$17,750 – 20,250
It wasn’t that long ago that sporty Japanese cars, while admired by drivers for their relative fun factor (relative to their cost to own), weren’t paid much attention from collectors. A well-sorted, rust-free 240Z, for example, could easily be had for under $15K six or seven years ago. In the past month alone, auction sites have seen those same quality examples exchange hands at around $70K, with a couple exceptional-quality Zs climbing well into six figures.
It’s not surprising then that collectors are looking for the Next 240Z and an obvious place to look is to its contemporaries. The Toyota Celica wasn’t considered a true sports car like the Z (which, by the time the Celica GT Liftback arrived in the States, had evolved into the more refined 260Z and 280Z). It aimed instead, as the name implies, to be thought of in buyers’ minds as a GT. Not so much GT in the European sense, but rather, the Mustang GT. Its styling, rather than taking inspiration from 60s Ferraris, borrowed heavily from Ford’s pony car and in particular, the 1968 Sportback.
The 97-hp 20R engine wasn’t going to win any drag races against its American exemplar, but its bucket seats nested deep between a center console that housed a still-uncommon 5-speed stick, along with a five-gauge instrument panel, gave the driver the feeling of something more sporting. Today it’s the aesthetic, inside and out, that continues to hold their appeal and with it a steady rise in value.
There were over a quarter million Celicas brought to US dealers in 1976 and 1977 (unknown how many of those were GT Liftbacks), yet today they do seem scarce; much more so than the Z cars of the day. Many have rusted out or ended up in scrap heaps (the fate of many Japanese cars of the 70s) so finding one, especially in unmodified, well-kept (No 2) condition, may take some determination and patience. The Next Z? Only time will tell but in the meantime you’ll enjoy a fun, reliable GT that exudes Steve McQueen cool on a smaller scale.