Well, this was a first. Finding a 45-year-old car just sitting on someone’s front porch (if you can call it that) is one thing, but this one was more gaping than usual. There was nobody around, so either the owner just left it like that to air it out, or they were in the middle of detailing it and went back inside to recharge their mini vacuum cleaner or something. Either way, an open goal for CC!
Many of you know this third generation of Mark II (1976-80) as the Cressida, as that’s how they were exported to Europe and North America. On the JDM, they were marketed as the Toyopet Corona Mark II or, from this generation on, as the Toyota Chaser. They dropped both the Toyopet name and the Corona badge for subsequent generations.
One key difference with the export cars is that the fat rubber bumpers seen on Cressidas were only optional on certain late-model X30/40 Mark IIs – and fortunately, this one doesn’t have them. Helps with the look of this car a lot, though the Japanese nickname for these is still “Pig eyes,” for some reason.
I don’t know how many flavors the Cressida had in global markets, but the late ‘70s JDM Mark II was a good illustration of the rampant trim level mania spreading across many Japanese carmakers at the time – and Toyota especially. Our feature car is a GL 2000 – i.e. relatively low in the pecking order.
The bottom rung was populated by these, which made do with the 1.8 litre 4-cyl. and not too many creature comforts. This being the later model brochure (1978-80), it seems column shifters were no longer on offer – on saloons, at least.
This is more or less where our CC is at, though there are some differences between what the brochure’s GL and reality. These have a 2-litre 4-cyl., mated to either a 4-speed manual or a 3-speed auto. Suspension-wise, these and lower-end cars have a multilink and coil-sprung live rear axle.
This is the swankier end of the range, with 2.0 and 2.6 litre 6-cyl. motors and all the gingerbread and gadgetry one could possibly wish for in a JDM executive sedan. These have disc brakes on all wheels and semi-trailing arm IRS, to boot – so it’s not just all sizzle.
Not shown in this brochure (because they had their own distinct one) were the Diesel variants. Also, one should multiply this impressive trim count by three, as the Mark II existed in saloon, hardtop coupé and wagon form. The wagons were fitted with a leaf-sprung live axle, so three suspension setups were also available, depending on body style and trim level, on these Toyotas.
I’m not sure where this leaves our CC, as it seems to have higher trim bits, such as these full-size wheel covers, on a lower trim car. But perhaps that’s a factor of the extensive options list these came with.
Of course, given the wide open nature of this particular Mark II, for once even yours truly couldn’t screw up the interior shot. This was the easiest non-convertible dash photo I’ve ever taken! Interesting to see the blank-out plugs on the right of the steering wheel – this is pretty far from a fully-optioned car.
This type of plastic protections for classic car door cards is seen on occasion in this country. It’s a great idea to help with preserving these sometimes fragile (and quite often impossible to source replacements for) bits of cabin trim, particularly if you have kids back there.
This generation of Mark II has a strong following, but they are routinely turned into ridiculously modded, lowered and garishly-painted driftmobiles, especially the coupés. Very nice to see that some are being religiously preserved for posterity. And kept open for business.
Related posts:
Curbside Classic: 1978 Toyota Cressida Wagon – I Love What You Do For Me, Mini-Cordoba Wagon, by Tom Klockau
CC Outtake: 1976 Toyota Cressida – Juvenile Sophistication, by Perry Shoar
There’s one of these (in Cressida form) in green running around my parts, I’ve yet to see it standing still, unattended. Never mind the Corollas and Civics and Accords, 210s up to 510s, these were an early harbinger of what Japan was capable of well before much of the world gave them that credit. While here it was available in one spec, you show that it was actually offered in an extremely wide variety of permutations, extending even to significant suspension differences. Compare that to what would/could (in size) be its competition, the BMW E12 5er, Audi C2 100, perhaps MB W123, Pug 504 and all manner of American cars that are hard to compare sizewise if only due to the gargantuan proportions many of them had grown to, even after downsizing. But here is a large-ish, very well engineered, somewhat premium car although available in very base, almost taxicab spec all the way up to large engined cruiser with all the toys. Over here the natural competition would probably be limited to the Datsun 810 (eventually Maxima), but for those perhaps having already experienced the aforementioned “gateway drugs” of Japan and looking to upgrade in size, price, and refinement, here was your chariot.
A fantastic find, of course the red interior is immaculately preserved and while this generation is my least favorite visually of our Cressida (the front and rear are just too baroque and Cordoba-ish for me), those lithe JDM bumpers do improve it significantly.
To me, this is a lot of what made the 1970s Japanese saloon a left field or obvious choice in Europe.
Not that elegant, woolly steering, understeer, not a great ride, not that spacious or innovatively practical (vs a Renault 16 anyone?), not many dealers…
But, easy to drive (light steering, sweet gearshifts etc), well equipped and reliable, and compared with some of the dross Europe’s greatest were offering in the family car market, that counted for a lot.
But what happened to the accelerator pedal in the interior shot?
Looks to be covered up by the ugly floor mat. The guy had to be detailing his car and must’ve been called away? And/Or was watching from afar?
3 pedals, rear wheels driven, factory tachometer. I’m good with it.
plus pull-up hand brake, and crank windows. All good.
Were these Cressidas of that generation meant to compete with the RWD GM X-Bodied NOVA group cars, Granada, Volare and Concord or the one size smaller Corona their competitors?
These were 181″ long, on a 104″ wheelbase, so they were a bit smaller. Width was only 66″ though, so a bit squeezy if you were used to American compacts, but you didn’t have so much needless bulk outside. They were a useful step up in size from the Corona without going to the ‘full-size’ (for Japan) Crown.
I saw plenty of this model in Aussie back in the day they were popular, Ive not seen a 4 cylinder version though maybe they werent export models,
The 2 door hard top looks like what the Mustang II should have been.
Nice shrink-wrapped door cards. No longer possible with todays contoured, molded plastic pieces.
What a great survivor!
These were quite popular in Australia, both as sedans and wagons, and the trim level looks similar to how I remember them. Looks much nicer with smaller bumpers, too. What a bewildering model range though.
And you could get them in real living colour, with an interior other than black!
CC-in-scale has a Grande hardtop. There is a kit of the sedan, though I’ve yet to find one in standard form.