I always make it out to Raleigh’s Cars & Coffee event the first Saturday of every month. It’s always worth it, even though I abhor waking up early, because there’s always awesome stuff to see.  A lot of the same cars show up, so I won’t show pictures of stuff you’ve already seen – for those you can check previous Cars & Coffee coverage here, here, and here.

For starters, here is one of 337 Porsche 959′s ever built, which was Porsche’s rolling technical showcase that blew everything else out of the water in the 1980′s, and set the standard for supercar performance.  None were ever imported to the US; it’s likely this one has been fitted with the Canepa Design engine kit, which allows the 959 to pass federal emissions regulations for importation, as well as increasing power from 444bhp to 576.

The engine bay of the 959.  Hard to get a picture of this because there was a crowd around it the whole time.  Not really much to look at, engine wise!

First one I’ve seen: the extremely rare Pontiac Solstice Coupe.  These went on sale in early 2009, and the plant closed down in July 2009 – only 1,152 regular production Coupes were made, compared to around 61,000 Solstice Roadsters.  This one is the GXP, with the turbo 2.0L LNF engine – beautiful car, shame about GM killing Pontiac though!

A great license plate, and some more Kappa-chassis love.  This one’s on the back of a Saturn Sky Redline, which also has the Turbo LNF engine.  There was a hilarious sticker on the battery cover, which is slightly NSFW so I just linked to it.

The Lotus-designed, Quad-Cam, 32 valve LT-5 V8 from an über-rare C4 Corvette ZR-1.  So cool to see these!

Super-dropped E46 330i sedan looking great!

A Terminator (03-04) Cobra looking absolutely mean on black wheels, with a huge charge-cooler hiding behind that front bumper.  The 5.0 Fox Body Mustang next to it has a pretty impressive engine bay, as well.

Vortec blower, MSD ignition, and a polished GT40 (SVT Cobra) intake manifold.  This car has to be an absolute handful.

Why would a Viper GTS need a drag parachute?  Well, take a look under the hood.

Extra deceleration abilities come in handy when you have a 1000+whp Twin-Turbo V10 built by Underground Racing.

Cadillac CTS-V Sedan.  Nothing more needs to be said.

I almost walked past this second-generation Eclipse, until I noticed the intercooler that seemed to fill up the front bumper, the 4-piston AP Racing brakes, and the GSX badge.  I found the owner later, and he popped the hood.  Worth the wait.

FULLY built 2.0L.  Rods, pistons, intake manifold, rams-horn exhaust manifold with a Precision GT35, transmission built by Shepard Racing.  The owner – Alex – was a real nice guy, there will be a feature coming on this monster GSX soon.  He’s expecting close to 700 horsepower at all four wheels from this setup once it’s tuned properly.

A brace of badass BMW M Cars – E90 M3, E28 M5, E39 M5 – the best of the best, if you ask me.

Can’t afford a CTS-V?  Just supercharge your G8 GT!

Apparently the trick Boss 302 intake manifold (which is where the Boss gets most of it’s extra power – 444 vs. 412 – from) has been on sale longer than the Boss 302 itself has been.  This is on a modified 2011 GT 5.0, the owner says he’s had it for more than 2 months now.

“My X-Type is too a real Jaguar!”  Look, if your Jaguar is a station wagon with a Taurus engine, no it isn’t.

Three-spoke wheels look good on two things: Saabs, and Italian sport bikes.  Ducati 748, viva Italia!

An Innocenti Mini, owned by a mutual friend.  These are mostly just like Austin Minis, only they’re built in Italy.  A rare spotting in the ‘states, to be sure!

Real Aston Martins have 8 cylinder, 4 cams, 32 valves, and 4 Weber carbs in a plenum.

A pretty cool Volvo 940 Turbo.  This one has the TD04-15g Turbo from an 850 Turbo, big injectors, a large intercooler, a turbo Mopar FPR – most of the turbobrick tricks.  It doesn’t hurt the whole car is flat black with a hood vent cut in, an “I Am The Stig” sticker, and Hella rally lights on the front, either.  It’s pretty quick!

Slightly ratty-looking, but it’s still a twin-cam AE86 Corolla GT-S hatch with the correct wheels.

Before OJ Simpson made it infamous, so infamous they had to ditch the name; hell, before “SUV” was even a term, the original Ford Bronco was a light, simple off-roader.  I’ve never seen an original Bronco in this kind of shape – love the Carolina Blue paint job too!

Even though if you view it logically (they’re overpriced and slow compared to other sports cars in this price range), I still stop and stare every time I see a Maserati GranTurismo – they’re just so gorgeous.  Especially the wheels.

Porsche’s 911 (930) Turbo – a timeless classic, and still a very rapid car by today’s standards.  God help you if you lift in a corner…

Last thing from C&C, this perfect Corvette Grand Sport replica.  I only wish you could hear how tremendous this car sounds through this picture – those side pipes made beautiful music.

This wasn’t at Cars & Coffee, but I saw it about an hour after leaving, and it was so badass I felt the need to include it.  As if a blacked-out Ford GT wasn’t amazing enough, I came back a few minutes later and the rear clamshell was open…

And no, the GT didn’t come with a polished Whipple supercharger stock.

Or these huge titanium exhaust pipes.  When he took off up the road, I had to admit it was literally the best-sounding car I’d ever experienced.  Utterly amazing.  Until next month!

This is another question that came to me randomly in traffic. A lot of them come this way in bumper to bumper 5 o’clock traffic.  I was waiting at a red light behind a dark green Toyota MR2 Spyder, and I realized that they don’t make anything funky any more.  The MR2 was an anomoly on Toyota’s map, though – they’ve got their business model these days (Hybrids + Appliances + Quality = Profits) and they’re doing it quite well.

The MR2 was really cool.  It used really basic mechanical components (actually the engine and transaxle from the Corolla turned around the other way) in a delicately balanced mid-engine rear drive package.  It was quite a handler: with 50/50 weight distribution, a 96.5″ wheelbase, a 2195lb curb weight, and a low-slung body it was like a diet-version Lotus Elise.  Only odd-looking, made from parts that didn’t randomly flop apart, and available through any Toyota dealer for about $23k plus options.

It was aimed at the Miata but never really captured nearly the market share it was expected to, but it was still a great car.  A little short on power, but so were the MX-5 and the MG-F the MR2 Roadster competed with in Europe (and Japan.)  But after production of the MR2 ceased in 2007 (imports to the US stopped in ’05), what has Toyota made since then that’s cool?

Besides the two interesting Lexuses (IS-F and obviously, the ridiculous LFA), what has Toyota done that was cool?  The Scion tC, the brand’s personal sports coupe, is a good car but not exactly fun to drive.  The upcoming (and coming, and still coming) FT-86 coupe that’s been co-developed with Subaru sounds pretty promising on paper, with it’s boxer engine and balanced RWD chassis, but that’s really first glimmer of hope for mere mortals since the Celica GT-S and MR2 went out of production.

Photo via Flickr user ibanezgfx

What do you think?  Was the MR2 the last desirable Toyota?  Or did they lose their mojo before that?  Or, did they never lose it in the first place?

You know, it’s hard to imagine, but once upon a time it wasn’t just Mitsubishi and Subaru. The Rally special used to be a requirement for competition, not a marketing package.  The Evo has a rally “heritage,” but Mitsubishi doesn’t even run a works rally team any more.  The newest WRX is an awesome street car, but it’s hardly the hardcore homologation special it started life as.  Most people tend to think that Subaru or Mitsu started the whole Japanese Rally-Rep category, as they’re the two brands most closely associated with that market.  It was Toyota, in fact, that kicked off the whole segment -- as the first Japanese manufacturer to really take rally racing head on.  Hard to imagine now, while they’re taking the car-as-appliance market head on, but all those other Japanese Rally Reps followed the Celica GT-Four to market.

The GT-Four wasn’t the first Japanese car to be rallied -- Mitsubishi rallied some Starions, and Toyota itself rallied Celica Supras as well as the Celica Twin-Cam Turbo (TA64) in Group B.  But the Celica GT-4, based off the new front-drive Celica architecture, was the first to follow the now-familiar front transverse, turbo four-wheel-drive formula.  Previous Japanese rally entries hadn’t really set the stage on fire, but the GT-Four was a quite successful competition car, and as a result, a very well-rounded performance road car.

The first GT-Four came out in 1986, well ahead of the Celica’s WRC debuted in 1988.  Based on the T160 chassis, the GT-Four was internally referred to as the ST-165.  Whereas the normal Celica had a 116bhp 3S-FE or a 135bhp 3S-GE under the hood, the GT-Four used a turbocharged, air-to-water intercooled 3S-GTE.  This was a pretty advanced engine, the 16v aluminum twin-cam head designed by Yamaha, with pent-roof combustion chambers, central spark plug, and a cross-flow intake.  The same engine used in the critically acclaimed 1990-1995 MR2 Turbo, the GTE produced 190 horsepower and 190ft-lb or torque, which were damn solid numbers back in ’86.  Remember, back then the RX-7 Turbo was only 185 horsepower, a 5.0 Mustang with it’s new fuel injections system had 200, and the Corvette had 230 from it’s 350ci motor.

Powertrain was four-wheel drive, and ’86 GT-Four’s had a traditional center diff that was manually lockable.  When the ST165 was updated in 1987 for MY1988, the center diff changed to a viscous-coupling limited slip unit, providing more progressive power transfer than the manually locking unit.  Although presumably less impressive donuts.  The GT-Four hit the US market in limited quanities in 1988, marketed as the All-Trac Turbo, to keep it in line with the rest of Toyota’s All-Trac 4WD models in the US.  It was a pretty quick car; weighing in a hair under 3200lbs, Motor Trend tested an ’88 All-Trac at 7.78 seconds to sixty and 15.95@89mph in the quarter mile.  The AWD setup gave it plenty of grip, pulling 0.79g’s on a 200ft skidpad and just under 60mph in a 600ft slalom test.  Around the Streets of Willow race track, the little Celica was only 1.3 seconds slower than the considerably more powerful Supra Turbo’s time -- not too shabby.

While consumers were enjoying the turbo power and 4WD grip of the ST165 GT-Four, competitors were enjoying winning races in it.  The ST165 debuted at the 1988 Tour de Corse, and it’s first race win was the 1989 Rally Australia.  Over it’s competition lifetime, ST165′s prepared by TTE (Toyota Team Europe) scooped up 13 WRC wins, as well as the WRC Driver’s Title at the hands of Carlos Sainz.

The T180 generation Celica, with it’s curvy soap-bar styling, replaced the T160′s in 1989, and the new All-Trac hit US shores in MY1990.  It was largely the same, but Toyota made a series of improvements to make the GT-Four a better-performing car in all areas.  The new GT-Four was based off the wide-body Celica GT-S, which had a wider track width at both ends to fit bigger tires and provide more stable cornering.

First of all, there were changes under the hood.  The air-to-water intercooler was ditched (at least in normal GT-Four models, keep reading) in favor of a big top-mounted air-to-air heat exchanger.  The hood was designed to force air through the intercooler.  In addition, the turbocharger was changed to a twin-entry CT26b -- technology that’s just now coming into vogue today.  Finally, a bump in compression from 8.5:1 to 8.8:1 as well as increased valve lift helped bump power to an even 200bhp and 200lb-ft of torque, along with fattening the curve under the peak for harder in-gear pulls.

The suspension and rolling stock was tweaked as well.  The rear subframe was beefed up, the spring/shock axis offset was increased for lower friction, and the the rear control links were spaced out to obtain better cornering stability and toe control.  Wheels were an inch taller and wider (15x6.5 compared to 14x6 for the ST165) and tires were stickier 215/60/VR15′s.  Brakes were about an inch bigger at each end, and ABS was optional.

Japanese-market GT-Four’s were even more powerful than the USDM cars.  With an even high compression ratio and a special ceramic-turbine CT26, they put out 225bhp and 224ft-lb of torque.  Exported GT-4′s were all wide body liftbacks, but JDM models could also be had as the more torsionally rigid coupe body.  With the new GT-Four, Toyota spent more effort making it a luxurious car as well as a fast one.  Options included leather seats, a 220-watt 10 speaker “System 10″ stereo, an electric sunroof, and other goodies like ABS and fog lights.

Performance was improved; Motor Trend tested a US-spec All-Trac Turbo 0-60 in 7.5 seconds, the quarter mile in 15.6@88.3mph, and 0.87 of lateral grip on the skidpad.   The price in 1990?  A hefty $21,500, or $26,400 with options.  Yikes!

Big news came for 1991 with the GT-Four RC, limited to 5,000 units worldwide.  This special edition was more than tape and stickers.  The intercooler was changed out for an air-to-water unit, and the hood was switched to vent pressure out of the engine bay rather than push air into it.  (In the picture above, the air-to-water Carlos Sainz is on the left, a regular GT-Four on the right.)  It got a Torsen limited-slip rear differential to compliment the viscous LSD center diff, 2nd and 3rd gear got upgraded synchros and the action was given a short shift mechanism.  Called the Carlos Sainz edition in Europe and the GT-Four Group A in Australia/NZ markets, this special edition offered more reliable performance in all weather conditions -- since air to water intercoolers are less prone to heat soak, the bane of all turbo cars.

So while the ST185 evolved as a performance road car, it began the era of Toyota’s WRC domination.  It captured a total 16 WRC series wins, 3 W2L series wins, and 3 driver’s titles in a row -- Carlos Sainz in 1992, Juha Kankkunen in 1993, and Didier Auriol in 1994.  Oh, and also the WRC Manufacturer’s title in ’93 and ’94.  Not too shabby for a “chick car.”

The ST185 was in production until 1993, when it was replaced by the new ST205 model, the one with the quad bug-eye front end.  This model was basically an evolution of the ST185, still using the 2.0L 3S-GTE motor, but had many revisions.  Much like the rare Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500, it incorporated many features (albeit non-functional from the factory) of the race car, for homologation purposes.  The turbo was an updated version of the CT26, still a twin-scroll unit but with a revised compressor, called CT20b.  For the ST205 generation, the intercooler was switched back to water-to-air for it’s better cooling properties.  2500 GT-Four homologation models were produced, which had the plumbing installed (but not hooked up, strangely) for an anti-lag system.  There was also (again, unhooked) the equipment for basic water/methanol injection, and a water spray bar to drop intercooler temps.  Power output grew to 239bhp for export cars and 252bhp for JDM vehicles; there was no specified power gain for the WRC/Group A homologation models, as all the cool hardware was present but not hooked up.  I suppose that’s up to you.

The huge spoiler was mounted on risers, and “super strut suspension,” which is a weird mix between a MacPherson Strut and a multilink setup that minimizes or eliminates camber and toe changes under load.  Apparently it had some issues with breaking all the time, because TTE eventually gave up and switched back to conventional McStruts for the GT-Four rally cars.

