In the mid-1960s, American society began to see cars in a different way. Traditionally, they had been designed with large volumes as their hallmark. The Ford Mustang came to change that and to please a young mass that was beginning to see the car as another means of entertainment and not a simple tool.
In Europe, the Ford Capri was intended for that purpose, while in Japan, Toyota presented its own vision of the new times: the Toyota Celica (derived from coelica in Latin, “heavenly”).
The Japanese brand broke with the canons by presenting a small 2+2 “coupé”, with a longitudinal front engine, rear-wheel drive and careful aerodynamics that ended up being called the “Japanese Mustang”.
The Toyota Celica was presented at the 1970 Tokyo Motor Show after having been developed for three years on the Carina platform.
For suit the customer’s tastes, it offered various variants , whit 1.4 and 1.6 litre engines, two manual transmissions and one automatic, as well as four trim levels, something that we now see as normal but that was very novel in those years.
It also did not disappoint in its dynamic behaviour with sporty overtones thanks mainly to its independent front suspension and four-link rear suspension, which gave it excellent performance. This combination of strong engines and its finesse were its recipe for success in the automotive world. And it would be used by the rally driver, Ove Andersson, who established the Toyota Team Europe in Cologne, during 1973, and even today it serves as the basis for the sporting activities of the Japanese firm.
In 1973, Toyota added the “fastback” body type (called “liftback” by the brand) to improve its “adventurous” capabilities with its large tailgate, shamelessly inspired by the Ford Mustang. A very popular model whose precursor was the SV-1 prototype presented at the 1971 Tokyo Motor Show.
But the first generation was not replaced until four years later, when a million Celica units had already been sold. Manufactured from 1970 to 2006, the Toyota Celica has been one of the brand’s greatest successes. An unmitigated success that lasted through seven evolutions, winning two constructors’ titles and four drivers’ titles in the World Rally Championship.
