When I was small, Toyota Celica was the most popular coupe on streets. Many boy racers drove the first and second generation Celicas with various degrees of modifications. They were loud. They were tough. They were flamboyant. They were cheap to buy, repair and upgrade – very much like American pony cars – but they were also compact and frugal. That's why they were hugely popular in Asian countries. Later generations no longer enjoyed such popularity though. The history of Celica just reflected the rise and fall of coupe-mania in the world. 1960s and 70s was the peak of coupe-mania, when Celica, Mustang and Camaro sold like hot cakes. Since then the fever cooled down quickly. No matter how hard Toyota tried to reverse the trend, it sales kept falling. At last, it came to a point that production was made at a loss, thus it got the axe in 2006. About 4 million Celicas found buyers across 26 years and 7 generations. It was the most successful coupe in history after Mustang and Camaro.


The first generation Celica was born in 1970. Aimed at the huge American market, it was styled with heavy influence from contemporary American coupes, in particular the aforementioned Mustang and Camaro. However, it was half a meter shorter, much narrower and lighter. It employed only four-cylinder motors. Furthermore, cheap Japanese steel and low labor costs then enabled it to open a new entry-level coupe segment in the America as well as in Europe. Orders flooded in and it immediately became a great success.

Toyota offered 2 bodies for customers to choose from. Coupe (codenamed TA22 etc.) had a fashionable "hardtop" design that did without B-pillars, which also emphasized the coke-bottle waistline. Liftback (LB, with codename RA22 or something like that) was a carbon copy of the 1967 Mustang fastback, just in a smaller scale. No one talked about copyrights or intellectual properties then, but the Japanese was known for their quick learning skills. The LB had its wheelbase lengthened by 70 mm to increase cabin space, although it was still strictly a 2+2.


Mechanically, it did not deviate from contemporary format – FR, MacPherson strut suspension up front, rigid live axle at the rear, although the latter's coil springs was a progress from the leaf springs on the American cars that inspired it. The steering was provided by old fashioned recirculating ball, but the 5-speed gearbox was an upmarket feature then. As for engine, many choices were offered. One of the most popular was the 1600ST, whose ohv engine had its camshaft mounted high in the block to make possible shorter pushrods and cross-flow cylinder head, hence more power. It produced 105 net horsepower, enabled the car to claim 109 mph top speed and sprint from 0-60 in a respectable 11.5 seconds. Even better was 1600GT, whose engine had a Yamaha-developed DOHC head to produce 115 hp net, good for a claimed 118 mph and 0-60 in 9.5 seconds. Those figures were outstanding at the time, especially considering its affordable price. However, the fastest model has to be the 1973 LB 2000GT, whose 1968 cc twin-cam engine was rated at 145 hp gross (about 130 hp net) and its top speed was quoted at a slightly optimistic 127 mph. It was bounded in the domestic market. American version had generally 20-30 few horsepower due to stricter emission control.

Contemporary road testers usually praised the Celica for good performance, fuel economy, build quality and reliability. The 1600GT twin-cam engine was smooth and tractable, whereas the 1600ST ohv engine was also a good performer, if a bit noisy at high rev. Its handling and ride was decent, although it did suffer from persistent understeer and a vague on-center steering feel (i.e. a typical problem for recirculating-ball steering). Its Japanese tires were not as grippy as its western counterparts then, so cornering limit was not high, but it was safe and easy to handle. The easy going manner was further supported by light steering, clutch and gearshift, which became known as Japanese DNA. Most remarkable was its combination of these competitive qualities with lots of standard equipment and a bargain price, which made European small coupes difficult to compete. No wonder the first generation Celica was the best selling among all generations.



Selling more than 200,000 units every year, the second generation was even more popular. Toyota had got more understanding of American drivers by now. Therefore it made the Celica larger and roomier, and hired American designers at its newly established California studio to style the car. Wind tunnel testing also played a part in its design, so it got sleeker. That said, I have never got on with its looks, which was neither classic nor modern.

While the chassis layout and engines were largely carried over, the detailed setup made the car more civilized to please American drivers. Softer springs improved ride comfort a lot but also led to more roll and a mediocre handling. Even though the recirculating-ball steering had its feel improved a lot, the Mk2 was not as strong a driver's car as the original. It left plenty of room for aftermarket modifications to improve.

Toyota also built a larger version called Celica XX (in Japan) or Celica Supra (for export). It had the wheelbase stretched by 130 mm and further lengths were added to the overhangs, so it seemed to be a more credible competitor to the American pony cars or Nissan Fairlady Z, at least that was what Toyota thought. Power came from an SOHC straight-six, displacing either 2.6 liters or a tax-friendly 2.0 liters. No, it wasn't fast, exciting and stylish enough to trouble its rivals, of course, but at least it paved the way for the Supra line to come in the future.