What could have been... Options

[vangSTa_celica]

Amid much speculation and rumor, the next-generation Celica is expected to debut sometime in 1998. Apparently, Toyota had been originally considering changing to a front engine/rear drive format in order to make the car more performance-oriented (as Nissan will do with the next-generation Maxima). These plans were scrapped after research found that the largely female buyers have negative preconceptions of rear-wheel-drive cars as dangerous and evil-handling. One rumor that refuses to go away is that of a V6 model being included in the lineup, which would be a break from Celica tradition, but would probably help sales. Finally, a limited-edition, all-wheel-drive, turbo model (GT4/All-trac) is believed to be once again in the offering. Whether or not it will make it to US shores is another question. Here is a possibility of the '99: