Toyota has been a consistent force in the World Rally Championship for decades. As we type, the company is campaigning the current Yaris, which over recent years has proven hard to beat. Prior to this, there was the Corolla and of course, perhaps the most evocative WRC Toyota, the Celica. That’s what we have here, in the form of the rally-bred ST205 version of the GT-4 model. Four cylinders, a thumping great turbocharger, full-time all wheel-drive and north of 250bhp makes this the real deal. In fact, when this model was first launched in Japan in 1994, it was built solely as a limited run of 2,500 cars for homologation purposes. 

While some manufacturers can take things easy when building a car for homologation purposes, Toyota isn’t one of them. The ST205 GT-4 road car was built with provision to fit anti-lag and a water spray-bar for cooling. Take one of these homologation cars, add some roll cage and some bucket seats, and you’d have a stage-ready rally car, almost. 

Such was the popularity of the GT-4, demand soon surpassed the initial run of 2,500, and the GT-4 became a mainstay model until 1999. Highly regarded thanks to the performance, the handling and agility and of course, outright speed, the GT-4 was a car bought and enjoyed by enthusiasts.

Sadly though, for the UK market at least, the GT-4 was prone to corrosion and as such, very few UK cars exist today. Happily though, that’s not what we have here. Instead, this ST205 GT-4 is a recently-imported JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) model. This means very little corrosion in present (Japan doesn’t salt roads like we do here in the UK) and there is the added bonus of more power - UK cars were 239bhp whereas this model is 252bhp. It is the perfect example of a ‘90s rally icon.

Imported earlier this year, this Celica is now road registered and comes with MOT until April of next year. A 1995 model, this JDM version comes with air-conditioning, more power as mentioned above, and while living in Japan, its evidently enthusiastic owner has fitted a fetching set of white 17-inch Rays alloy wheels. The car is finished in the exceptionally rare Storm Blue metallic with matching blue cloth interior. 

Other than being recently imported and MOTd, little else is known about this Celica’s past. However, the condition would strongly suggest that it has been well looked after for the last twenty-five years. It presents exceptionally well, and seems to be in exceptional mechanical health.

The Celica comes with an MOT certificate stating that there is a test present until 26th April, 2021. There is also some documentation pertaining to the car’s import into the United Kingdom. However, that’s about all that is present. Any history relating to the car has evidently been quite literally lost in transit. But don’t be put off by this. Paperwork for a car of this age is often an arbitrary affair, collected to tick a box. The true evidence of how well this car has been looked after is evident in abundance care of its impressive overall condition, which we will detail below.

Japanese cars, even when sporty and powerful like this Celica, have never been known for having wild interiors. As such, inside this Celica you will find four blue cloth seats, a steering wheel and some controls. It’s a case of function over form here, but with function taken to a higher level. The seats are supportive and comfortable, and feature a range of adjustment options meaning that drives of all shapes and sizes will be able to find comfort. The steering wheel falls to hand perfectly, and the controls for lights, indicators and so on all work and feel substantial. There is no denying that Toyota knows how to screw a car together, and this Celica is a glowing example of that. It still, twenty-five years on, feels solid, sturdy and fit for purpose. 

It’s all in good condition, with no major defects to report. The controls for the air-conditioning have taken a bit of a battering over the years, as the black painted coating has worn away, and there is some rippling in the bolster section of the driver’s door, but these examples of wear are to be expected on a car that’s been driven for twenty-five years. The only other thing of note is the aftermarket Clarion head unit, that doesn’t really belong. But it does function. In fact, everything does. 

The four bucket seats are all free of wear or rips, the headlining is still tight and in place, the electrics all function, as do all the dials (which, it should be noted, read in KPH rather than MPH). The carpets are in good order, the dash is free from cracks or damage, and on the whole, the interior is just a lovely place to be.

The Celica presents exceptionally well, and it’s evident that it has been cared for over the course of its life. The Storm Blue metallic paint is excellent across the whole car, and presents with a deep shine. There is little evidence of past repair, if any. The panel gaps are true and uniform throughout, and all the doors and opening panels do so without issue or fouling. The Storm Blue metallic is an unforgiving colour when it comes to showing imperfections or poor repair, so it’s pleasing to see it shine as well and as honestly as it does. If this Celica has been subject to any prior paint repairs, they have evidently been done to a good standard. This might be a road-going rally car, but it seems to have been spared the abuse of its stage-bred siblings! 

The four Rays 17-inch alloy wheels, finished in white with blue emblems, tie in nicely to the blue of the body and give the car a nice sporty look. Other sporty features are the vented bonnet, the deeper front spoiler and intake, the rear window spoiler and the large, non-standard rear wing. Though as to be expected, the rear wing does add some weight to the bootlid, and thus pushes it down a couple of mm further than where it would naturally rest. Also, we noticed the boot lid was missing its Toyota emblem, which may give credence to the notion of it having had some paintwork in the recent past, but again, if it has, it was to a high standard. 

There is zero in the way of rust to be seen, and there are no dings, scrapes or scratches. This Celica truly is in exceptional condition for a twenty-five year old car. Definitely the kind of machine that you’d park, only to look back at as you walk away!

Fitted with a 3S-GTE four-cylinder turbocharged engine mated to a E154F five-speed manual transmission with full-time all wheel-drive, this Celica boasts, thanks to being an import model, 252bhp. The UK version only got 239bhp. The car’s mechanics certainly seem to be in rude health, with no overheating issues, no untoward noises nor any concerning smells. Certainly, while shooting this car, it was indoors and running the whole time without complaint. 

The gearbox is tight and direct and has little in the way of any slack. The clutch feels as though there is ample life in it, with a low to mid biting point. The steering, which is of course power-assisted, is light to operate and goes from lock to lock without hesitation. 

We’re told by the seller that the car pulls well through all gears and that there are no knocks or bangs from the suspension. The all wheel-drive system works as it should, and the car sounds glorious as it pulls through the gears thanks to an upgraded stainless steel Toyota exhaust system. 

Looking under the vented bonnet, everything is in order, present and correct. There is no sign of any poor repair, nor any evidence of any frontal accident damage. It’s all very original and honest, with the only exceptions being a new radiator cap and a more modern battery. The only slight point to note is that the sound deadening on the underside of the bonnet is coming away, so this would need to be reattached.

It’s a homologation special that’s fast, handsome, it boasts impressive roadholding and is sure to be the envy of other JDM enthusiasts. Clearly, this Celica has lived a life of care and attention. Had it not, it wouldn’t have survived in the condition it has. It’s a great-looking machine that has all the performance to back up the myriad vents and spoilers. If you want a road-going rally icon, this has to be it. From the stages of Corsica through to the digital playground of legendary titles like Sega Rally, the Celica is a motorsport legend, and who doesn’t want to have a slice of that action?

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