In this case, it would be unfair to say that the past was better. Toyota's current range of sports cars and hot hatches is brilliant and popular with enthusiasts around the world.
However,
They had this before, and it was equally brilliant and infamous.
The ST205 had big shoes to fill from the outset. After all, it followed the iconic ST185, the machine that first made Carlos Sainz Sr. a world rally champion. And how it filled them! With its grunty 2-litre inline 4 and huge turbo, it produced around 255 hp. By comparison, a GR Yaris produces around 280 hp almost 30 years later. Paired with a crisp 5-speed manual transmission, a permanent all-wheel-drive system with a balanced 50/50 static torque split and some goodies like a water spray for the intercooler it was ready to rock.
To complement the 50/50 torque split, Toyota has equipped the ST205 with its sophisticated Super Strut Suspension. Unlike a standard MacPherson strut, this multi-link setup was designed to maintain a more consistent contact patch for the front tyres and drastically reduce torque steer.
While this made the Celica a precision tool on the tarmac, the suspension was notoriously complex and expensive to maintain. However, in the world ofGroup A rallying, it gave the ST205 a mechanical advantage in terms of front-end grip that few rivals could match.
However, in 1995 all these goodies just werent enough to keep the rivals away completely. From the 1995 season onwards, the FIA mandated the use of a 34 mm restrictor plate to limit power. In an attempt to allow the large turbocharger to breathe more easily and leave its rivals behind, Toyota Team Europe (TTE) developed a bypass system so ingenious that it was invisible to inspectors during static checks.
When the turbocharger sucked in air at high speeds, the pressure pulled the restrictor plate away from the housing by about 5 mm.
This allowed extra air to bypass the restrictor, giving the Celica an estimated 25% more power — roughly an extra 50 hp.
FIA president Max Mosley called it 'the most sophisticated device I've ever seen in 30 years of motorsports'. This resulted in a one-year ban for TTE, stripping them of their points and effectively bringing the factory ST205 programme to an early end.
Despite TTE's disqualification in 1996, the ST205 remained a formidable competitor in the hands of privateers such as HF Grifone and local importers until 1997. Although its factory career was short, it remains the most efficient Group A car ever built, boasting an impressive 25.6% podium rate and the highest victory-to-starter ratio in its class.
