Hatch Heaven

The aerodynamic styling and spirited performance of the Celica GT Liftback quickly secured the title “Import Car of the Year for 1976 and again in 1978.

The 1980 Toyota Celica USGP (which stands for United States Grand Prix) was a one-year only model produced to commemorate Toyota’s association with Grand Prix racing in the United States. Toyota had been actively involved in Grand Prix racing as the Official Pace Car of the Long Beach Grand Prix from 1975, and the Toyota Grand Prix of the United States at Watkins Glen since 1977. It came in Red, White (shown below) or Blue. It is believed that only 200 were produced of each color and it weighed just 2530 pounds.

This $750.00 option was offered only in 1980 and included the following:
Exterior:
• A special honeycomb grill
• Flat Black B pillars
• Special “Grand Prix” two-color side stripes
• Mud guards
• Aluminum alloy wheels and 185/70 HR14 steel-belted radial ply tires raised white letters
Interior:
• Ivory vinyl seats with black piping
• Ivory colored headliner and door panels
• Black leather wrapped steering wheel
• A high performance sound system, which featured electronic AM/FM tuner, cassette deck, equalizer/amplifier and four speakers
• A USGP dash plaque.

The 90hp, 2.2 liter 4-cylinder SOHC engine delivered smooth yet powerful acceleration. 5-speed overdrive transmission reduced engine wear.

The interior included complete instrumentation, including tachometer, which let you monitor the engines’ performance. MacPerson strut front suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars provided a fairly precise and comfortable ride. A power assisted front disc/rear drum brakes brought it to s smooth stop.

For personal luxury, an illuminated entry system greets you when you turn the door lock key and the driver’s seat adjusts six different ways and even included adjustable lumbar support.