1988 Toyota Celica GT-Four review from North America

I bought this particular car in very poor mechanical shape, yet cosmetically it was pretty decent. Major work includes:

Front CV axles.

Rebuilt stock Toyota CT26 turbocharger.

Timing belt/water pump.

Transmission replaced with US-spec tranny, 111K miles on it.

Clutch replaced with ACT Spec-2 Unit.

These cars are very rare; 10,000 made worldwide, and only 2,500 imported to the US.

The GT-Fours are AWD and turbocharged, and handle as such. Somewhat nimble yet tanky-feeling, but when you punch the throttle, off you go. I can't adequately describe the control you have in this vehicle... it rides and accelerates like the sports car that it is.

Comfort is top-notch, and interior amenities include automatic climate control, cruise control, power steering, ABS, very decent ergonomics, even for the age. The seats are some of the most comfortable I've ever been in, and the only car that I know of that offers power adjustable bolstering as well as lumbar support.

Operating costs are, unfortunately, very, very high in my case. I have spent a lot more time fixing this car than I have been driving it, and it is highly advisable to have a daily driver car while you own a GT-Four, or at the very least, make sure you buy one that is in pristine condition. Turbochargers _will_ wear out on these cars. Drivetrains are very solid, although mine had problems due to abuse. The engines themselves are finicky on the maintenance, but otherwise up to Toyota standards. Make sure you fix any leaks promptly!

Power? This car has it. Passing traffic on the highway is no problem at all, and the GT-Four offers enough power to waste annoying boy racers at the stoplight, if that is your sort of thing to do. The 'Four doesn't have as much raw power as the Subaru Imprezza WRX or the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo... but as far as reliable turbo AWD bang for the buck, you'd be hard-pressed to beat one. Add that to a powerplant that with smart modification can still show those other cars a thing or two, and you have a good package.

All in all, I am satisfied with this car. It has been a major pain to fix, but the GT-Four has a certain mystique and character to it that somehow keeps me glued to it. If I could do it over again, I would have purchased one, but maybe one with not as many problems.