Toyota Celica History
History
Produced from 1970 to 2006 across seven generations, the Celica was Toyota's volume sport coupe and the basis for the early Supra.
It switched to front-wheel drive in the mid-1980s; the all-wheel-drive GT-Four (sold in the US as the All-Trac Turbo) was a World Rally Championship-winning homologation special.
The final 1999–2006 Celica returned to a lightweight, front-drive coupe with the 180-hp GT-S before the nameplate was retired.
Generations
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First generation · A20/A30
The original rear-drive Celica coupe and liftback.
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Second generation · A40/A50
Rear-drive Celica; spawned the first Celica Supra.
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Third generation · A60
Last fully rear-drive Celica generation.
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Fourth generation · T160
Switched to front-wheel drive; the All-Trac Turbo (GT-Four) appeared.
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Fifth generation · T180
Photo: “Toyota CELICA 2.0 Convertible Type G (ST183C) front” by Tokumeigakarinoaoshima / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0
Curvaceous front-drive Celica; All-Trac Turbo continued.
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Sixth generation · T200
Photo: “Toyota CELICA 2.0 GT-FOUR (E-ST205) front” by Tokumeigakarinoaoshima / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Rounded mid-1990s Celica.
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Seventh generation · T230
Photo: “Toyota CELICA SS-I (TA-ZZT230) front” by Tokumeigakarinoaoshima / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Lightweight front-drive coupe with the 180-hp 2ZZ-GE GT-S; final generation.
Body styles
- Coupe
- Liftback
- Convertible
Notable special editions & performance variants
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GT-Four / All-Trac Turbo
Turbocharged all-wheel-drive rally homologation Celica; a WRC winner. Sold in the US as the All-Trac Turbo.
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Celica GT-S
Final-generation hot Celica with the 180-hp 2ZZ-GE engine.
Related models