These ST205 Celicas were again an improvement in performance over their predecessors, with Toyota claiming a 5.9 second 0-60 time.  Most publications had trouble replicating that result, most showing 0-60 times in the mid 6′s.  Still not shabby.  But many complained it was impossible to launch the GT-Four well; not enough revs and the engine would bog and almost stall, resulting in a slow time.  Too many revs, and the clutch would smoke.  I suppose that’s the downside of massive four-wheel drive grip.  The real problem was the price tag; it was considerably higher than the now-faster competition like the Impreza WRX and Lancer Evolution.  Toyota didn’t even bother to import the ST205-generation GT-Four into the US, considering they only sold 271 All-Trac Turbos in the US in 1992.

The ST205 was improved in a lot of ways over the ST185, so it’s mystifying as to why it only captured 1 WRC Series win and 2 W2L titles.  Simple: the WRC governing body sort of noticed that Toyota was cheating, and banned them for a year.  It was discovered that Toyota was using an illegal turbo restrictor plate on the ST205 Celica GT-Four’s, and they were booted out of the whole season.  Then Group A disbanded, and that was pretty much the end of the GT-Four.

The GT-Four was a car that went from a star to an also-ran over it’s lifetime, with cheaper and faster competition on the road, and eventually the class it was created to run in being disbanded.  The Celica GT-Four rally car was replaced with the smaller Corolla WRC to compete in the smaller, lighter WRC class.  The 3S-GTE itself lived on in Japan as the top-line engine offering in the 2nd and 3rd generation Caldina GT-T and GT-Four wagons.  This was a big update of the now-old 3S-GTE, with direct ignition, a turbocharger cast into the intake manifold itself, and many other small differences.  This little wagon (about the size of a US-market Matrix) came with the GT-Four’s all wheel drive system mated solely to a 4-speed “tiptronic” automatic, and produced a 7-second 0-60 time with 260 horsepower.  This was the last application of the 3S-GTE before it died out for good, when the Caldina went AWOL in 2007.

Still, the Celica All-Trac/GT-Four is a car that history will remember well as starting the whole turbo four-wheel-drive Japanese rally-rep template, long before Subaru and Mitsubishi got in on the game.  Want one?  Good luck!  A nation-wide search of autotrader (as of 12/6/2010) showed up a grand total of three All-Trac’s -- one absolute beat ST165 at a sketchy buy-here-pay-here lot, one ST185 with 199,000 miles, and one that appears to be a FWD GT-S that’s been converted to a tuned 3S-GTE motor.

But if you’re looking for a Japanese rally-rep that’s not another stinking WRX/Evo, give the GT-Four/All-Trac Turbo a look.  If you can find one.

So we know the FT-86 concept is a lock for production and now speculation is turning to what it will be named. FT-86 is obviously not the final production name, with the moniker chosen to pay homage to the Toyota Corolla AE-86 GT.

The names under consideration, as reported by Autocar and The Detroit Bureau are Celica and surprisingly – Scion tC?  In producing the FT-86, Toyota’s goal is to make a vehicle that will help build excitement.

I assumed, along with most others, that this would mean the car would be coming to the United States wearing the Toyota badge. Toyota is the volume brand and is in need of new buyers. It’s possible that Toyota still hasn’t given up on it’s supposed youth brand and might use the car as a way to jumpstart it.

At this point I think it is more important to work on the volume brand. That still begs the question though of what it will be badged as internationally. Celica seems to be a likely prospect.

For me, this is simply a list of cars that I plan to own at some point in the future.  There aren’t any Pagani Zonda’s or Ford GT’s or $100k V12 Benzes.  These are all attainable, entertaining cars.  I suppose everyone’s realistic fantasy garage would be different, so let me know yours in the comments.

Saab 9000 Aero (1993-1997)

Duh, a Saab.  Of course.  But despite it’s ancient roots (Lancia Thema? Alfa 164?  Wow…), the Saab 9000 Aero still has some pretty modern numbers.  For instance, under the hood beats Saab’s tweaked and boosted 2.3L twin-cam 16v straight-four.  Puffing through a big Mitsu TD04 turbocharger (in place of the smaller Garrett T25), the Aero pumps out 225bhp at 5,000 rpm, and a hefty 350nM (258lb-ft) at an “are you serious?” 1900 rpm.  So despite having an engine that shares roots with the Triumph Dolomite, the 9000 Aero was a serious piece of performance hardware when it came out back in ’93.  That huge fat band of mid-range torque gave the 9000 Aero some crazy passing power: independent testing confirmed the 9000 Aero was faster from 50-75 than a 911 Carrera 4 or Ferrari Testarossa.

And then there was the interior.  Perhaps the most comfortable seats ever fitted to a production vehicle reside within the 9000′s comfy interior.  8-way power adjustable units courtesy of Recaro are not only great on the back, but look like leather-clad combat armor.  And when you slipped the clutch out and the turbo Saab rocketed it’s way to 100km/h in 6.5 seconds, you hardly even notice there’s enough room in the back for just about anything you’ll really need to carry with the seats folded.  The 9000′s all-around appeal as a fast, innocuous, useful, luxurious and interesting daily driver has really yet to be matched for me -- although the not-for-America Audi S5 Sportback comes close.

The best part?  9000 Aero’s aren’t really worth much of anything.  Case in point: this ’96 9000 CSE (5-door) Aero 5-speed.  Great condition (from the looks of it), 111k on the clock, 5 grand.  What else you can buy for 5 grand will be this nice?  And let’s not even get into things like BSR software, 3″ downpipes, ported TD04 housings, or… well…

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.  I feel that a 9000 Aero would corrupt me rather quickly…

Ford SHO Taurus (89-95)

As you read further down this list, you’ll realize I have a thing for Yamaha-powered cars.  There’s a reason for this -- Yamaha knows how to throw together a motor.  Ford knew this in the eighties.  They were planning a mid-engine RWD 2-seater to compete with the Fiero, but midway through development the project was canned in favor of irons in other fires.  Ford had contracted Yamaha to build twin-cam V6′s for the stillborn sports car, and were on the hook for the motors.  Where to put them, then?

Why, the Taurus, of course!  It didn’t make much sense to put a high-winding performance engine in Ford’s middle-of-the-road family sedan, but who isn’t glad they did anyway?  They called it the SHO, which stood for Super High Output.  The 3.0L 24v V6 cranked out 220bhp at a peaky (for the times) 6000rpm, and 200lb-ft of torque at 4800.  The SHO’s motor wasn’t just about the numbers, though.  For one thing, in testing the Yamaha bent-six was proven to run safely and smoothly at speeds up to 8500 rpm; Ford capped the rev-limited to 7000rpm to avoid having the Ford-supplied ancilliaries self-destructing because they couldn’t keep up.  It was a marvelous engine, and was also quite a sight to see -- and a sound to hear.

That tangle of snakes is the long-runner intake manifold, which is part of the reason the SHO had the upper-range lungs lacking in other Ford motors of the time.  By which I mean, the SHO was making peak power well past a 302′s redline.  Acceleration was good -- a 5-speed 3.0L SHO would do the 0-60 deed in under 7 seconds -- and the sound that eminated from the SHO’s rear was entirely un-Taurus.  As you’ll see, Yamaha has a way with engine notes.

Volvo 850 T-5R (1995)

Perhaps I’m too picky in specifying one year, one body style, one trim level, and one color of a car for my fantasy garage.  But when that combination renders you this:

Sometimes it pays to sweat the details.  I mean, even if you hate Volvos (and I know some of you do), you have to admit that this is one badass-looking wagon.  The 850 T-5R was an experiment on Volvo’s part, a litmus test to see if there was really a market for a hot-rod Volvo.  A total of 5,500 T5-R’s were produced for worldwide consumption in 1995.  2,500 in cream yellow (with only 185 going to the US market), 2,500 in black (1,850 to the US market) and 500 Emerald Green R’s -- none of which ever saw US roads.  This  makes a cream yellow T-5R wagon about as rare as a democrat in Alabama.

