In 1987, a Turbo was added to the line-up boosting the Supras horsepower 15 percent from the normally aspirated version to 230 horsepower. Continuing in its award-winning tradition, the 1994 Supra won both the Motoring Press Associations Import Car of the Year and Popular Mechanics Design & Engineering awards. During its 20-year history the Supra went through four generations, plus a special 15th anniversary edition. The final model year of the Supra was 1998.
The third-generation Celica arrived in 1982 with the introduction of the Celica GT-S. It offered performance similar to that of a Supra with the fuel economy and price of a Celica. Getting an EPA estimated 38/24 highway/city miles per gallon, the GT-S came with a sport suspension, performance tires, and power assist steering. In 1985, the GT-S made history as the first convertible model sold at Toyota dealerships. The convertible was the result of a joint project between Toyota and ASC, Incorporated. The Celica GT-S was produced at the Tahara plant in Japan, and shipped to the U.S. where it was completed at an ACS facility in Rancho Dominguez, California. In 1988, the Celica All-Trac Turbo was introduced featuring a full-time all-wheeldrive system and the most powerful engine built by Toyota at the time, -- a new turbocharged, liquid-intercooled, 4-valve per cylinder, twin-cam, 2.0-liter engine that generated 190 horsepower. Calty influenced the design of the fifth-generation Celica introduced in 1990. Standard features included a 10-speaker CD audio system and a standard drivers side airbag. In 1991, the line-up added a Celica GT Convertible. The new power top convertible featured an electronically fuel-injected, 2.2-liter, twin cam engine producing 130horse power. Like earlier GT-S convertibles, Celica GTs were shipped to the U.S. and modified at ACS. For the first time, some of these vehicles were then exported to Europe. The success of the GT convertible encouraged Toyota to continue vehicle conversions and exports from the U.S. In 1998, Toyota announced the Genesis Group. The mission of the Genesis Group was to make Toyota products a top choice in the youth market. Through viral marketing, Internet radio, a multi media music tour, and sponsorship of the Gravity Games, Genesis reached out to younger drivers to promote several targeted vehicles, including the seventh-generation, 30th-anniversary edition, 2000 Celica. The 2000 Celica GT-S came with an all-new 1.8-liter, four-cylinder DOHC, allaluminum engine capable of 180-horse power.

In 2001, Celica received an optional Action Package body kit as a factory-installed option. The Action Package included an aggressive front bumper, side rocker panels, an aero bumper, and adjustable rear wing. A new Action Package offered in 2004, added fog lamps, color-keyed headlamps, tailpipe surround and tip, and available red leather trim to a list of cosmetic enhancements. On July 16, 2004, Toyota announced that after the 2005 model year, production of the Celica for the U.S. market would cease. Toyota cited increased competition in the sport compact segment that the Celica helped to popularize as the main reason for the end of production of both the Celica and MR2. The Scion tC, which went on sale in June 2004, was the Celicas natural heir. Along with a colorful production and sales history, Celica also made its mark in the motor sports arena. It began with a 1972 entry in the World Rally Championship (WRC) and Roger Albert Clark Rally (RAC). Over the years, Celicas also raced in: NASCARs Goodys Dash Series International Motor Sports Associations (IMSA) GTO and GTU classes The Pikes Peak Hill Climb in the 1990s Countless grand prix events National Hot Rod Associations (NHRA) professional sport compact drag racing, becoming the first international vehicles to do so Perhaps the most visible Celicas in motor sports were those used as pace cars and being driven by celebrities in the annual Toyota Pro-Celebrity race and Grand Prix of Long Beach from 1975-2005.
Model Highlights: 1976, Jan. 26 A Celica GT Liftback becomes the two millionth Toyota vehicle sold in the United States. 1976 Liftback model is introduced. 1976 Celica wins Motor Trend Import Car of the Year for the first time. 1976 Celica is named the official vehicle of the Long Beach Grand Prix. 1979 Celica Supra goes on sale, offering electronic fuel injection for the first time on a Toyota in the U.S. 1982 Celica GT-S goes on sale. 1985 Celica GT-S convertible goes on sale, becoming the first convertible model sold in Toyota dealerships. 1986 With race-modified Celicas, Toyota becomes the first international nameplate to win the IMSA GTO manufacturers and drivers championships. 1988 Celica All-Trac Turbo with full-time all-wheel-drive goes on sale. 1991 Celica GT Convertible goes on sale. 1994 Toyota driver Rod Millen wins the Unlimited and Overall classes of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb Race to the Clouds in a Celica Turbo GT, setting a worldrecord time (10:04:06). 2000 Toyota sponsors its first NASCAR entry in the Goodys Dash Series with Eric Van Cleef driving the No. 82 Toyota Celica. 2002 Toyota becomes the first international manufacturer to compete in professional sport compact drag racing when driver Gary Scelzi raced a Celica in the Funny Car class of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). 2005 Final model year of the Celica 1971-2005 A total of 2,218,997 Celicas were sold in the U.S.