Toyota discontinues the....
7/18/04, 07:39 PM
#1
Shelby GT350 Member
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Toyota announced Friday that it will discontinue the Celica and MR2 sports coupes after the 2005 model year, disappointing Ray-Ban-wearing readers of Maxim across America.
Perhaps, I'm being too glib. Though these fine and respectable affordable sporty coupes have been steadily losing their audiences over the last decade, we should remember that the Celica was Toyota's first real step out of the utilitarian class back in 1970. And the MR2 was, as Car and Driver said in the early 1990s, "an exotic car for the rest of us."
Signs o' the times
The Celica was Toyota 's coming of age vehicle. Think of Volkswagen's turn in history when it stepped out of the utilitarian people's car Beetle shoes and into the Karmann Ghia. There is spiritual kinship between the Celica and Ghia.
Toyota introduced the Celica to the U.S. in 1971, a year after its Japanese debut, and the two-seat MR2 in 1985. The MR2 has had one production hiatus - from 1995 to 2000 - when Toyota introduced the third generation of the car, the MR2 Spyder.
Toyota officials say both models are being challenged by newer models, both inside the Toyota lineup and outside competition.
"The past few years…have been very challenging for both Celica and MR2 as competition in a segment where 'what's new' dominates and we continue to add more exciting and youthful products to the lineup such as the Matrix and Corolla XRS, Solara sports coupe, and recently the Scion xA, xB, and tC," said Don Esmond, senior vice president and general manager of the Toyota Division.
Not sure we would call the Matrix "exciting" Don, but okay. Indeed, especially the Solara and the new tC are expected to render the Celica obsolete in the Toyota showrooms just as one day the original Law & Order will fold while NBC's five or ten Law & Order spinoffs carry the water.
To wit: Celica sales were off about one third in the first half of 2004 compared to the first six months of last year. And MR2 sold just 263 units of the car last month. Let's give those guys an ovation, even if most of them were Toyota engineers who got the word and ordered them on the A-plan.
Pulling back the reigns
The last redo of the Celica was in 2000, but the changes have gone mostly unnoticed as Toyota hasn't given the model much marketing support. The current Celica ispowered by a high-tech 1.8-liter DOHC four with variable valve timing. The 140-hp GT lacks this engine, but the GT-S, which has it, puts out 180 hp. The base gearbox is a five-speed manual while the GT-S has a six-speed and a four-speed automatic is optional.
Looking back to Celica's origins with a bit of nostalgia, Toyota in the late 1960s was kown for reliable, basic transportation in Japan, and spotty quality in the U.S. Toyota, though, felt that its position was strong enough for it to offer its first sporty model. The Japanese economy was picking up, and Japanese born post-war desired something more exciting than the traditional, no-frills Japanese car. Remember Ghia?
Toyota's first run at a sports car was in 1967, with the 2000GT, a swoopy sports car built for Toyota by Yamaha, and featured in a James Bond movie. That car, with its DOHC in-line six, became the inspiration for the later Celica spinoff, the Supra. The Celica was an answer to the Datsun 240Z if a little less sexy looking.
During the 1970s, though, sexy styling clearly inspired by the 240Z and Ford Mustang became a Celica hallmark. Motor Trend honored the 1976 Celica as its Import Car of the Year. The GT liftback was added in 1976. In 1978, an all-new body style was introduced with wide B-pillars. The Supra, with greater performance attributes, arrives the next year.
In 1980, the Celica was redesigned again. The mid-1980s saw the conversion of the Celica from a rear-drive car to front-drive. In 1988, The Celica All-Trac Turbo debuted, giving Northerners a reason to let the Celica out of the garage in winter. The all-wheel drive was really necessary to handle what the 200-hp turbo added to the menu.
Toyota introduced the mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive "Mr. Two" in 1985. The MR2 was on the market for ten years when it saw production interuptus until 2000 when the third generation was introduced. The MR2 was designed to offer consumers exotic car design and excitement without the exotic car price. Originally powered by Toyota 's 16-valve DOHC 1.6-liter engine, a supercharged version was added in 1988. A turbocharged version went on sale in 1991. The current MR2 Spyder is the first U.S.-market Toyota to offer a true clutchless, six-speed sequential manual transmission.
So long boys. You did well. And you are leaving your reputations in good enough shape that we might all see your names come back in a few years with new hardware - and a Playboy air freshener dangling from the rear-view standard in every model.
__________________________________________________ ___________
Personally, I liked both and hate to see them go. But hey, look on the bright side, maybe they killed 'em to bring back the Supra!
Perhaps, I'm being too glib. Though these fine and respectable affordable sporty coupes have been steadily losing their audiences over the last decade, we should remember that the Celica was Toyota's first real step out of the utilitarian class back in 1970. And the MR2 was, as Car and Driver said in the early 1990s, "an exotic car for the rest of us."
Signs o' the times
The Celica was Toyota 's coming of age vehicle. Think of Volkswagen's turn in history when it stepped out of the utilitarian people's car Beetle shoes and into the Karmann Ghia. There is spiritual kinship between the Celica and Ghia.
Toyota introduced the Celica to the U.S. in 1971, a year after its Japanese debut, and the two-seat MR2 in 1985. The MR2 has had one production hiatus - from 1995 to 2000 - when Toyota introduced the third generation of the car, the MR2 Spyder.
Toyota officials say both models are being challenged by newer models, both inside the Toyota lineup and outside competition.
"The past few years…have been very challenging for both Celica and MR2 as competition in a segment where 'what's new' dominates and we continue to add more exciting and youthful products to the lineup such as the Matrix and Corolla XRS, Solara sports coupe, and recently the Scion xA, xB, and tC," said Don Esmond, senior vice president and general manager of the Toyota Division.
Not sure we would call the Matrix "exciting" Don, but okay. Indeed, especially the Solara and the new tC are expected to render the Celica obsolete in the Toyota showrooms just as one day the original Law & Order will fold while NBC's five or ten Law & Order spinoffs carry the water.
To wit: Celica sales were off about one third in the first half of 2004 compared to the first six months of last year. And MR2 sold just 263 units of the car last month. Let's give those guys an ovation, even if most of them were Toyota engineers who got the word and ordered them on the A-plan.
Pulling back the reigns
The last redo of the Celica was in 2000, but the changes have gone mostly unnoticed as Toyota hasn't given the model much marketing support. The current Celica ispowered by a high-tech 1.8-liter DOHC four with variable valve timing. The 140-hp GT lacks this engine, but the GT-S, which has it, puts out 180 hp. The base gearbox is a five-speed manual while the GT-S has a six-speed and a four-speed automatic is optional.
Looking back to Celica's origins with a bit of nostalgia, Toyota in the late 1960s was kown for reliable, basic transportation in Japan, and spotty quality in the U.S. Toyota, though, felt that its position was strong enough for it to offer its first sporty model. The Japanese economy was picking up, and Japanese born post-war desired something more exciting than the traditional, no-frills Japanese car. Remember Ghia?
Toyota's first run at a sports car was in 1967, with the 2000GT, a swoopy sports car built for Toyota by Yamaha, and featured in a James Bond movie. That car, with its DOHC in-line six, became the inspiration for the later Celica spinoff, the Supra. The Celica was an answer to the Datsun 240Z if a little less sexy looking.
During the 1970s, though, sexy styling clearly inspired by the 240Z and Ford Mustang became a Celica hallmark. Motor Trend honored the 1976 Celica as its Import Car of the Year. The GT liftback was added in 1976. In 1978, an all-new body style was introduced with wide B-pillars. The Supra, with greater performance attributes, arrives the next year.
In 1980, the Celica was redesigned again. The mid-1980s saw the conversion of the Celica from a rear-drive car to front-drive. In 1988, The Celica All-Trac Turbo debuted, giving Northerners a reason to let the Celica out of the garage in winter. The all-wheel drive was really necessary to handle what the 200-hp turbo added to the menu.
Toyota introduced the mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive "Mr. Two" in 1985. The MR2 was on the market for ten years when it saw production interuptus until 2000 when the third generation was introduced. The MR2 was designed to offer consumers exotic car design and excitement without the exotic car price. Originally powered by Toyota 's 16-valve DOHC 1.6-liter engine, a supercharged version was added in 1988. A turbocharged version went on sale in 1991. The current MR2 Spyder is the first U.S.-market Toyota to offer a true clutchless, six-speed sequential manual transmission.
So long boys. You did well. And you are leaving your reputations in good enough shape that we might all see your names come back in a few years with new hardware - and a Playboy air freshener dangling from the rear-view standard in every model.
__________________________________________________ ___________
Personally, I liked both and hate to see them go. But hey, look on the bright side, maybe they killed 'em to bring back the Supra!
7/18/04, 08:18 PM
#3
Shelby GT350 Member
Thread Starter
The tC really is... I guess the Celica guys will switch over to the even darker side... V - Tech. But really, it stinks to see the Celica go, I mean, it's been here for like 35 years and has been pretty cool since... and then the Mr2, gosh, I saw a soft yellow in the mountains and fell in love with it. It was a beaut.
EDIT: Oh yeah! 400th post!
EDIT: Oh yeah! 400th post!
7/18/04, 09:20 PM
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Excellent post. I had seen the news, but your summary was great.
My last new car was a 1986 MR2 that I purchased to replace an aging 914. The car was unbreakable, and while it wouldn't satisfy the 1/4 mile guys, it handled like a slot car on rails and got a consistent 36 mpg. At the time I lived in San Diego County. We called it either Mr Two or Senor Dos. Either way, it was great.
When my second beloved ex-wife drove it over the horizon on her way out of my life, the car had about 65K miles on it, had only been in the shop for routine oil changes and two scheduled services, and still had plenty of legal tread on the original tires.