As you’d expect with such a long name, the 850 T-5R is the top of the performance range for the 850 series.  It added a few modifications to increase the performance of the Turbo, along with some aesthetic touches to differentiate the T-5R from standard 850′s.  On the performance side of things, the regular Turbo’s 2.3L 20v I5 received a bump from 222bhp to 240bhp (250 in the Euro market) via software changes that increase the turbo-boost threshold by 3psi in 3rd and 4th gear.  Considering that the normal 850 Turbo had enough trouble not lighting up it’s inside tire when you turned and steered at the same time, that’s perhaps for the best.

Result?  The 0-60 time is about the same as the regular 850 Turbo (just under 7 seconds), but the top speed of this crazy banana-yellow kid hauler moved up to 153mph. That’s right, a yellow 153mph Volvo Wagon. And that’s not even taking into consideration exactly how awesome an uncorked Volvo Turbo I5 sounds when you get on it -- which, by the way, is faintly ridiculous.

On the looks and luxury side of things, the 850 T-5R received a redesigned front fascia with an incorporated chin spoiler and foglights, lower body cladding and a new rear bumper that integrates the exhaust pipe.  The T-5R also rolls on what are perhaps my favorite OEM wheels ever, 17x7″ anthracite-grey alloys called Titan’s.  Inside, there are leather-and-alcantara seats, wood trim, seat heaters, a CD changer, and all the other luxury accoutrement you’d expect in a mid-ninties euro hotrod.

Underneath the tons of turbo torque steer and howling 5-banger, though, it’s still a Volvo 850 wagon, which means there’s comfortable space for 5 passengers, and if you fold the rear seats flat, you can fit a shifter cart in the back.  What other 153mph sports cars can you say that about?

It gets even more tempting when you think about adding aftermarket goodies and software.  iPd’s software for the B5235T5 cranks up the boost (from max 12psi in the T-5R to 14.5) and fueling levels, and power jumps to 275, while torque increases from 236lb-ft up to 280.  iPd claims their software will lop nearly a second off the T-5R’s 0-60 time (from 7.0 to 6.2) with negligible effects on fuel consumption.  Then there are aquamist methanol injection kits, upgraded intercoolers, bigger injectors, cams… you get the point.

The problem with the T-5R is that it’s easier to simply make one than find one.  Regular 850 Turbo’s aren’t really hard to find; but with only about 50 cream yellow wagons in the US (and who knows how many are left!), you might be searching for months.  Whereas you can buy the R bodykit from Volvo, get your regular T-5 or Turbo ECU chipped by iPd to deliver the same power, and get some wheels.  Still, the Volvo gods were smiling upon me when I found this ’95 yellow T-5R wagon online here.  $4,950 is a lot for a 14 year old Volvo with 200k on the clock, but I’d say it’s worth it.

2000-2005 Toyota Celica GT-S

The image of the Celica in the US market is sort of a girlier version of the Honda Prelude.  It’s always been a (with few exceptions) relatively attractive 2-door four seater sports coupe, usually offered with uninspiring drivetrains and so-so handling but great fuel economy and typical Toyota dependability.

Thankfully, Toyota decided not to let the Celica go out with a whimper, but rather with a most impressive bang.  When the seventh-generation Celica debuted for the 2000 model year, it was vastly different than the car it replaced.  Gone was the bulbous, rounded jelly-bean styling and pokey Camry-sourced engines; the new Celica was lithe and slick-looking, almost like it was distorted from being fired out of a cannon.  Of course, there was the pokey base model for the secretarys who wanted something cute, but when specs came out for the GT-S model, enthusiasts took notice.

There was a 1.8L 16v straight-four under the hood (the same size as the GT’s motor), but rather than 138bhp, it offered 180bhp at a lofty 7600rpm.  Torque output was modest at 133lb-ft, but the engine had an astronomical 8400rpm redline.  It wasn’t very Toyota; most of their performance engines were low-revvers with big turbos.  In reality, the 2ZZ-GE was mostly Yamaha.  Toyota contracted the build of a higher-performance motor to the firm, and they delivered.  It was a silky-smooth revver, and when it hit the hot cam (thanks, variable valve timing) it howled like it was hungry and sprinted to the rev limiter with amazing speed.

Thanks to the low 2,400lb curb weight, the GT-S was quite rapid, with sub-7 second 0-60 times being easily acheived.  It wasn’t just a straight-line car, though: the 7th-generation Celica is blessed with one of the best handling FWD chassis the world has yet seen.  With simple suspension modifications and sticky tires, Celicas have no trouble pulling more than 1.0g of lateral acceleration, and they have very balanced and neutral handling characteristics.

My personal experience with a Celica GT-S was with a mildly modified early-build model, and it was eye-opening.  Onramps I could take at 45mph at the limit of adhesion in my 900 (admittedly not the best handling car, but certainly pretty agile) were dispatched at 70mph without so much as a hint of tire slip.  The sound and rev-happy nature of the Yamaha motor is world-class, and acceleration feels very impressive.

Combine all this with a bountiful aftermarket, great fuel economy, a delightful short-throw 6-speed shifter, and rock-solid reliability, and you’ve got a serious winner.  The GT-S is a lot easier to find than most of the other weird stuff on this list, and I found a clean 2000 GT-S 6-speed pretty close to me in great condition for $8,900.  It’s a little pricier than some of the other things here, but it’s also newer and most certainly more dependable.  You can check out the ad here.

Dodge Dakota

Ok, I know this a bit left field -- even for me.  But here me out here.  Everyone needs a truck in their “fantasy garage” -- after all, even in your fantasy, you need something to tow your toys to the track, right?  And while my full-on fantasy garage truck would most likely be a Banks-tuned Cummins Diesel Ram of some sort (there’s something about 1000 lb-ft of torque that I find appealing), in real life, you don’t need that much size or power.

And I figure, if you’re going to have a truck, it should be fun and useful.  So what I’d look for would be a late-90′s Dakota, single cab, short bed, 2WD, with the optional 318ci V8 and a 5-speed manual.  It’s just about the most fun you can have in a small truck short of a Lightning.  The 5.2L pushrod V8 may be anvil-simple, but it’s reliable as death and taxes, and produces a whole bucket-load of torque.  In a light chassis (there’s not all that much to a single cab/short bed Dakota), it’s actually a reasonably entertaining powertrain.  Plus, there’s nothing quite like the sound of a Mopar small-block with headers, 3″ pipes and Flowmasters.  And if it got boring, there’s always a Paxton supercharger.

How much should you pay for a Dakota?  Well, with today’s depressed market -- and the fact that no one wants a 17mpg compact pickup -- I’d say paying any more than 4 grand for one in great condition would be a sign of mental retardation.  Just because it’s unpopular doesn’t mean it’s entirely without merit.  It’s got impressive payload (about 3/4 ton depending on configuration), it can tow well above it’s weight, and it’ll do a wicked burnout.  What more do you want?

If you all like the general idea of this article, I might make it a series that continues in the future.  Please leave your $0.02 in the comments section below!

Well, it’s not really a concept so much as a specific device.  It’s the…

Turbocharger!

