It Came from eBay Hell: Once a 1974 Toyota Celica GT, Now a Faux Ferrari

The first generation if the Toyota Celica is somewhat of a cult hero here in Australia. Affordable, sporty-looking and well equipped at the time of its launch in the early 1970s, it proved a popular alternative to the heavier, thirstier American and Australian built offerings of the time.

Let’s put that aside for one moment and focus on our eBay entrant for today. It’s a 1974 Celica GT model that’s been the victim of one of the shoddier-looking Ferrari conversions featured on this site. It’s supposed to look like a 308 GTB, though at best it looks like a 400 that’s been severely shortened.

Read more »

Posted on 15.57 / 0 comments / Read More

Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205 featured on Top Gear Back in the 1990s up for Sale

Even though we’re always on the lookout for rally-bred production cars from the 1980s and 1990s like the Lancia Delta Integrale, we must admit that this 1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205 grabbed our attention mainly because it is the same car that was featured on an older episode of Top Gear. A young Jeremy Clarkson had then compared it against Ford's Escort RS Cosworth.

Read more »

Posted on 11.56 / 0 comments / Read More

Monster Toyota Celica Beats F1 Cars and Everything Else at Goodwood Recording the Fastest Hill Climb Time

Over the past weeks we’ve been bombarding you with news about exotic cars such as the Aston Martin Zagato V12 that would participate at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. The event took place this past weekend and the spectators gathered to marvel at every car enthusiasts dream garage.

But they also came to watch more than 200 production, tuned and racing models including recent Formula 1 cars, race against the clock in the famous 1.6 mile hill-climb. However, much to everybody’s surprise, the winner was not an F1 car but a tuned, 800+ horsepower Toyota Celica that recorded a time of just 48.07 seconds.

Read more »

Posted on 08.01 / 0 comments / Read More

Frozen in Time: Brand New 1970s Toyotas Abandoned on Dealer Lot in Cyprus

The Green Line is a 180 kilometer-long (112 miles) stretch of land that divides the island of Cyprus and its capital city of Nicosia. It was created as a demilitarized zone or a buffer, if you prefer, between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot controlled areas of Cyprus after Turkey invaded the Mediterranean island back in 1974. Here, lies an unoccupied piece of land that seems to have been frozen in time.

Now, we know some of you may be wondering what any of this has to do with an automotive website like autoscardesign, so let’s cut to the chase and get to the story.

The answer is a stunning gallery from Bo de Visser, a photographer and journalist from The Netherlands, who was able to visit the Green Line in Cyprus and discover an abandoned Toyota dealer lot with an amazing collection of new cars from the 1970s.

Read more »

Posted on 19.23 / 0 comments / Read More

It Came from eBay Hell: Toyota Celica-Based Ferrari F430 Replica

There are probably more Pontiac Fiero-based imitations in the world than real Ferraris. Today, though, we have something a little different. No, it is not a Pontiac Fiero-based Lamborghini Miura (we have already had one of them), it is a Toyota Celica that has been transformed into a passable F430 replica.

Did I say passable? Well, only just. From the front, it looks okay, with the hood, headlights and A-pillar being sufficiently F430-like. As you move back, however, it all starts to unwind. The awkward side window treatment, slab-sided rear flanks and the shape of the rear windscreen just seem wrong. Though you can’t expect much from trying to transform a front-engined, front wheel drive Japanese coupe in a mid engine, rear wheel drive Italian exotic.

Read more »

Posted on 14.12 / 0 comments / Read More

Toyota Suplica Caught in Transition in Texas

Marton from San Antonio, Texas sent us these pics he took at a local auto parts shop thanks to his handy-dandy iPhone. What he and a friend initially thought was some poor Supra turned out to be, in his words, a Suplica; "but good god its ghetto." That one gets a digital high-five.

Marton, if it's ever seen again in a better state of kit, get some more shots and we'll see if the Suplica's gotten any prettier. More photos after the jump.

Read more »

Posted on 09.48 / 0 comments / Read More

New Wallpaper Gallery of Toyota FT-86 RWD Sports Coupe [plus Video]

The trickle of photos on the Toyota FT-86 Concept continues as the Japanese firm's European Design and Development (ED2) center in Nice, France, which is responsible for the coupe's styling, released a fresh batch of pictures and a short video of the rear-wheel drive sports car.

In a couple of shots, Toyota remembers its sporty past depicting the FT-86 alongside the Corolla AE86, Celica and Supra coupes. The updated gallery also includes some of the original sketches from the ED2 center.

