Another recent upload to the Cohort by triborough, I couldn’t resist posting this beautiful two-tone gold and brown 1984 Celica GT because, well, I like it. I never thought these were particularly beautiful cars, but it’s quite nicely preserved and has some of the nicest steel wheels around. I wasn’t hanging around the styling studios when Toyota penned this very square shape, but get the idea that conveying masculinity and aggression on a budget were the goals. But beyond meeting those two objectives, they didn’t create an end result which was particularly elegant or timeless. Especially in notchback form, it was an inferior effort compared to its CALTY-designed predecessor.
Did the people who bought these cars necessarily care? It’s hard to say, thirty years later. Competing against the all-American Camaro and Mustang, it would make sense that Toyota would go for brashness.
Not that this car’s present day owner would fit that description. If anything, such a person probably recognizes how well this car defines its era and has an eye for design. Such would seem to characterize many in the now-gentrified city where this car resides.
These New York registration stickers were my a real boon during my formative years as a car spotter. Note the “2DSD” bodystyle description. In this case, two door sedan is rather inaccurate but generally, this–not coupe–is a more appropriate descriptor for the majority of two-door cars.
Nice ride. I always liked the bodystyle on these notchback Celicas. The ‘squinty’ tail lites and shovel nose compliment the overall wedge shape of the car.
Hey, Parkway Toyota!
Jersey represent.
At 23 and my first new car purchase, I got my ’84 Celica GTS liftback at Parkway Toyota…and they wouldn’t budge on the price. I ascribed it to being young and green and not a terribly effective negotiator.
Well, at least you had good taste and got the GTS.
No, you can ascribe it to the Regan-era “voluntary” import quotas that the Japanese manufacturers honored. This created a shortage of Japanese cars and significantly increased the selling prices. I paid $500 over list for a 1985 Honda Prelude, which was OK because some dealers were asking $2,500 over list.
Thank you Perry and Triborough. You’ve captured a beauty. The early to mid 80s was perhaps my favorite era of Toyota design. And the Celica was one of the best representatives. A coupe this nice, could definitely sway my initial preference for the hatch. I always liked Toyota’s two tone paint treatment at the time, with the contrasting color below the bodyside molding. A classic 80s design, that has aged very well.
It appeals to me far more than the Mini or Murano.
Like these a lot, a real period piece of styling. In its own way, it defines the Japanese style of the era as much as a ’59 Cadillac does its own! Neither is “good design” but both are perfect time capsules. The duo tone bronze really suits it too.
Well stated about “good” design.
I never really cared for Celicas, especially the square ones. But Toyotas have been good to me and I got a 1990 Celica Alltrac for 1800 bucks last year. It’s now my DD, and I must say looks aside, its a cool car.
I hated these with a passion back in the day, but this looks pretty cool to my eye now. The color is pretty awesome too. The rear bumper makes it look like the tailgate got left down, however.
When I read 1984, Toyota and square I instantly thought of my 1988 supercharged MR 2
it had the folded paper design and was/is a true pocket rocket. When the green led came on and you had 91 octane (there is a switch to select lower octane) in the tank it is a blast to drive. I far preferred the first generation to the second generation turbo model. I drove it hard and it never broke, just gave it good maintenance. Wish I still had it.
I’m more fond of these now thatn I was at the time. Definitely a design of the Eighties. Spotted one the other day:
What’s that with the purple roof to the right?
Edsel with blocked side pipes.
Ever hear of an Edsel? Really?
A dear friend of ours (alas, no longer with us) bought one of these new in ’84, I think. It was a solid, reasonably comfortable car with a couple of notable quirks: for one thing, the cruise control had a slightly jerky, twitchy feel when it was engaged; for another, the air-conditioning was barely adequate, especially in city traffic (an all-too-common complaint with smallish Japanese cars then). Other than those things, it was a good, reliable car for her. After an accident, though, it was never quite the same, and she traded it in on a less-flashy 1990 or so Corolla that served her well.
I knew someone at that time who had a Celica identical to this one. She drove it for many years. I drove it once, and found it be a very nice car, but it didn’t really inspire any passion within me.
I still want the yellow early ’70s Celica, though.
Not my fave Celica, but that is one carefully loved example. Top hue, too.
Is it a rear bumper or it is a park bench? There’s no need to decide.
Isn’t it where they bolt those chrome luggage racks, you know the ones, like on older Buick Century sedans?
What a difference a roof makes. The hatchback roof makes this car look 1,000% better.
Long time lurker, first time poster. I had the ’83 version (tilting headlights instead of hidden headlights), purchased new at Central City Toyota in West Philly. These cars were far better than they’re sometimes given credit for — great long-distance crusiers. The 2.4 liter 22R-E engine was rock-solid reliable, and still met factory compression specs when a family member finally sold the car 12 years and 199,500 miles later.
I believe the wheels on this car are part of the base level trim package.. They where also the full sized spares with Dunlop rubber on the corolla gt-s and the fwd celica gt-s.
I always wanted one of these as they make a excellent start to a nice sleeper that no one would expect. A car equipped with those wheels and that color combo but with a totally unexpected engine, transmission and suspension. Say a foraha SHO engine and a tremec 5 speed with a BMW rear end. I know it would be a ton of fab work but I think the outcome would be wild.
love it! Could someone enlighten me as to how Toyota achieved two-tone paint on a mass-produced car?
My office mate bought the exact car as the CC. I remember it felt like a huge difference compared to my roommate’s ’83 ST, which seemed (and was) the strippo model.
They took a Honda Prelude, and made it even more boxy…
Not really in to that mustard-gold-colour 🙁