If there’s one word that typifies Toyota’s technological halo today, it’s “Hybrid.”  Regardless of my position on Hypebrids, it didn’t always used to be this way.  There once was a time when Toyota would sell you pretty much anything with an exhaust-driven hairdryer hanging from it’s manifold.  Want proof?

That’s right, you could get a mid-eighties TOYOTA PICKUP TRUCK with a turbocharged engine.  Not a measly turbodiesel; no, it was a turbocharger stuck on the venerable 22R-E fuel injected four.  “135bhp!”  Ok, sure.  The 22R-ET wasn’t the best example of Toyota’s turbo engineering prowess, but seriously:  Toyota no longer makes a single turbocharged car.  Why?

Anyway, on to some cars.  We’ll start with the most recent as well as the lightest, then go on to some heavyweights.

7th-generation Toyota Celica GT-S

In the last installment, I featured the turbocharged 4WD Celica GT4′s, which were basically rally specials for the street.  However, by the 90′s the Celica had really lost the plot.  It had gained weight (physically and visually) and not really any power, and had become something of a stuffed shirt – as in, “where’s the cream filling?”

So when Toyota introduced the redesigned 7th generation Celica in 2000, people took notice.  It was lithe, agile, and available with a truly interesting powertrain.  Weight was down, from 2720lbs in the 6th gen GT-S to 2467 lbs.  The 7th gen Celica had taut, futuristic styling – a big change from the plump, bug-eyed look the 6th gen had.

The base model Celicas got a rather dull 1ZZ-GE, shared with the 7th-generation Corolla.  This 1.8L twin-cammer made a tolerable 140 horsepower and was mated to either a 4-speed auto or a 5-speed manual.  The GT-S was the interesting one, though.  The engine – designated the 2ZZ-GE – was co-developed with Yamaha.  The main difference was the use of VVTL-i, which is a dual-phase cam system similar to Honda’s i-VTec system.  The difference between low and high cam profiles is fairly drastic; the intake cam jumps from 228° to 292°, and the exhaust cam goes from 228° to 272°.  What this means is that the 2ZZ in the GT-S is a veritable Jekyll/Hyde type of engine.  South of the cam changeover at 6,200rpm, the car is smooth and quiet and relatively gutless.  North of that… you better hold on.  The cam changeover is even more dramatic than on most Honda VTec engines, and the end result is 180 horsepower, give or take depending on the market and application – from the same engine without the second cam profile that only makes 138.

The 2ZZ-GE will spin all the way out to 8,200rpm (or 8,400rpm in some models), and testing has shown the engine can safely spin above 9,000rpm with proper modifications to the fueling system.  Combining this high-strung powerful engine with Celica’s light, sweet-handling chassis produced an unlikely automobile: a true driver’s coupé from Toyota, of all people.

A Celica GT-S with simple suspension work (shocks, springs, swaybars) and sticky rubber (perhaps a Potenza RE050A or something similar) can produce well over 1.0g of lateral acceleration, which is quite impressive for a street car with a full interior and air conditioning.  It’s also got strong brakes, a tight six-speed manual, and it’s a hatchback with folding rear seats for practicality.  What’s not to love?

Well, the main problem with the GT-S was that tight, tight shifter.  It was far too easy to shift from third and expect to get fourth, but instead get second.  The 2ZZ is an interference engine, and this means bad things.  Spinning one of these motors well above it’s factory redline  can cause the oil pump to explode, which pretty much signals the end of your engine’s life.

Still, these days the Celica GT-S offers a fantastic buy in the second-hand market.  The high-winding 4cyl engine sounds fantastic, the handling is superb, the gas mileage is quite good, and the look is unique. Toyota ended production of the  Celica in 2005, with no direct replacement.  However, they brought out a pseudo replacement in 2006 in the form of this, the Scion tC:

The tC was marketed under Toyota’s “youth” brand Scion, and to say that it lost the plot from the old Celica would be unnecessarily kind.  A US-market only car, based on the European-market Toyota Avensis (which I’ve heard is about as interesting as a nun), it sports the 2.4L I4 from the Camry (ugh) with a thundering 158bhp, a sloppy five speed, and options like glowing cupholders and reclining rear seats – perfect for the people that drive them.  That is to say, highschool girls.

Toyota Supra

Now, if you’re reading this site and you don’t know what a Toyota Supra is… I’d be shocked.  Still, it’s such a fantastic vehicle that the lesson bears repeating.  The Supra was Toyota’s flagship “halo” car from it’s introduction in 1979 until it’s final production year of 2002 in the Japanese Market.

The first generation of the Supra was basically a lengthened Celica with an inline-six cylinder engine instead of a 4.  Overall length went up 5.1″ over the Celica, but it was all from the A-pillar forward.  The 2.6L 4M-E under the hood was a simple iron-block unit with a 12 valve head, and made 110 horsepower.  It was also Toyota’s first engine to sport electronic fuel injection.  Supras came with either  a 5-speed overdrive manual transmission, or a 4-speed automatic, which was high tech back then.

Ok, so it wasn’t pretty by modern standards, but by 1979 standards it was powerful, reliable, and well-equipped.The first-generation Celica Supra was in production until 1981, and received minor updates during that time frame.  The Japanese-market Supra received a turbocharged version in 1980, with a 2.0L M-TEU motor making 145 horsepower.  This 2.0L engine was Toyota’s first turbo motor, and acceleration was greatly improved.

For in1981, the base model US Supras received a mild upgrade – the 4M-E became the 5M-E, with displacement boosted to 2.8L and power going up to 116.  Increased torque, lower peaks, and a shorter final-drive ratio made the performance a little more segment-appropriate, but still left something to be desired.

Toyota responded to these demands in 1982 with the second-generation Celica Supra.  Still based on the Celica chassis (back when it was rear-wheel-drive), the MKII Supra sported sharp, angular lines with wide, boxy fenders.  It was more aerodynamic and the styling went over a lot better with the general public.  It’s not hard to tell why – I still think the boxy looks of the MKII are attractive today, in a retro sort of way.

in the US market, the Supra was initially available in two types: Performance and Luxury.  They were mechanically the same, but the P-type got the fiberglass fender flares, 8-way adjustable sports seats (highly reviewed at the time), 7″ wide 14″ alloys (instead of the standard 5.5″ wide wheels), and a few other goodies.

The engine was a derivative of the MK1 Supra motor.  Now sporting dual overhead cams (but still 2 valves per cylinder), the 5M-GE made a respectable 145bhp.  This dropped the 0-60 time below 10 seconds (remember… 1982!) and the quarter dropped from the low 19′s to the high 17′s.  The main improvement was the wider powerband thanks to the dual overhead cam setup which made the Supra a lot more fun to drive.  Press and owner feedback alike was overwhelmingly positive; by the mid-eighties the Supra had become something of a new-money status symbol.  Mainly because it looked like a space ship.

1983 brought  in an extra 5bhp, a 4.10:1 final drive for the P-type to help acceleration, and minor changes.  Real updates occured in 1985, with a new throttle position sensor, EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve, and the addition of a knock sensor allowing a higher compression ratio.  Power went up to 161bhp (roughly comparable to the turbocharged Nissan 280ZX), and 0-60 was dispatched in a more respectable 8.4 seconds.  Production of the MKII Celica Supra ended in 1986, and it’s replacement was even better.

The MK3 Supra debuted in 1986, with all new styling, all new engines, and the availability of turbo power in the US market for the first time.  It was more powerful, faster, heavier, and better equipped- more of a powerful GT than a true sports car.  Still, it suited the market perfectly and sales continued to go up.

