The 2002 Celica GT-S Toyota lent us for our evaluation reminded me of the ecstasy I felt when I first hammered prototype, VIN 00005, around the Streets of Willow. It was perfect--the most comfortable, solidly planted, cleanest-handling car I had driven. The engine was pure aural pleasure. Longer acquaintance has revealed quirks--flaws even--but the contact high, the certainty of knowing from first meeting that this is The One, remains.
This is why the GT-S has pulled a three-peat as an Eight Great Ride. On the road this car feels like a BMW, but without the torque or the hefty pricetag. Its suspension places the GT-S among the best-damped cars you can buy at any price. It's soft enough to be comfortable, but it also lets you drive stupidly and look like a hero on the track.
Toyota also has its power steering dialed in with superb feel, yet low effort, and the 2ZZ-GE engine is the silkiest, best-sounding four-cylinder in the world. And yes, I've thrashed on an S2000. Our 1000-mile old test car, however, was held back on the dragstrip by a premature 7500 rpm rev limiter Toyota says was a glitch in the car's ECU.
The interior fits my large frame like an old pair of jeans, except for the sunroof's intrusion into headroom. The transparent plastic roof is technically optional, but I wish you luck finding a GT-S without it.
In silver, the Celica's styling garnered praise I hadn't expected. I cross a college campus on my drive home and noticed many female students turning to watch the car pass by. Even freakish unobtanium like a Viper usually only makes guys look.
The theory behind Eight Great is these are not only cars that push our buttons when stock, but they're also the best cars to modify. In fact, all most of us would ever need to do to a Celica is replace the tires and shocks with better ones.
The biggest fault with the GT-S is its torque curve. If rowdiness commenced just 500 rpm sooner, you could keep the engine on song through the lower gears and the Celica would be significantly faster and easier to drive. The only torque solution we're aware of is a "spinny muffler." But turbocharging would only accentuate the Celica's lack of a limited-slip differential.
Better performance bargains are to be had, but for me, the Celica has that special something. Every time I walk away from it, I look back, smile and think, "what a great car."