During the company's press conference at the Geneva Show earlier this month, Andrea Formica, Senior Vice-President of Toyota Motor Europe, noted that the FT-86 would reach showrooms in early 2012.

Read more »

Posted on 10.18 / 0 comments / Read More

Honda S2000-Powered 1977 Toyota Celica GT Coupe

If you opened the hood of a 1977 Celica GT, you'd normally find a Toyota four-banger, but not on this one. This first-generation Celica packs a modern-day Honda S2000 engine complete with a 6-speed gearbox. The seller of the vehicle claims that the high-revving S2000 engine has been upgraded and now develops around 268-horsepower which should be more than enough output for such a lightweight coupe.

The owner of the car took the build a step further adding a Honda S2000 digital instrument panel, a pair of 2005 Celica GT sports seats and a four-point roll cage, just to mention a few of the mods.

If you're interested, the 1977 Celica GT with the Honda heart is up for sale over at Hemmings for a "negotiable $18,000".

Link: Hemmings - Kudos to Greg for the tip!

Posted on 21.57 / 0 comments / Read More

VIDEO: 700HP Toyota Celica GT4 Tops Out at 202MPH - 325km/h

Ever wonder what the world looks like at over 200mph from the driver's seat? Well then, just hit the jump to watch this video of the Fensport-prepped Toyota Celica GT4 racer which recorded a top speed of 202.2 mph or 325km/h on November 21 at the Woodbridge Airfield near Ipswich, in the UK.

The man behind the steering wheel of the heavily modified Celica GT4, which features all-wheel drive and a 2.1-liter engine with a Turbo Dynamics' MD355 blueprinted turbocharger cranking out 700-horsepower, was Time Attack competitor, Adrian Smith.

"I started fine. I got wheel spin on the slippery start in the first three gears, but once in 4th the car settled nicely," said Smith. "At around 180 MPH a crosswind again started to move the car off-line. However, I kept my foot in and thankfully the car stayed straight and the wind subdued."

"I checked the speed and it was 201, then 202! I was thinking 'Yes it is going to do 205/206,' but then there was a tiny misfire and the speed dropped to 201 again. By then it was time to brake. I had done 202.22 MPH, what an amazing feeling."

According to Fensport, the 202.22 mph top speed was achieved from a standing start in just 1.1 miles.

Posted on 13.48 / 0 comments / Read More

Japanese Sleeper: 1985 Toyota Celica GTS with LS1 5.7-Liter V8

Sleepers or as Brits prefer to call these type of automobiles, Q-cars, is a term used to describe standard looking vehicles with extensive mods under the hood. This custom-made 1985 Toyota Celica GTS fits the description perfectly as the owner of the Japanese coupe swapped the rear-wheel drive Celica's humble four-pot with a brawny LS1 5.7-liter V8 from a fourth-generation 2001 Camaro that produces around 325 horsepower.

It goes without saying that these kind of engine swaps demand the replacement and/or modification of various other mechanical components. Among other changes, the LS1-powered Celica features a Z06 clutch, a front swaybar from a 1992 Iroc Z and a custom-made radiator.

Source: LS1 , Via: Engineswapdepot

Posted on 11.29 / 0 comments / Read More

Toyota to Bring Numerous Race Cars at Goodwood Including a 700HP Celica GT4-X and the Lexus LF-A

At next month's Goodwood Festival of Speed that runs from July 3 to 5, Toyota plans to bring a variety of race cars led by the Lexus LF-A that will be making its first appearance on British soil. The V10-powered supercar will be joined by another competition Lexus, the racing IS F that competed along with the LF-A at this year's Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race.

Panasonic Toyota Racing will be back at Goodwood with the TF108, the last F1 Toyota to be designed before FIA introduced its current restrictions on wing sizes and additional aerodynamic elements. Toyota's F1 driver Timo Glock will be present at the event to drive the TF108.

The Toyota Sprint Series will be represented for the first time on the hill climb with the 700HP Fensport Celica GT4-X AWD. Other Toyota cars that will be on show (but won't compete) at the Goodwood event include Alain Prost's Andros Trophy Auris that features a carbon fibre bodywork and a tuned version of the Lexus RX 3.0-litre V6 engine, the Aygo Crazy and iQ Gazoo plus various rally cars such as the Group B Celica Twin-cam Turbo, Celica ST185, Celica GT4 ST205 and the WRC Corolla.

Posted on 10.54 / 0 comments / Read More