One of the greatest gifts that the world of motorsports ever gave to mortal drivers like you and me is the concept of homologation. That’s the requirement that an automaker build a certain number of street-legal versions of a given automobile in order to qualify for a specific racing series. Homologation has birthed all manner of wonderful sports cars into the mass market—including the unsung 1980s classic known as the Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo.
Rally racing is some of the most demanding automotive competition on the planet, and tackling its challenges brought out the best from engineering teams dedicated to pushing the limits of high-performance technology. When the Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo hit American showrooms in 1987 as a limited-production edition to commemorate its IMSA GTO championship (only 77 were built that year), it was the first compact hatchback to bring the fruits of rally racing directly to customers.
Unlike the standard version of the Celica—a competent if unexciting commuter car—the All-Trac Turbo featured a full-time all-wheel drive system with a viscous center coupling that faithfully distributed the nearly 190 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque produced by its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. A body kit revealed that it packed a performance punch (with big rally fog lights a particular highlight). A five-speed manual was the only available transmission for the Toyota.
The All-Trac's unassuming shape was accented by front fogs and a mild body kit. This 1988 example sold in April, after active bidding on eBay.
In 1989, the next generation of the Celica All-Trac Turbo would debut—bringing rounder looks and a new intercooler for its 2.0-liter 3S-GTE four-cylinder engine. Carried over from the previous car, the 3S-GTE offered a Yamaha-designed twin-cam cylinder head, 16 valves, and a cross-flow intake, setting it high above the more pedestrian Celica's 3S-GE mill. Although technically an 1980s child, America would receive this version of the All-Track Turbo—known internally as the T180 and shown at the top of this page—as a 1990 model year car - opens in new window or tab., pushing it outside the scope of this series.
Still, there’s lots to love about the original T165-series Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo. Not only was it quick for the era, with 60 miles per hour arriving in 7.8 seconds, but it also enjoyed significant success in the World Rally Championship, winning 13 events as well as a Driver's Title for Carlos Sainz.
The rally-bred engine that would make the All-Track a track star.
Today, the Celica All-Trac Turbo has been overshadowed by later rally entries from brands like Mitsubishi (with the Lancer Evolution) and Subaru (via the WRX), companies that made their all-terrain racing prowess a key part of their marketing message. Toyota drove in the other direction, preferring to market comfortable, reliable commuter cars to buyers more interested in efficiency than excitement.
This has kept the first-generation Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo a bargain for fans of 1980s sports cars. Although there aren’t all that many of them out there, prices hover in the $5,000 to $10,000 range, and their drivetrains are relatively bulletproof compared to other turbo cars of the same era. With Toyota's renowned build quality, a championship pedigree, and the exclusivity that comes from low production numbers, what’s not to like about this forgotten 1980s classic?
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