Under the hood was the latest evolution of the Toyota M block, which was about to run the course of it’s useful life – it was under the hood of the original Albrecht Goertz-styled 2000GT from 1967.  Now designated 7M-GE, it displaced a full 3.0L and used a 24-valve head with dual overhead camshafts.  Power jumped from 161 in the old 5M-GE to a nice, even 200 in the new model.  This turbine-smooth powerplant gave the Supra the kind of continent-crushing mid-range power it really needed; 0-60 was dispatched in 7.1 seconds and the Supra could top out at 137 – world class performance for 1986.

1987 saw the introduction (in the US) of the first legalized Supra Turbo; thus the legend was born.  The 7M-GE became the 7M-GTE, utilizing a Toyota CT26 turbocharger and an air-to-air intercooler.  Power jumped to 232, torque from 187 to 254 lb-ft.  with a five speed, the Supra Turbo hustled to 60mph in only 6.2 seconds, and could see north of 140mph top out – comparable to the Corvette, 300ZX Turbo, and RX7 Turbo of the day.

The Mk3 Supra had more derivatives than the earlier Supras, as Toyota got into their technological stride in the late 80′s.  The first was the Supra Turbo-A, which was a limited-production homologation model built in small numbers in late 1987.  Built to legalize the Supra for Group A racing, the Turbo-A featured a tweaked 7M-GTE with a different turbo (CT-26b) making 267bhp, reduced weight, and extra cooling.  Due to restrictions on cars over 3.0L of dispalecement, the Turbo-A had limited success in Group A racing, but it made for a storming street car.

The choicest of the Supras was a home-market only model called the 2.5 Twin-Turbo R.  Midway through production of the MKIII, Toyota introduced their brand-new Inline 6 – the JZ series.  Offered in 2.0L, 2.5L, and 3.0L displacement, the MK3 in Japan received the 2.5L 1JZ motor.  This iron-block motor featured advanced sequential turbocharging – one small turbo and one larger turbo operated in sequence.  The advantage to this is a much smoother powerband than just one large turbo – the small one spools quickly at low RPMS, then transfers boost over to the other at higher RPMS, delivering massive wads of linear power all over the power band.

The 2.5 Twin Turbo-R was the ultimate version of this Supra, featuring the 280bhp 1JZ-GTE, a Torsen LSD, additional chassis bracing (as well as a stronger mount for the differential), Recaro seats,  Bilstein suspension and a bunch of other goodies.  As the lightest and most powerful MK3 Supra, the Twin-Turbo R could run a 14 second quarter mile and 0-60 in the mid-fives – wicked quick.

By 1992, the Supra was getting decidedly long in the tooth.  The Corvette had gained the 300bhp LT1 V8 and the ZF  6-speed manual, and the 300ZX Turbo had been updated to the fantastic Z32, with it’s 300-horsepower twin turbo VG.  The RX-7 had dropped weight (under 2800lbs) and gained standard twin-sequential turbochargers, which allowed 255bhp and 0-60 in 4.9 seconds.  Then there were the 3Si twins, the Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo and the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4.  While history hasn’t been kind to these cars, remember what they had back in 1990: 300 horsepower twin turbo V6, four wheel drive, four wheel steering, active aerodynamics, etc.  Something had to be done.

So for the MKIV Supra, Toyota went all-out in a way they have never acheived again.  When the MKIV Supra debuted in 1993, it wasn’t just a match for it’s Japanese competition – RX7, 300ZX, 3000GT VR-4 – it had Porsche Turbos and Ferrari 512′s getting cold sweats.  Oh, it was fast.

The new car switched over entirely to the new JZ block, with base models carrying the 220bhp 2JZ-GE 3.0L I6, almost as much as the old 7M turbo.  Big news was the Turbo: the 2JZ-GTE under the hood was a 3.0L iron-block 24v six, fitted with twin-sequential turbocharging.  Total power was 320bhp@5600rpm and 315lb-ft@4000 rpm.  Oddly enough, US-market Supra Turbos were more powerful than Japanese Market cars.  Thanks to smaller, quicker spooling impeller wheels on the turbos and larger injectors, the US-market Turbo handily beat the Japanese market car, 320 to 280.  This is due to a “gentleman’s agreement” between the Japanese manufacturers to limit stated output to 276bhp – or 280ps.  Of course, it’s unlikely the Japanese market Supras actually only made 280bhp, but it’s still interesting nonetheless.

Performance was explosive.  Car & Drive timed a stock, six-speed Supra Turbo to sixty miles an hour in 4.6 seconds.  What was most interesting was the extensive lengths Toyota went to minimize weight given all the equipment; a Supra Turbo weighed in around 3400lbs, so they weren’t entirely successful.  But seriously: aluminum formed the hood, targa roof, front crossmember, upper suspension A-arms, oil pan, and transmission pan.  Then there were the dished-out head bolts, hollow-fiber carpet mats (not even kidding), a magnesium steering wheel, a gas-filled rear spoiler (huh?), and the fact that they chose not to include an unnecessary dual exhaust on the Turbo model.  As a result, the model was about 200lbs lighter than the MK3 – despite producing way more power.

The car was a press darling, winning comparison tests and awards left and right.  The car continued on unchanged (what needed to be fixed?) until 1999, when Toyota ceased importation of the car to the US due to an unfavorable dollar-to-yen exchange rate.  JDM production of the Supra continued until 2002, when upcoming emissions regulations finally killed the car after a 9-year-long run.

Today, the Supra is still enjoying a disproportionately large amount of popularity.  Some of it is due to the ease with which one can coax extra power out of a Supra Turbo; “BPU” (Basic Performance Upgrades) MKIV Supra Turbos are easily capable of laying down 400+ wheel horsepower, which is a whole lot of fun.  Also, these cars are incredibly overbuilt – the stock block and internals can support up to 800 crank horsepower without upgrades, which is simply insane.  However, what’s a shame is that a lot of Supras have fallen into the hands of the ricey tuner crowd, who slap some big wheels and a sewer-pipe exhaust on it after seeing The Fast and The Furious.  Still, if you can find a well-maintained (stock) Supra Turbo for a good price, don’t pass it by just because it’s a Toyota.  Remember, they weren’t ALWAYS boring.

Lexus SC300/SC400/ Toyota Soarer

Now here, I have literally saved the best for last.  By which I mean, the JZZ30 Toyota Soarer (and it’s US equivalents, the Lexus SC) are the best cars Toyota has ever made.  I know that’s a bold statement (especially to all you obnoxious Supra fanboys), but it’s true.

The Soarer/SC was one of those rare cars that did everything right.  It’s the car that’s come closest to scoring a perfect score on Road & Track’s objective/subjective number matrix – scoring a 98  out of 100.  It was beautiful, composed, comfortable, exceedingly rapid in most versions, immaculately assembled, and displayed a kind of tasteful restraint Toyota doesn’t have any more.  It was a truly epic car; and furthermore I’m not the only one who thinks so. Mechanically speaking, the JZZ30/31 Soarer/SC shares a lot with the MKIV Supra – but it was its own distinct car.

The Soarer/SC was a full-sized 2-door coupe, a classic 2+2 with room for occasional rear passengers – moreso than the Supra, but not the most expansive back seat.  The styling was restrained (some would say boring) but graceful; it hasn’t aged a day, despite debuting in 1991.

In America, the SC was the “sporty” offering in Toyota’s recent Lexus luxury brand, a 2-door counterpart to the dull-but-nice LS400 sedan.  It was available in the US with two engines: the 2JZ-GE 3.0L 225bhp I6, and the 1UZ-FE 4.0L 32v V8, originally making 250 horsepower.  The 2JZ was available with either a 4-speed automatic or a (rare) 5-speed manual; the 1UZ made do with lots of torque and an automatic only.

