The Toyota Celica has long been a fixture on the sport compact scene, but its identity in the 1980s was much different than what it would eventually become. These days, it’s hard to find pretty much any Toyota from the late 80s and early 90s when the company was actively trying to build its reputation in the U.S. as a serious player in the automotive industry, thanks to a combination of rust-prone bodies and years of abuse heaped upon them by owners who took advantage of their bulletproof reliability. This rare 1988 Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo listed here on Facebook Marketplace is likely one of only a few left in road-going form, and the seller is asking $12,000.
When Toyota began working its way into driveways at a large scale, it was in a turf war with Honda for mid-sized dominance. The Camry and Accord battle for suburban supremacy was what most consumers would think of when assessing what vehicles Toyota was using to become a player; the runner-up would be its lineup of durable pickup trucks. However, the Celica All-Trac Turbo was clearly a showcase for Toyota’s ability to build high-performance machines, a reputation that continues to this day with the modern Supra and the GR Corolla. The All-Trac shown here is a 4WD, turbocharged hot hatch with a full body kit and pop-up headlights.
The seller calls this Celica an “IMSA GTO Champion Edition,” which as far as I can tell, was a California-only special edition. What’s fascinating is we featured a similar car here on Barn Finds in 2018, written up by yours truly. Is it the same car? There are some differences, like the lack of tinted windows on this example, and the aftermarket gauges on the A-pillar. It’s certainly easy to strip window tint and add a gauge, so it’s hard to say without verifying the VIN. The seller notes that the Celica runs and drives well after he repaired an exhaust leak and cracked EGR. The interior was standard Japanese fare for 1988, which is to say – unremarkable.
The seller notes that the 2.0L 3S-GTE engine benefits from a new head, along with an HKS exhaust and aftermarket coil-over suspension. This screamer of an engine pushes out a healthy 190 b.h.p. and blew some minds when it was introduced, but the performance wasn’t a clear-cut advantage over the front-wheel drive, naturally-aspirated model. Braking distance suffered with the increased weight of the 4WD system, and road-holding abilities weren’t spectacular. But for a seriously cool 1980s performance car that is nearly extinct, it doesn’t get much better than this turbocharged Celica. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. for the find.
Ready for Targa rally race. 🏁
I REALLY don’t understand why this type of car isn’t made anymore! So much more fun to drive than an SUV, and so much more economical!
Plus you gotta love that interior over today’s almost required leather.
Why oh why didn’t I buy one of these, new, when I had the chance? 20/20 vision…
Still can, Danno. The Subaru twins, the BRZ and GT86, fit the bill.
Bub Toyota has an awd rocket 🚀 ready for Danno in the showroom. That wicked 3cyl Turbo Corolla GR.
I like those two twins except, have you ever checked out the interior. ZERO storage place for day to day things. Seems strange in this day and age!
Agreed, JDC. I go 6’4 and a svelte (?) 225. You’d think they ran me down the line and built the car around me. Still, waaaaay roomier than a Miata. I can clutch, shift and steer without running into my knees or against the door panel.
It’s my only car and my daily driver. You’d be surprised.
“The interior was standard Japanese fare for 1988, which is to say – unremarkable.”
I wouldn’t call clean design and perfect ergonomics unremarkable. These traits are why I love Toyota and Honda interiors from this period.
I always liked these All-Trac Celicas. So purposeful built and rare!
I remember in the early 1990s, it was 7:30 AM on a Sunday morning and I was paying at the Mass Pike toll booth. I was driving a white 1990 Acura Integra GS with a header back Mugen racing exhaust and cold air intake. No other power mods. Right next to me the only other car at the row of tollbooths was a white Celica All-Trac turbo. This was a later version than the one on this page. It had a factory hood scoop. Oddly enough, we paid at the exact same time and we both shot out of the toll booth like it was a starting gate and blasted up to 100 miles an hour, both neck to neck. That was a very memorable Sunday morning for me.
I had one ST165 and two ST185s back in the late 90s and early 2000s. They really weren’t that great as far as performance went. Very heavy, didn’t handle all that well, not all that fast, and a pain to work on. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked them (well the 185s), but for other reasons – looks, comfort, unique, etc. My friend had a MR2 turbo – smoked the all-trac in handling and acceleration. A lot of the Honda’s and such were faster too.
Those later model Turbo MR2s were absolutely wicked. Buddy worked for a Toyota dealer and drove many. I was very surprised when he took me for a ride in one Nicholas. 😎