Toyota Celica - 1st Gen (1971 to 1977)

The Toyota Celica made its debut in 1970 for the 1971 model year. The Celica was Toyota's answer to popular American "pony cars" such as the Ford Mustang. This first generation (A20 and A30) of these cars was available as a two-door coupe or a hatchback that resembled an amalgam of the Ferrari Daytona and the Mustang. In typical pony car style, the Celica was a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive vehicle with various inline four-cylinder engines ranging from 1.4 liters to 2.2 liters. Toyota offered five trim levels, although not all markets received all levels. The bottom tier was the ET with a 1.4L engine, followed by the LT, ST, GTV, and the 143hp (18R-G) twin cam powered GT. The first generation of the Celica` is also divided by two distinct body styles. The early cars are known as the "slant nose" and by 1974 the "flat nose" redesign was released. The 1st Gen Celica was built until 1977, and it was replaced by the 2nd Gen Celica which launched for 1978.