In Japan, the SC was marketed as the Toyota Soarer – the third generation of Toyota’s big, powerful six-cylinder rear drive coupe.  Options in Japan differed from the US to a large extent.  The biggest difference was the available of the Soarer Twin Turbo, which used the 1JZ-GTE 2.5L twin-sequential turbocharged six cylinder (previously mentioned in the MK3 Supra section) with 280ps.  This model was available with a six-speed manual transmission, and has gathered quite an enthusiast following thanks to it’s ease of modification.

The Soarer/SC was basically a stretched fourth-generation Supra, so performance was ample.  Base model (2JZ-GEU) Soarers could run to sixty in 7.4 seconds with a top speed of 146; 1UZ (V8) models did 6.4 seconds and 150mph, respectively.  Later SC400′s received a bump in output to 290bhp, and could about crack the six-second barrier to sixty.  As far as Japanese models, the 1JZ-GTE powered Twin Turbo was the pick of the litter, capable of 5.5 second 0-10okm/h sprints and almost 160mph top out – when they were stock.  Which was not often.

The Japanese market Soarer offered all sorts of neat features never offered in the US Market, too.  EMV (Electro Multi Vision) was an option on up-level Soarers, consistening of a touch-screen in-dash display with navigation and television capabilities as well as graphic touch controls for the HVAC system and audio system, on-board diagnostics, and a backup camera.  Top of the line Soarers received fully active suspension, which used hydraulic dampers and yaw sensors to adjust effective spring rates corner-to-corner to deliver an eerily smooth ride with virtually no body roll.  As only 873 of these were made, they’re quite collectable today.  Most interesting was the availability of dealer-installed front and rear radar detectors which integrated with the IP on the US market SC300/400 from detector company K40, but this was a rare and expensive option- rarely seen.

The JZZ30 Soarer/SC went out of production in 1999, and was replaced by the SC430 – which is perhaps one of the ugliest, most pointless cars ever.  The elegant styling was gone, replaced by a mix of Mercedes SL and Buick Riviera and a Bucket of Vomit, with an ungainly folding hardtop, a limp-wristed 300bhp V8, and a clientele consisting mostly of  clueless California trophy wives.  The SC430 never really measured up to the older SC, in the minds of the press as well as the consumer.  I personally despise the SC430; it took all the wonderful things about the SC400 and threw them in the trash.  Which is yet more proof that Toyota doesn’t get it.

Imagine if they did?

In fact, they used to have a whole slew of vehicles across different markets targeted at people who actually liked to drive!   Most of these cars have been forgotten in the pantheons of automotive history, but they become more interesting in retrospect, when you see that Toyota is completely failing to do this now.  Even in this depressed market, (some) people still want to enjoy driving what they’re driving.

This guide basically highlights the good stuff Toyota’s brought to market, and how it’s modern counterpart fails at the same.

AE-86 (Hachi-Roku) Corolla/Sprinter GT-S

By now, if you’ve stuck your head into a group of car nerds more than once, you’ve heard a nerdy Asian kid refer to a “Hachi Roku” -- or maybe an “86.”  That’s usually followed by lots of references to “Dorifto!” and Tofu Delivery.  Nerd appeal aside, the AE-86 Corollas are a shining example of how Toyota is incapable of making a fun, small economical car anymore.

Most people don’t know -- or have simply forgotten; it’s been a while -- but the Corolla started out life as a rear-wheel drive vehicle, all the way back in 1966.  It continued on the same basic architecture up until the mid-eighties, as Toyota began to make a gradual change-over to front wheel drive for the Corolla.  However, there was some hangover during the “E80″ generation, where some cars were on the new front-wheel-drive chassis, and some were still rear-wheel drive.

The front-wheel-drive Corollas, called the AE81/82, has been pretty much forgotten at this point.  I mean, it’s a front-wheel-drive Corolla from the mid-eighties; who cares?  It’s the AE85/AE86 chassis that has developed a cult-like enthusiast following.  At first it’s hard to understand why; the AE86 isn’t particularly fast or attractive.

It’s the purity of the chassis underneath that draws car nerds like moths to a lamp, though.  The rear-wheel-drive Corolla Coupe came in two varieties in the US, the SR5 (base model) and GT-S (sports model.)  The base model AE85 used the 4A-C, a 1.6L single-cam 8-valve motor with fuel delivery via a single carburetor, and a thundering 90 horsepower under the hood.  The GT-S is the darling of the group, with the legendary 4A-GE under the hood.  This 1.6L motor sported dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, and electronic multipoint fuel injection -- which was hot stuff back in the early 80′s.

While 115 horsepower doesn’t sound like much, it gave the GT-S the punch and powerband it needed to really be entertaining.  Thanks to the GT-S’ light weight and near-ideal weight balance, it had the kind of maneuverable, pliable chassis that has been legislated out of existence these days.  The AE86 (at least with a 4AGE) has become the darling of the drifting community, thanks to a few factors: the tuneability of the brilliant 4AGE powerplant, the mass availability of inexpensive replacement parts, and the tail-happy demeanor.  It’s not even that the AE86 had sophisticated suspension; MacPherson struts up front and a four-link live axle in the rear were augmented by antiroll bars.  But the well-judged suspension, low curb weight (1,950 lbs!) and overall durability of the AE86 has brought it lasting enthusiast appeal.  Which isn’t something that can be said about pretty much any other Corolla after it.

Besides, an uncorked 4AGE with ITB’s and a straight exhaust sounds absolutely insane.

The AE86-chassis Corolla was replaced by the AE90/92 (shown above), which was pretty unmemorable, although things got interesting in the next generation, when Toyota offered a 5-valve version of the 4A-GE nicknamed the “Silver Top” in the AE101 and AE111 Corolla Levin/Sprinter/Trueno.  This high-revving, high compression (10.5:1 and later 11.0:1) 162bhp 20v motor  has become a popular swap into AE86′s, as well as our next topic of discussion, the…

Toyota MR2 (1984-2007)

Toyota’s MR2 is best described as “unusual.”  It was completely unprecedented -- the first Japanese mass-production mid-engine vehicle, it brought the agility and response of a mid-engined sports car to the masses in a way that the vehicles before it (like the Fiat X 1/9, Porsche 914, Lancia Beta Monte Carlo, etc.) failed to do.  It combined Lotus-tuned handling, a world-class powertrain, and light weight with rock-solid Toyota build quality, great fuel economy, and funky styling.

The project started all the way back in 1976, when Toyota embarked about creating a car that was both fun to drive and fuel efficient.  A mid-transverse engine layout was decided on for packaging concerns in such a small car, plus the overall neutrality and light responses a mid-engine layout provided.  Although introduced as a concept car called the SV-3 at the Toyko Auto Show in 1983, the car debuted in Japan in 1984 as the MR2 (which stood for Midship Runabout 2-seater, if you were curious.)

The mechanical underpinnings were fairly simple.  The AW11-chassis MR2 used the engine and transaxle from the AE82 Corolla FX16, a transverse-mounted 1.6L inline-four with a high-flowing 16v head and a revvy, lively nature.  The suspension work was done with assistance of Roger Barker, from Lotus Engineering.

The MR2 received rave reviews when new -- testers were astounded by it’s light nature, balanced and grippy handling, and go-kart demeanor.  It was fun, but it was also reliable -- a killer combination.  The MR2 graced Car & Driver’s as well as Road & Track’s Ten Best lists for multiple years, was awarded Motor Trend’s Import Car of the Year in 1985, and gathered many other press accolades.

