Buying Tips
Where Are The Celica, Supra, And MR2 Of Tomorrow?
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Much like members of the human species, car models are conceived, born, and ultimately die. Some press on for decades stoically, lacking verve but impressing with surprising longevity. Others live the life of stardom - enjoying brief, bright flashes of brilliance and departing during the height of their fame. Then there are the 'tweeners - riding through ups and downs, shuffling between genius and mediocrity. And as some humans put stock in faith and spirituality, so, too, some models seem to undergo a re-birth wherein they show up years later bearing the same name and perhaps even some styling and performance cues of their predecessors.
Here we examine three Toyota models that skew towards the second and third of the automotive lifespans described above. Toyota Motor Corporation's Celica, Supra, and MR2 all enjoyed varying degrees of brilliance, and we'd love to see their brighter and better moments brought back to life. Despite a tough marketplace, we think these models could thrive if resuscitated with current economic realities in mind.
Toyota Celica
The Celica got its start decades ago as a lower-priced alternative to the limited-production Toyota 2000GT. Initially, the vehicle had a hard time carving out its own niche, drawing comparisons with the Ford Mustang and other vehicles. In the 1980s, however, a significant makeover brought styling singularity and more power to the Celica's DNA.
A model change in 2000 brought the vehicle into Toyota's modern fold - that is to say, a somewhat generic, front-wheel drive economy car with moderately swoopy styling. Its last year of production saw only 3,000 units produced. Either the American public became bored with Celica, or it ceased to follow its mission as a tribute to the radical styling and powerful performance of the storied 2000GT.
Bring us a new Celica, Toyota - and give it great form and function, a healthy dose of originality, power + frugality (Hybrid? Diesel?), and the iconoclast nature of the original Celica. While vanilla and appliance-like are qualities that sell sedans and minivans in droves, they should be avoided in the realm of sporty coupes and performance icons.
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Toyota Supra
Speaking of performance icons...the Supra was initially the up-level, high performance edition of the Celica described above. Even closer in reality to the performance promises made by the 2000GT, the original was intended to be a competitor with the Datsun Z sportster.
It was until the Mark III (third generation) that the Supra carved out its own high-performance niche. It established itself as a brilliant performer (especially in twin-turbo form) that cost far less than the German performance coupes it competed with. So what caused its demise?
In a phrase, emissions controls. For example, if you wanted twin sequential turbos breathing extra life into the stout inline-six, you were forced in the U.S. to opt for the automatic transmission to keep things EPA-complaint at the tailpipe. And a four-speed automatic isn't a great ally for performance. By 1997, you couldn't get the turbo at all in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.
Perhaps today's high-tech engines could enable a modern day Supra to offer thrilling performance while making decent mileage and also satisfying the EPA. Heck, even Toyota's corporate 3.5-liter V-6, making nearly 300 horsepower, would likely run neck and neck with the twin turbo of yore, especially if Toyota keeps curb weight low. The top model of that V-6 uses direct injection, an increasingly popular bit of technology that is yielding gains in both performance and economy. Twin-turbo direct-injected 3.5-liter V-6 in a bad new Supra, anybody?
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Toyota MR2 and MR2 Spyder
Ahh, the MR2. Whether you loved the boxy, pert little first-gen or the long and lean (some likened it to a small Ferrari) second-gen masterpiece, Toyota had an instant icon with its Mid-engine Rear-wheel drive 2-seater. To this day, import tuners and fast and furious kids blog about and drool over the second-gen MR2, whose tough-as-nails four-cylinder can be turbocharged to insane levels of power and psi.
What made the MR2 special? For one, it was overbuilt. No econo-car underpinnings here, the MR2 boasted a tough chassis, stout suspension pieces, and parts and pieces that seemed like they were built for a much heavier, tougher vehicle than a cute little two-seater. The result? MR2s were rock-solid reliable, very much in keeping with Toyota reputation. Imagine the thrills of a weekend racer with the dependability of your Aunt's Corolla...that's a definite recipe for an automotive hit. And with a mid-mounted engine, handling dynamics were right-now responsive. One Car & Driver reviewer proclaimed the MR2 "an exotic car for the rest of us."
Alas, production numbers dwindled in the 90s. Perhaps increasingly practical buyers saw little room in their garages for a limited service two-seater with admittedly poor storage space. Or were insurance premiums too much for the 17-year-olds who coveted the MR2? Regardless, sales bled off until Toyota killed it for good.
Toyota did resurrect the MR2, this time in the form of a Spyder, for a third generation. Styling went back to funky and chunky, like the first gen, but thankfully the engine kept residence in the car's middle, and an even lighter weight than the second gen was achieved. Despite a diminutive 1.8-liter four-cylinder, the car was a spunky, powerful driver with stellar handling. Perhaps Toyota should benchmark this vehicle for future MR2 possibilities, but make the styling less cute and more aggressive.
A new MR2 would have a tough time being a more practical beast, but then again look at the success of vehicles like the Mazda Miata. Maybe Toyota should kill the turbo model (lowering insurance premiums), and instead fit one of its excellent VVT-i engines, perhaps fortified with direct-injection. Keep the mid-engine layout for great handling, keep the curb weight down for efficiency and driving enjoyment, and definitely keep the overbuilt nature of the car so they'll be on the road for years to come.--Colin Mathews
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