With Toyota’s recent trademark filing for the Celica name, speculation has been flying about a potential return of the model. Could it be a new model? A Supra variant? (The first two Supras were Celica-based) A name change for the GT86? Whatever it means, it’s the return of a nameplate with a storied history, spanning seven generations, 36 years and numerous racing wins. Let’s look back at some old Supras.
Known as the A20 and A30, this generation lasted seven years and saw two facelifts. Marketed as a personal sports coupe, it was sold in multiple countries after making its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1970. Liftback models bore a strong resemblance to contemporary Mustangs, which didn’t go unnoticed by enthusiasts.
Known as the A40 and A50, the second-generation Celica made its debut in 1977. With a design penned at Toyota’s Calty design studio in Newport Beach, California, this one was again available in both liftback and coupe variants. In the U.S. it was available in ST and GT trim. Both were powered by the same 2.2-liter four-cylinder putting out 97 horsepower. The Japanese market got ET, LT, ST, SE, XT, GT and GTV variants powered by 1.6-, 1.8- and 2.0-liter I4's.
Introduced in 1980, the Celica Camry was supposed to be a kind of sport sedan version of the Celica, though it’s actually Carina-based. Power came from 1.6- and 1.8-liter I4 engines. Although a strong seller, the Celica Camry lasted just two model years.
The third-generation Celica was offered in coupe, liftback and — for the first time — convertible body styles, a conversion by American Sunroof Corporation (ASC). It offered the largest engine in a Celica to date: a 2.4-liter, two-valve I4, one of 10 different engines offered in third-generation Celicas. A Celica Twin-Cam Turbo (TCT) was entered the World Rally Championship for the 1983 season and won six rallies in 1983-86.
The Celica received a radical redesign for this generation, moving to a front-drive platform for the first time. Convertibles were again offered, again converted by ASC. What’s most notable about this generation, though, are the legendary performance versions. Japan got the Celica GT-Four in 1986. With all-wheel drive and a 2.0-liter 190 HP turbo engine, it was the top of the line Celica in Japan. Here in the U.S., we got what was essentially the same model, the All-Trac Turbo.
This generation of the Celica saw the car move to a more rounded aerodynamic design. The lineup remained largely the same with GT-S and GT-Four/All-Trac models at the top of the range. Power came from selection of 1.6-liter, 2.0-liter (of which there were three versions, one being a turbo) and 2.2-liter I4 engines. This was also the first Celica to use Toyota’s revolutionary Active Control Suspension on the JDM-only Celica GT-R Active Sports.
The sixth-generation Celica continued in coupe, liftback and convertible models. The turbocharged all-wheel-drive All-Trac was killed off in the U.S., where Celicas were offered only in ST and GT trims. The ST shared its 1.8-liter engine with the Corolla, while the GT received a 2.2-liter I4 that was found in the Camry.
The All-Trac was still offered in the rest of the world, however. Other markets saw the introduction of the most powerful Celica at the time. Called the GT-Four ST205, it was a homologation special for Toyota’s Group A rally entry.
The final generation (for now, at least) of the Celica enjoyed a seven-year production run, just like the first-generation car. Designed at Calty, the same studio that penned the second-generation Celica, it had edgier styling and was offered only as a liftback. The U.S. received GT and “high performance” GT-S versions powered by 1.8-liter, 180 HP engines co-developed with Yamaha. TRD offered upgrades for the car, but they were mostly visual.