Changes were minor, with the exception of the introduction in 1987 of the Supercharged model.  It used a small crank-driven supercharger (equipped with an electric clutch which disconnected the blower at idle and low load to preserve fuel) and generated 145 horsepower.  This knocked the MR2′s 0-60 time down from above 8 seconds to below 7, providing a useful increase in speed as well as mid-range passing power.

Toyota updated the aging MR2 in 1990, giving it a slightly larger body with more rounded, organic curves.  The effect was dramatic, turning the Mr2 from a snarky little doorstop into a curvaceous Ferrari impostor -- which did good things for sales.

In addition, the new MR2 (called SW20) was packing a lot more punch than the old one.  The base model (SW21 in the US) used Toyota’s 2.2L 5S-Fe from the Camry, making 130 horsepower and some decent low-end torque.  Optional in the US was the MR2 Turbo, which had a 2.0L 16v turbocharged inline-four, called the 3S-GTE, making a stout 200bhp.  With this engine and a five-speed, the MR2 Turbo could reach sixty in under 6 seconds, putting it up there with some other rather rapid sports car in it’s day.  Other engines were available in other markerts, like the naturally aspirated 2.0L 3S-GE (158bhp) sold in Europe and Japan.  In addition, Japan’s MR2 Turbo (Called the GT-S) received a revised turbocharger and engine controls, and produced 256bhp.  This top-spec model could break 100km/h in close to five seconds flat, giving it world-class performance for the time.

This new MR2 was also well-received by the press, although press and customer criticism of the car’s tendency toward trailing-throttle oversteer lead to revisions of the rear suspension in 1993 as well as staggered tires, wider in the rear.  Many MR2 enthusiasts say these post-revision cars are less entertaining to drive, but apparently they’re a lot more stable.

The MR2 ceased importation to the US in 1995, but has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity lately thanks to it’s low entry price, entertaining mid-engine handling, and the easy tweakability of the turbo 3S-GTE motor, which has quite stout internals and responds well to extra boost.

The third generation of the MR2 debuted in 1999, called the ZZW30.  This was the first MR2 that was designed as a convertible, and returned the focus back to light weight.  While the weight of the SW20 MR2 had crept up to 2,780lbs in base models and close to 3000lbs for the turbo with the T-roof and automatic transmission(!), the ZZW30 weighed in at a flyweight 2271lbs.  It was also cheaper: the base price in 2001 was around $22,000, providing genuine sports car thrills for 4-cylinder Accord money.

The styling was unusual, but the car was an absolute joy to drive.  It used the same 1ZZ-FE as the Corollas, a 1.8L 16v I4 with basic variable valve timing.  While it only made 138 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque, the low curb weight meant 0-60 only took about 8 seconds.  That was about on par with the Miata, which was what Toyota was aiming for with the third-generation MR2.

The MR2 Spyder was never much of a big seller, certainly not to the degree of the original MR2 in the 80′s.  This was due to a few factors: it wasn’t that fast, there was next to no luggage space despite having two trunks, and the styling didn’t quite gel with everyone who saw it.  Still, it was light, extremely agile, and since it used a Corolla powertrain turned around backwards (again), it was as reliable as death and taxes.

Updates were minor.  The MR2 Spyder received a 5-speed Sequential Manual Transmission (creatively called the SMT) in 2002.  This is generally regarded as the worst sequential manual transmission ever fitted to a road car, which is no mean feat when you take BMW’s wretched SMG system into mind.  2003 saw a mild facelift -- new headlights, taillights, some new interior trim and additional chassis bracing -- as well as a switch to 16″ wheels in the back with staggered width.  Finally, a limited-slip differential became an option in 2004.  European market MR2′s were denied the 5-speed SMT, but did later get a 6-speed manual to replace the 5-speed.

Sales of the MR2 Spyder were always lower than expected, and the model was discontinued at the end of 2005, along with the Celica line.  No replacement came along -- as far as we know, Toyota’s given up on the whole MR2 thing.  Which is a shame, because there’s a shortage of lightweight, bare-bones mid engine sports cars on the market -- by which I mean, none.

Celica GT-4/AllTrac Turbo (ST165, 185, 205)

Toyota’s Celica line was in production for 35 years -- from 1970 all the way through 2005.  There were an untold number of variations of the Celica, some awesome, some garbage.  Being a sucker for rally specials, though, it’s always been the Celica GT-4 that epitomized the Celica line to me.

The GT-Four (AllTrac Turbo in the US) was a Homologation special to certify the Celica GT-4 for competition in the international rally circuit.  Rules dictated a minimum number of road-going production versions of the competition vehicle to qualify it for racing, so road-going GT-4′s it was.

The GT-4 was produced in three generations, from 1984 up until 1999.  The first GT-4 was based on the fourth-generation Celica (ST165).  Instead of the dull 1.8L twin-cam four and front wheel drive, the GT-4 received Toyota’s hot new 3S-GTE turbo engine.  This stout 2.0L 4 cylinder motor was interesting in that it used an air-to-water intercooler just like the rally cars, rather than a less expensive air-to-air.  The ST165 made 185 horsepower on about 7psi of boost and could accelerate to 100km/h in just under 8 seconds -- not bad for 1984.

The ST165 went out of production in 1989, replaced mid-year by the ST186.  The GT-4 still used the 3S-GTE and permanent four wheel drive, but there were a few mechanical changes.  The turbo was upgraded from the single-scroll CT20 to the faster-spooling twin-scroll CT26b.  The intercooler became a top-mounted air-to-air type (sadly)  Power was up to 200bhp at this point thanks to a boost increase to 12psi, which meant the 185 was incrementally quicker than the model it replaced, and top speed was up to 143mph, from 137.

There were a limited number of near rally-spec ST185′s built for public consumption, interestingly.  Called the “Carlos Sainz Edition” in the New Zealand market, and the GT-Four Rally elsewhere, these cars came with a super-close ratio gearbox, the air-to-water intercooler, and a stripped interior with no A/C, power steering, power door locks, etc.  The car was sold in both narrow and widebody forms in the domestic market, although all export models were of the widebody variety.

The final GT-Four was introduced in 1993.  This new GT-4 pushed the edge of technology for the rallying world, and the road car benefitted accordingly.  The Air-to-water intercooler was back, and the road cars also had an active water sprayer -- although disconnected on the road versions.  Most interesting was the introduction of Anti-Lag technology, which kept the turbo on the boil during shifts to reduce lag.  The system was actually fitted to the road-going GT-4′s but was disabled.  Additionally, the GT-4′s 3S-GTE was up to 245bhp with a full 1 bar of boost (14.7psi), and weight dropped in the ST205 generation from about 3300lbs down to just above 3000lbs.

The ST205 GT-4 stayed in production up until 1999, when the new (7th generation) Celicas came out, without a GT-4 trim.  Although I’ll cover the 7th generation Celica GT-S in the second half of this retrospective, it’s worth noting where the GT-4′s drivetrain went after the Celica went out of production.  The Japanese-market Toyota Caldina GT-T basically got the ST205′s drivetrain -- water-cooled 3S-GTE at 1bar of boost, 255 horsepower, four wheel drive -but was only fitted with an automatic!  Still, an interesting side note.

In the next episode, we’ll cover the rest of the awesome cars Toyota used to make -- including the Supra, Soarer, 7th generation Celica GT-S, and who knows what else!  Stay tuned!

thanks to Patrick Hodges for his photos of that mint ST165 All-Trac, and to turbocelica.nl for general GT-4 information.