1996 Toyota Celica GT-4 – Classified of the Week

There is no form of motorsport more exciting or more exhilarating than that of rallying. Yes, Formula 1 and other track-based automotive competitions are full of speed and pace, but there is nothing quite like flying through the forests of a rally stage at 120mph to get the pulse racing. No gravel traps, no armco, nothing between victory and disaster than the wits of both driver and co-driver. It’s pure, it’s adrenaline-filled and it increases the heart rate in a way other forms of motorsport can only dream of. 

Rallying is also the playground of icons. Even someone with just a passing interest in the sport will quickly be able to identify a Lancia Delta, a SWB Quattro or an Escort RS Cosworth. Rallying has been, and continues to be, the springboard from which many cars are launched from being a standard showroom model to being cars that are etched into our brains. 

One such car is the Toyota Celica, specifically in the ‘90s when loaded with the captivating red, green and white Castrol livery. Piloted by legends like Carlos Sainz, Juha Kankkunen and Didier Auriol, the GT-4 in rally guise racked up wins left, right and centre and became a firm fan favourite in the process. Many a road-going Celica was fitted with the livery, but few packed the genuine rally punch. This 1995 model, however, does. 

Freshly-built, the GT-4 we have here is in full Group N trim, meaning it’s ready to take on the stages. Of course, it’s not quite as ‘full fat’ as the original WRC cars, but it’s still an enviable specification. Stripped out, caged up, bucket seats, harnesses, race suspension and a more than potent 285bhp from the twin-cam 2.0 engine delivering power to all four wheels – it’s more than capable of providing the thrills. Certainly, there is little to stop you from using this car in anger – it meets (as far as we can see) FIA standards. 

You could enter club level rallies, you could use it as a demonstration vehicle at events like Race Retro, or you could keep it in tarmac setup and use it as a fast road or track day car. There are endless possibilities here. You could even use it day to day if you were mad enough, it’s a Toyota after all. 

And the best bit? It’s only £43,500. That’s a lot for a 1995 Toyota Celica, but it’s not a lot for a full-on rally car, which is what this is. It even wears the correct Castrol livery. This car is it, your chance to get behind the wheel of a wonderful facsimile of a motorsport legend. Do it, you won’t regret it.