It’s time to celebrate the fridayness of Friday with another fastback sighting. For anyone still in the hot confines of a sweaty cubicle, take my advice and head to the door just as fast and smooth as the Celica’s roofline tapers; preferably humming “Damn, It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta”. The humming is strictly optional, of course. Oh, it’s only 10:30 there? Power-walk to lunch, then.
But to the 2001 Celica here: until Toyota’s return to interestingness with the new 86, this shape of Celica was to be the last Celica. In my opinion, it still looks like the front and rear ends are from two different cars, but what do you think? Take a look.
It’s a sleek machine, I give it that. It does look significantly lighter than the competing Hyundai Coupé/Tiburon, and the car seen here also sports a black-striped hood that’s not exactly stock. It works, as the black portion is a depression on the hood’s sheetmetal, continuing from the breathing hole decorated with the Toyota corporate cowboy oval.
Under that spruced-up hood is the 140hp edition of the 1.8-litre 1ZZ-FE engine. You could also get the Celica with a 190hp engine, which delivers more of the exterior’s promises.
Am I right in saying the Celicas were one of the first cars with headlights tapering way back on the hood?
Round the back, I think the car would visually benefit from deleting the rear wiper.
I’m not too smitten with the wheel choice here. Honest five-spokes would work better than these sort-of-flowery-bubbly-organic-round shape things.
I do think the best thing on the car is the character line on the lower valance, kicking up at the rear. It ties the otherwise slightly unmathing front and rear together, making the side look like a bird’s wing from a distance. I’m also happy the owner hasn’t chosen to fit the car with a visually unnecessary spoiler.
[Images: Copyright 2012 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]
Original: Hooniverse
by Jeff Glucker
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