Survey – Can Toyota Build A Great Sports Car Again?
Jason Lancaster | Oct 26, 2009 | Comments 28
Remember when Toyota had a sports car? When I say “Toyota,” by the way, I don’t mean the entire company that encompasses Scion and Lexus. I mean Toyota – the company that used to offer the unbelievable Supra. Somehow in the last 4 years Toyota completely stopped making sports coupes. Now, they’re talking about bringing back the Celica.
Is this the next generation of the Toyota Celica?
However, with a long list of recent sports coupe failures, does Toyota still know how to make a sports car?
Let’s look at the past couple of decades:
The Supra – The Supra was, and is, a legend. The Twin Turbo was an incredible example of all-around performance. Unfortunately, it’s status as a Supercar wasn’t enough to keep Toyota USA from dropping the Supra in 1998.
The Supra Twin Turbo is a legendary performance automobile.
The MR2 – Perhaps the most famous version of the MR2 was the 1991-1999 Turbo, a lightweight car with all-wheel-drive and a turbocharged 200 hp motor that hit 0-60 in about 6.5 seconds. Definitely not bad for the entry-level price point. However, when Toyota re-designeed the MR2 in 2000, they stopped offering the turbo. Five years later it was discontinued.
The 90's MR2 was a small, lightweight car with an available turbo. In a word, "fun."
The Celica – Way back in 1971 Toyota offered the very first Celica in the USA. At the time it was a cheap, sporty car that got great gas mileage. Throughout the Celica’s 30+ years of sales it was never known as a fast car…but it was respectably quick, relatively inexpensive, and reliable. It was also discontinued in 2005.
Mark's cherry 1990 Toyota Celica All-Trac GT is a nice example of Toyota's fastest ever Celica - 200 hp from the factory. Not incredible, but not bad.
The Solara might be called a sports car by some, but it’s no more a sports car than the Camry is. It’s nice – but it’s not performance. The coupe was canceled in 2007 and the convertible was dropped a year later.
Toyota's Solara was nice, but calling it a sports car is a stretch.
If it isn’t obvious by now, Toyota lost their mojo in the late 90’s. After they killed the Supra in 98′ the rest of their sports coupes failed.
Today, there are rumors that Toyota is bringing back the Celica. The car will be a joint venture with Subaru with a rumored price between $20-$25k. It’s said that it will be offered in rear wheel drive with a 200-220 hp Subaru-sourced 4-cylinder.
Side view of the FT-86, possibly the next generation Toyota Celica
Based on the past, the pictures, and your opinion of Toyota, the question before you is: Can Toyota get this right?
Once you’ve completed the survey, click ‘Vote’ to see the results.
Filed Under: Auto News
FIRST POSTINATED!
good for you jeremy, do you want a cookie?
Oh yes, Chocolate chip would be good. You can drop it off at my office. Make sure it is still warm.
Toyota can build it if they do it all the way. Put the 3.5 in it as the stock engine. It would go. Then offer one with the 5.7 in it for all the crazies like me. 400 hp in a car that size would be GREAT!
The first Celicas that came out in the 70s were very popular. I went to school with kids who raved about them. I don’t know what they had for a power plant back then, but they were a nice looking car.
I think Toyota could again capture the younger market with this car.
A turbocharged V6 with a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission option would be good for getting driving awards from the cops. I would build it with all wheel drive and racing suspension.
I think it would sell.
I had a 74 Corona SR5 I think it was an 18R motor It was a decent 4 cylinder with a 5 speed tranny. Celica’s had about the same motor either it was an 18R or 21R. I had the 4 spoke Cragars on them with 10″ Mickey Thompsons on the back. Utilized the Lakehurst traction bars also. With a little help from a speed bump was able to smoke the tires.
I think, toyota should do like what the american car companies are doing. Bringing back some classic styling (not like the camaro however, that looks terrible)…But Like how the celica looked like in the 70s, i just looked it up. I must say id prefer a nice classic looking celica over a newer celica. And as always toyota wil find some way to make it “snazzy” lol.
Its probally something toyota wouldnt do, but id love to see that or drive that someday. Its nice for teens like me to relive what my parents had back then.
The celica/mr2 are girly and appeal to the younger crowd 20’s on down. Sporty looking, but still girly. Not like the muscle cars of the 70’s and 80’s that are made for a man. The new design concept shown above will sell, but no thanks, not for me. Too sporty and girly, not real muscle. I think they should build it because the younger generation are girly anyways.
Did you just say Muscle cars of the 80’s? Ok….there were a few, Grand NAtional, 89 ZR-1, Mustang 5.0s, Really, it wasn’t until the late 80’s before life was seen in the muscle car. early 70s was the end of the true musclecar era. 64 to 72 would be a good bracket. The cars were already on a downward spiral in 72 and would bottom out in the early 80’s. There were a few peppy cars, Celicas, Supras, mustangs, camaro, firebird, ect. but no beasts. SAVE FOR THE GRAND NATIONAL. Which was Godzilla on stim packs in a world of 70 lb weaklings. We are in a more refined era of muscle but this isn’t the brutal golden age of muscle cars. Cars that threw you back in your seat so hard it hurt. THAT is a muscle car. Those were cars that depended more on the driver to be able to control the car than the car itself. too much throttle and you have liquid tires. today we just push and go. There is something about a car that scares you. Knowing you can’t control it because it is truely more than you can handle. An engine rated at 370 horse that you know is a lie, it is making closer to 500 horsepower. The “Muscle” cars of today are more Sports Cars than true muscle cars. This isn’t a bad thing. People today view driving as a right instead of a privlege and as such Skill has decreased. I would not want to have the average driver in a car that was too overpowered for it’s tires and frame. People would die. But, Again, there is no feeling like it. You are truely on the edge of chaos when you push it in a true muscle car. Cars are my passion if no one knew. 😉
I like all the comments here – I think Jr’s idea of classic styling is a smart one, and I like Ken’s ideas of AWD, turbo V6, and a sporty suspension. Most Toyota cars that I’ve driven in my life (never driven the older models like Mickey’s 74′ Corona) steer like an old person’s car.They’re nice, but sporty road feel is a lost concept it seems. I think Toyota needs to look at Jeremy’s Grand National formula very closely…a mid-sized car that most people liked the look of with a NASTY turbocharged power plant that put cars 2 or 3 times as expensive to shame.
