・Recently ceramic coated

・Several well-proven modifications

・Mechanically excellent

This  is a genuine 'WRC' model - the actual homologation car.

The homologation parts include the high-rise rear spoiler and (non-functional) anti-lag parts.
You can see the anti-lag valve next to the intercooler and the exhaust manifold has the extra pipework that Toyota required to run anti-lag on the real rally cars. 

Originally it also had a split washer bottle that was used on the rally cars as a reservoir for an intercooler spray, but this needed to be replaced a few years ago that the owner replaced with a standard washer bottle because the split bottles are now nearly impossible to get hold of. 

Produced to homologate the ST205 GT-Four as an entrant for the World Rally Championship, the Toyota Celica GT-Four was the most powerful road-going version of the GT-Four with 252bhp on tap for the Japanese domestic market models. 

Powered by a 2.0-litre 3S-GTE turbocharged inline-four engine driving all four wheels.
The original wheels have top of the range (and quite expensive) winter / snow tyres on them, with nearly all the tread remaining. The car is pretty incredible in the wet / snow.

This final iteration of the GT-Four carried over numerous motorsport parts from the rally cars, such as an all-aluminium bonnet, and an ‘improved’ twin-entry turbocharger and upgraded suspension.

The resulting vehicle cemented the Celica’s history as a road-going homologation legend, up there with the likes of the Ford Escort Cosworth and Lancia Delta Integrale. With a strong enthusiast following to this day, many discerning GT-Four enthusiasts choose to import a Japanese-market vehicle, largely due to the increased power output over the export (ROW) vehicles.

This particular Toyota Celica GT-Four was produced in 1994, and is one of the aforementioned domestic market (JDM) cars which benefited from the boost in power output. 

Imported from Japan by the previous owner, the car has been in the care of the vendor since 2009, forming part of a small personal ‘homologation special’ collection. During this time, the car has received a few choice upgrades to enhance its road-going capabilities, without ruining the impressive performance or Toyota engineering. 

Between 2009 and 2016, the vehicle was used as a ‘daily driver’ meaning it racked up the miles (or kilometres, in this instance) with ease. Since 2016 the car has been stored in a dehumidified garage, and the vendor has been largely home-based for work - a situation which was only further cemented by the dreaded C-19 forcing a large number of people into remote working. 

Since the vehicle now only gets driven once or twice a month, this GT-Four is up for sale and looking for a new home which will ensure it gets the use it deserves.

 

Supplied with the vehicle is the original DVLA registration document from when it was imported, along with the usual V5 ownership document showing two prior owners. 

In addition to these ‘standard fare’ documents, there are also three sets of keys, two immobiliser fobs, past MOT certificates, a plethora of invoices from both services and parts ordered, several of which add up to four-figure sums, and a whole host of other minor invoices and documents. 

Clearly, both the current and prior owner enjoyed documenting the life of this GT-Four, and it is all the better for it.

Inside the cabin, this Celica GT-Four is in very good, if used, shape, though the wear-and-tear is typical of a vehicle from this era. From the factory, this particular car was fitted with the MOMO short-shift kit, MOMO steering wheel and TRD gauge dials. 

The deep bolsters on the front seats are still in good shape, though the usual signs of wear to the outer bolsters are beginning to show, in particular on the driver’s side where there is a small hole in the material, along with a pin-hole on the seat base in the centre. 

Other than the aforementioned seating issue, this cabin looks to be in excellent condition, with no headliner sagging, major wear to the carpets and very little sign of use on the rear seats. The carpets, too, are in fine fettle, though the heel pad on the driver’s side is beginning to wear through. 

The standard stereo has been upgraded with a JVC unit which includes bluetooth and hands-free calling. While there are no faults with the electronics in the vehicle and no warning lights on the dashboard, the vendor does note that the immobiliser sometimes requires some extra persuasion before it disengages.

Much like the interior, the bodywork on this homologation special is in great shape overall, though there are plenty of signs of use. 

The owner has just had a professional detailing carried out on the vehicle, and the results certainly speak for themselves. Despite the paintwork now being over 25 years old, the black retains a deep gloss and impressive depth which is credit to the general condition this car has been kept in. 

There are, of course, a few marks here and there, but this is an honest vehicle and wears its scars with pride. The usual smattering of stone chips to the front end is present, along with a few minor marks along the bodywork, likely caused by the car being hustled down narrow country roads.

The standard wheels have been replaced for a set of OZ offerings with the invoice in the gallery below, however the original wheels are also included in the sale of the vehicle.

There are also a few minor marks around the car, and underneath the sills have some minor corrosion which can be seen in the photographs below, though this was not deemed worrying during the most recent MOT, so we wouldn’t lose sleep over it.

Underneath the bonnet, the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine looks to be in good shape, with the vendor having upgraded the car with a few choice modifications. A full breakdown is available below, but highlights include an APEXI air filter, blow-off valve and a stage one hybrid turbocharger setup, which is set up for low lag and provides 317hp in conjunction with the ECU tune on the vehicle.

According to the vendor the car runs and drives well, and has always had alignments to keep on top of any geometry changes, due to the vehicle being at its best being on twisting country roads.

The most recent MOT highlighted a minor oil leak, and an advisory for an oil or fluid leak on the nearside rear shock absorber.

Due to having been laid up for a long time thanks to Covid, the vendor recently commissioned around £2,500 worth of work to remedy any issues that made themselves known during this time, with the invoice available to view below.

The car has been serviced approximately every 10,000km alternating between a major service at a specialist and a minor service, usually done by the vendor

The vendor has always used Millers CFS 10w-40 fully synthetic oil

The air-conditioning will need re-gassing

 

 • TEIN coilovers set up for British roads (widely regarded as the best option available for the chassis)

 • APEXI air filter

 • Turbo blow off valve

 • Turbosmart electronic boost controller - mapped by the same garage that maps the vendor’s race-prepped GT-Four

 • Stage one hybrid turbo - setup for low lag and producing 317bhp 

Homologation specials will forever hold an important part in the hearts of many petrolheads, with the very raison d’être of these vehicles being deeply rooted in motorsport and competition driving. With Toyota having gone on to create what many expect to be their final homologation special vehicle - the GR Yaris - earlier cars such as this ST205 Toyota Celica GT-Four represent a far more cost-effective way to own a slice of motorsport history on the road.

Benefitting from the higher standard power output and specification of the JDM cars along with a number of choice modifications, this 1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four has clearly been cherished by its current and previous owner, both of whom were in the GT-Four Owners Club. 

With only a few noted MOT advisories and some minor TLC needed to the bodywork, this GT-Four needs a new custodian to take it to the next level, and enjoy driving this glimpse into the world of 90’s homologation specials.