What Made The 1971 Toyota Celica So Special?

The early 1970s were a transitional period for the American automotive market. The muscle car was still in its heyday, although models like the legendary Pontiac GTO, which debuted in 1964, and the equally impressive Pontiac Firebird from 1967 were starting to show their age. The Clean Air Act of 1970 brought new emissions standards to the auto industry, and stateside buyers started to devote more of their attention and dollars to inexpensive, fuel-efficient imports from Japan.

In 1971, Toyota brought the Celica to the United States in ST trim, which sat at the middle of the five offerings in Japan. The Celica ST was released mid-year with a 1.9-liter 8R inline four-cylinder engine. Toyota sold 17,000 Celicas in that partial first year, and by 1972, the company had bumped Volkswagen from the No.1 spot among U.S. import car brands. Toyota's promotional literature unabashedly advertised the Celica as a pony car, aiming it at popular American models like the Firebird and Ford Mustang, and it was affordable at $2,698 (equal to just under $21,000 today). That compared favorably to the 1971 Mustang, which started at $2,911 for the hardtop coupe and $2,973 for the fastback.

The 1971 Celica was Toyota's first car designed with styling taking a priority over practical concerns. It shared a platform with the Carina, which was only sold in the U.S. in 1972 and 1973. The engine was the same as the one used in the Mark II and the Corona, although the Celica's had an updated camshaft that boosted output to 108 horsepower. The suspension at both ends was state-of the art, with a four-link coil spring setup in back and MacPherson struts and an anti-roll bar in front.

The Celica's engine was upgraded to a 2.0-liter four in 1972, and the following year, a three-speed automatic transmission was added as an option. The GT version appeared in 1974, with a five-speed manual transmission, wider wheels, and a lowered suspension. Among the later generations, the 1984 Celica GT-S stands out as the brand's first-ever factory-made convertible. 

1971 Celicas are exceptionally hard to find these days. Classic.com shows none currently available for sale and lists just two sold in the past five years. One in powder blue sold in 2021 for $14,000, and another in red went the year before for $27,000.