This one is for Jason(Admin)
Jason, do you know if the big wigs at Toyota read the postings on this site or not?
They should. I have read lots, and many people who post here have some very good ideas. And some are a little out in left field. But what the heck.
If Toyota would implement these good ideas, they may wind up being the only car manufacturer around as they would have something for everyone. There is no better tester for a product than the one who purchases and uses it everyday.
HEY, I resemble that comment!
In my humble opinion, to be a serious contender in the sports car world, they need to build something with rear, and possibly an optional all wheel drive. It needs to have an optional 6speed manual, as well as an automatic with manual shifting capability. The trac control needs to be easily turned on and off. It needs to be available in an affordable basic trim level as well as a more luxurious model, but even the more basic level should be available with all the mechanical performance options. It needs to have at least a six cylinder engine. A V8 would be even sweeter. Otherwise your going to have nothing more than a corolla in a halloween costume. Lets face it, a two door sports car is not the most practical vehicle out there. If it doesnt have performance numbers (and a fun to drive factor) that are anything more than a camry, then why bother?
Yeah i agree jason, theres alot of good comments after mine, As for the muscle cars…It would be great to own a “Modern” muscle car (i love the challenger, too many people have the mustang, and the camaro is just ugly.), BUT a TRUE classic 1960s-1970s muscle car would be nice…
In fact, it all depends on my friend’s parents. He has a 1963 Ford Thunderbird sitting in his garage and its been there since the 1980s. IF his parents decide to junk it, id be more than glad to take it. I looked at it and it was one of the higher end models i think, since it has the “Fordomatic” transmission.
And Ken, i strongly agree. Toyota need to read this forum alot more, and they could easily become the greatest car company in the world (not that they already arent :P)
This may be heresy BUT. I think a mildly tweaked Camry with a forced induction 3.5 OR the 4.6 would be a real contender in the performance ring. It is big enough for comfort and small enough to not need 400 hp to scat. take the SE trim and add to it.
I also want the Yaris HAtchback with a 3.5 in it. Put 18 inch rims with lo pro tires and a trd performance handeling package on it. SWEET JEBUS that would be a fun little car to drive. Sell it for about 15K and you couldn’t keep it on the lot. Ok, I actually want a Yaris hatch with the 5.7 some miraculious way squeezed into it. YEs, it would be a death trap and YOU KNOW YOU WANT ONE. Freakin go cart with AC. They would have to surgicly remove the perma-smile from my face.
Jeremy – That’s exactly how the whole muscle car craze got started – manufacturers took popular consumer models and added ridiculous power plants to them. If Toyota stuffed a Camry with a V8 and did some sporty trim they would earn a lot of praise from auto enthusiasts (assuming it was fast of course).
Anonymous – I like the idea of making the performance engine available in the base model…but I doubt Toyota would do it. They’re all about packaging and fewer choices. What if they followed the Scion model and just offered one trim level with various dealer-installed options?
Ken – I’ve reached out to Toyota multiple times and never been given the time of day. The 20k+ monthly visitors to this site just don’t warrant Toyota’s attention I guess…
Well. the problem with shoving a V8 into a camry, is that toyota will see that as taking away from their image of being “Eco Friendly” 🙁
But i do like the yaris hatchback idea.
I GOT IT! It could run E85. That makes it eco friendly. Right?
Love the look and I’d spend the money to get one of these. Not too thrilled with the whole 4-cylinder concept though. If I wanted to save gas, sure….but I plan to floor it and hear some real sound. Not a squealing rice burner!
the question or should I say topic of ‘can Toyota build’: answer YES. The real question is ‘WILL Toyota build a great sports car’: answer: NO. Toyota almost ALWAYS has been one of the last to change and not take a drastic change and will continue to be conservative, although taking the chance on finally a full sized pickup like the tundra was a good move for us consumers. I’m pretty sure if they build a new sports car, it will have a 4 cylinder revved up tinker toy engine in it like the 4 cylinder camry that is all show and no go and for a V6, the camry engine – WOW whoopy doo! I could be wrong, but besided the 5.7L V8, Toyota does not offer a kick in your seat pants engine, but the 3.5L V6 in the RAV4 and Toyota Avalon is not too bad spunk wise. Toyota will not build or modify a V6 engine to make it more performance oriented, that I know.
mk – I share your assessment. Toyota is too conservative to be successful in my opinion, but who knows. This could be a first step in the right direction.
In a car that size the 3.5 in standard Camry or Rav 4 trim would be brutal.
Toyota is the most mainstreem and boring company I have ever seen in the last few years. If they build this car, Toyota will go WAAY up in my book. They used to have great sports cars and they could still make a good sports car. I doubt it would be very fun though. As of now, “FUN” and “FAST” don’t go in the same scentance with “TOYOTA”.
Build with a 4 wheel drive
This is a picture of a Scion FR-S….Clearly the Celica is not going to come back
Toyota needs to make the Celica again. Nothing is sporty about Toyotas anymore.