The Celica GT-Four introduced Toyota's first performance drivetrain powering all four wheels. Unlike typical transverse-layout AWD systems, which are front-biased and can deliver at most 50% torque to the rear, the GT-Four used hollow splined shafts to feed a centre differential first, achieving a true 50:50 split. The transmission's driven shaft is geared to the centre differential; from there, the left side gear connects to the front differential via a short hollow shaft, while the right side gear powers the rear through a second hollow shaft. A driveshaft runs inside both hollow shafts to deliver power to the right front wheel independently of the rear-powering shaft. A viscous limited-slip coupling joined the two side gears to maintain the 50:50 split under normal conditions; under zero rear grip the coupling allowed visible rear bias before restoring front torque. Early ST165 models (1986–87) used a vacuum-operated actuator to lock the centre differential, enabling the full 100:0–0:100 torque split range. The ST185 RC and ST205 added a rear Torsen limited-slip differential.
A convertible prototype was displayed at the 1985 Tokyo Motor Show as the first vehicle officially called Celica GT-Four, though it never entered production. The liftback production model began in October 1986. The ST165 can be distinguished from the front-wheel-drive Celica by larger front bumper openings, round fog lights, and "GT-Four" door decals. Pre-facelift cars (October 1986 to September 1987) have a differential lock switch near the handbrake. An October 1987 update brought a new grille, tail lights, alloys, and changed the centre differential from a manually lockable unit to a viscous-coupling limited-slip type. In the US the car was sold as the All-Trac Turbo; in Canada as the Turbo 4WD. The ST165 used the first version of Toyota's 3S-GTE, producing 182–190 hp depending on market and model year. The ST165 debuted in the World Rally Championship at the 1988 Tour de Corse, with its first WRC victory at the 1989 Rally Australia.
The first 21 units of the ST185 were built in December 1988 as prototypes. The production model launched in Japan in September 1989. The ST185's 3S-GTE features an air-to-air intercooler and CT26 twin-entry turbo; the Japanese market version produced 225 PS (222 hp) and 304 N·m of torque. All export models were wide-body liftbacks with flared fenders. In August 1990 a wide-body GT-Four A was added to the Japanese lineup. A minor facelift in August 1991 brought new Toyota ellipse emblems, restyled tail lights, and a shorter gear shift. The ST185 WRC debut came at the 1992 Rally Monte Carlo, and its first WRC win at the 1992 Safari Rally, one of four victories that year.
To meet FIA homologation requirements for the 1992 WRC season, the GT-Four RC was launched in September 1991. The export version was sold as the Carlos Sainz Limited Edition in Europe and Singapore, or Group A Rallye in Australia. The RC featured a water-to-air intercooler, a revised hood for engine-bay ventilation, a lighter bumper, shortened shift lever and clutch travel, and triple-cone synchromesh on second and third gears. Of the 5,000 units, 1,800 were for the Japanese market, 3,000 for Europe, 150 for Australia, and 25 for Singapore.
The ST185 won the WRC Drivers' Championship in 1992 with Carlos Sainz, in 1993 with Juha Kankkunen, and in 1994 with Didier Auriol. Toyota also took the WRC Manufacturers' Championship in 1993 and 1994. Altogether the ST185 won 16 full WRC rounds and three overall victories in the W2L series, making it Toyota's most successful rally car for more than two decades.
The ST205 launched in the Japanese market in February 1994. Its updated 3S-GTE produced 255 PS (252 hp) for the Japanese market and 242 PS (239 hp) for export, paired with an E154F gearbox. Key features included an all-aluminium hood, four-channel ABS, the CT20B twin-entry turbocharger, and Super Strut Suspension. Of 2,500 homologation units, 2,100 remained in Japan, 300 went to Europe, 77 to Australia, and 5 to New Zealand; all carried plumbing for an anti-lag system, a water spray bar and pump for the front intercooler, and a basic water injection system. The actual ST205 rally cars used standard strut suspension rather than Super Strut, as wear rates under rally conditions were too high.
An August 1995 facelift brought new 6-spoke alloys, contoured side spoilers, and a redesigned rear spoiler. Sport ABS and dual SRS airbags became standard from August 1996. A second minor change in December 1997 reintroduced the high WRC-style rear spoiler and added projector headlights.
During the 1995 World Rally Championship season, Toyota was caught using illegal turbo restrictor bypasses at Rally Catalunya and received a one-year ban from the FIA. FIA president Max Mosley described the device as "the most sophisticated device I've ever seen in 30 years of motor sports" and stated "there is no suggestion the drivers were aware of what was going on." Drivers Juha Kankkunen, Didier Auriol, and Armin Schwarz had their championship points removed. Although Toyota Team Europe was banned for the 1996 season, the ST205 continued in WRC through private teams, most notably HF Grifone from Italy. The ST205 won 1 full WRC round and 2 overall W2L victories, and took the 1996 European Rally Championship.
Toyota Team Europe was also the first team to introduce the anti-lag system (ALS) in their Group A ST205 rally cars, a technological breakthrough later adopted by other teams.
The Celica GT-Four was the first Japanese car to enter the WRC with a turbocharged AWD car and win both the Drivers' and Manufacturers' championships. It preceded Mitsubishi's WRC entry with the Lancer Evolution and Subaru's entry with the Impreza, though not Mazda's earlier entry with the Mazda 323 GT-R and GT-X. The ST165 also won the 1989 and 1990 British Rally Championship and the 1990 Asia Pacific Rally Championship. The ST185 won the 1995 European Rally Championship, and the ST205 won the 1996 European Rally Championship.
This article is based solely on the supplied corpus. No external sources were consulted; claims that could not be substantiated against the corpus were omitted under the drop-the-claim rule.
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