1988 Toyota Celica ST165 GT-Four Registration Number: E891 ...

Estimate

£9,000 - £11,000

1988 Toyota Celica ST165 GT-Four

Registration Number: E891 KLA
Chassis Number: JTILST16500006596
Recorded Mileage: 63,563 miles

- Extremely rare UK-delivered homologation special
- Stored off the road for c. 20 years, with original documentation

A high performance model of the Celica Liftback with a turbocharged engine, and full-time four wheel drive, the Toyota Celica GT-Four was a homologation special created to compete in the World Rally Championship. Although a fairly conventional rally car, its toughness and reliability helped Toyota to several WRC wins on the gruelling Safari and Ivory Coast rallies between 1983 and 1986. After the death of Group B, from 1987 Group A would take over as the premier rally category. Yet unlike Group B with its 200-car production requirement, to qualify for Group A a manufacturer had to produce a whopping 5000 examples of their desired model.

The resultant Celica GT-Four (internal model code ST165) was presented at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1986, production got underway that same month for the 1987 model year.

Based on the critically acclaimed front-wheel drive normally aspirated ST162 Celica GT, the GT-Four most notably featured permanent four-wheel drive, a turbocharged engine, ABS brakes and a few minor cosmetic tweaks. An export version arrived for the 1988 model year (the second year of production). Group A homologation was ultimately approved on May 1st 1988.

The GT-Four weighed 100kg heavier than the standard model on account of its reinforced bodyshell and all-wheel drive system. Nevertheless, top speed went from 130mph to 137mph and the 0-62mph time dropped from 8.2 to 7.7 seconds. ST165 production ran from October 1986 to August 1989, during which time Toyota completed circa 26,500 examples.

According to the reference website How Many Left, there is not even a single 1988 model year GT–Four registered on Britain’s roads today, and just one on SORN. Needless to say, this is a very, very rare car indeed.

First delivered to London in May 1988 via Toyota agent Clockhouse Garage of Barnet, this GT-Four was in regular use until the early 2000s, at which point the car was taken off the road and stored until now. Reviewing the history file, we find the original wallet, stamped service book, manuals, early Toyota and later independent service and repair bills, current and older registration documents, and we believe every MOT certificate from three years old until the car was taken off the road.  

Having been stored for some 20 years, the Celica is now clearly due for restoration. Whilst the structure of the car appears sold, there are a number of localised areas to the body now in need of repair. The interior however is complete and has been very well preserved, and the engine has been started and run with a separate fuel feed.

Japanese homologation cars of this era are very much in vogue at present, and we are certain this extremely rare survivor will make the ideal candidate to restore and keep as a future investment.

The Celica is offered complete with spare driver's door and turbocharger.