It’s not uncommon with the arrival of Facebook Marketplace for vehicles to be misidentified when listed for sale. Part of the problem is the database Facebook uses – it’s missing a whole host of rare and obscure vehicles – and mistakes on the part of sellers. The Alltrac Toyota Celica, a rare four-wheel drive version of the company’s 80s hot hatch, is a sought-after rarity that by and large has disappeared from the landscape. That’s why this 1988 Toyota Celica listed here on Facebook Marketplace as an Alltrac is slightly suspect. Do you think it’s real or it just a junkyard-find base model?

The first clue that this may just be a standard front-wheel drive model is the body style. I believe all Alltracs were liftbacks from the factory, and that the notch back was never offered in 4WD trim. There’s also the front bumper, which typically housed a giant set of fog lamps in the lower front air dam on the hot hatch variants with maximum grip. This car is lacking both of these key features, and there’s also no exterior badging indicating this is a desirable Alltrac model. So, a few strikes against it right out of the gate. What it is likely to be is a GT-S model, as denoted by the missing rear spoiler.

The interior has another big clue: the automatic transmission. I don’t know if Toyota allowed buyers to combine the Alltrac option with an automatic transmission, but this would be the first time I ever saw that combo in the wild. The interior is, thankfully, in decent nick overall, with nicely bolstered cloth bucket seats in surprisingly good shape for a car that clearly hasn’t been stored properly. The factory steering wheel remains and the carpets don’t appear to be heavily soiled with dirt and grease. Even the door panels look presentable enough. However, I suspect this transmission choice is more evidence that it is not, in fact, an Alltrac.

The Celicas of this era are increasingly hard to come by in any form, so if you’ve been on the hunt, you know beggars can’t be choosers. However, anyone who loves Celicas absolutely wants to find an Alltrac, so it’s hard to see a listing like this and not feel even more resolve for sticking it out and finding the needle in the haystack. The seller’s asking price is quite fair for a FWD Celica that isn’t a total train wreck, but that depends heavily on whether there’s any rust underneath. The car’s location in Montgomery, AL is encouraging; however, the lack of three pedals and FWD likely mean this Celica is destined for a future as a parts car. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Chuck F. for the find.