They were great little cars, and extremely well made. With the exception of the styling, which wasn't bad in the second gen--the baby Ferrari--they represented more of the original Lotus Elan than any other car.
Except the Miata. Toyota dropped the ball here. They never had a specific mission in mind, which is why we say sayonara to a pretty darned good little car.
My last new car was a 1986 MR2 that I purchased to replace an aging 914. The car was unbreakable, and while it wouldn't satisfy the 1/4 mile guys, it handled like a slot car on rails and got a consistent 36 mpg. At the time I lived in San Diego County. We called it either Mr Two or Senor Dos. Either way, it was great.
When my second beloved ex-wife drove it over the horizon on her way out of my life, the car had about 65K miles on it, had only been in the shop for routine oil changes and two scheduled services, and still had plenty of legal tread on the original tires.
They were great little cars, and extremely well made. With the exception of the styling, which wasn't bad in the second gen--the baby Ferrari--they represented more of the original Lotus Elan than any other car.
Except the Miata. Toyota dropped the ball here. They never had a specific mission in mind, which is why we say sayonara to a pretty darned good little car.
7/18/04, 09:27 PM
#6
Shelby GT350 Member
Thread Starter
Originally posted by scottie1113@July 18, 2004, 9:23 PM
Excellent post. I had seen the news, but your summary was great.
My last new car was a 1986 MR2 that I purchased to replace an aging 914. The car was unbreakable, and while it wouldn't satisfy the 1/4 mile guys, it handled like a slot car on rails and got a consistent 36 mpg.
When my second beloved ex-wife drove it over the horizon on her way out of my life, the car had about 65K miles on it, had only been in the shop for routine oil changes and two scheduled services, and still had plenty of legal tread on the original tires.
They were great little cars, and extremely well made. With the exception of the styling, which wasn't bad in the second gen--the baby Ferrari--they represented more of the original Lotus Elan than any other car.
Except the Miata. Toyota dropped the ball here. They never had a specific mission in mind, which is why we say sayonara to a pretty darned good little car.
Excellent post. I had seen the news, but your summary was great.
My last new car was a 1986 MR2 that I purchased to replace an aging 914. The car was unbreakable, and while it wouldn't satisfy the 1/4 mile guys, it handled like a slot car on rails and got a consistent 36 mpg.
When my second beloved ex-wife drove it over the horizon on her way out of my life, the car had about 65K miles on it, had only been in the shop for routine oil changes and two scheduled services, and still had plenty of legal tread on the original tires.
They were great little cars, and extremely well made. With the exception of the styling, which wasn't bad in the second gen--the baby Ferrari--they represented more of the original Lotus Elan than any other car.
Except the Miata. Toyota dropped the ball here. They never had a specific mission in mind, which is why we say sayonara to a pretty darned good little car.
7/18/04, 11:56 PM
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The Celica is an overrated and overpriced vehicle. I test drove it, an Eclipse, and an RSX with the girlfriend when she was looking for a car and the Celica was the worst. I thought it was a sign of the times then and that was two years ago. They could have done alot with the Celica but Toyota turned its back on it. I agree with Frank, the Scion coupe is taking it's place. The people that liked the Celica should go for the RSX.
7/19/04, 12:48 PM
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Originally posted by Lord Chabelo@July 19, 2004, 10:10 AM
I sure hope B) Toyota considers bringing back the Supra
I sure hope B) Toyota considers bringing back the Supra
yup, here's a thread on toyota nation with the little article and a couple links to other similar things.
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthre...31013&forumid=8
7/23/04, 03:55 PM
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Yeah, the interior of the newer Celicas is pure crap. With all this talk of the SN95 interior being cheap compared to imports... The Celica is plain YUCK. I've like the exterior ever since they came out though.
The tC is quite an awesome deal, though, and is what the Celica SHOULD have been. Strong base engine, standard dual-panorama moonroof, and customization straight from the factory for less money than some used cars in the same category.
The tC is quite an awesome deal, though, and is what the Celica SHOULD have been. Strong base engine, standard dual-panorama moonroof, and customization straight from the factory for less money than some used cars in the same category.
7/24/04, 08:24 PM
#13
Originally posted by Lord Chabelo@July 19, 2004, 10:10 AM
I sure hope B) Toyota considers bringing back the Supra
I sure hope B) Toyota considers bringing back the Supra
) Never know for sure though. Who woulda guessed ford would have brought back the Mustang for 2005?? ( waiting for the flames. heh heh)
7/25/04, 07:14 AM
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My first car was a Celica the guy I bought it from had a few mods. Headers dual webers. I think it was over carbed. Copper wheels, bronze and copper two tone paint . I was in the Corps in Hawaii and running up and down the coast and mountains in that light weight beauty was a blast thought about bringing it back to TX but to much rust. It was a rear drive 70 something sorry I have a bad mem for details.
WOO HOO 100 posts
WOO HOO 100 posts
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