The Toyota Selika car, the photo of which is located below, was the result of the desire of Japanese designers to strengthen the popularity of sports cars manufactured by the company in the late sixties of the last century. Then it was decided to launch the budget version of the 2000GT modification on the conveyor. According to the plan of the enterprise’s managers, the main requirement that was put forward for the new product was to make it accessible to people with average incomes.
Development and debut
Project development of a new Toyota Selika car was completed very quickly. In October 1970, during an exhibition in Tokyo, a Japanese company showed the public a pre-production version of a sports model. In the literal translation from Latin, its name means "heavenly, divine." The choice of such a word for the role of the name of the machine was far from accidental. The fact is that representatives of the Japanese manufacturer counted on the popularity of the model among young people, whose age was up to thirty years. In addition, consumer reviews were also taken into account. “Toyota-Selika”, based on marketing research, was supposed to gain the image of an affordable “like the sky” car with excellent dynamic characteristics.
Run on the conveyor
In 1970, the process of mass production of the model began. It was based on the A-20 rear-wheel drive platform . The car was produced in a coupe. A year later, the first copy of the liftback was also assembled. Both options had a similar appearance, in which a trapezoidal radiator grille, round twin front and square taillights, as well as a front steel bumper made in the shape of the letter U stood out. In 1972, the designers slightly changed the exterior of the model, and also moved the gas tank closer to the rear seats. and its neck. Under the hood of all these versions was a 1.6 or 2 liter engine. The “mechanics” of five steps or a three-speed automatic transmission could act as a transmission here.
The first major upgrade
In 1975, the engineers of the manufacturing company decided to update the model. Feedback from customers also testified to this need. “Toyota Selika” as a result of this has undergone substantial changes that affected not only the exterior design of the car, but also its interior, and technical specifications. In the exterior, the front bumper of the car was modified, as well as the radiator grille, which was converted from a trapezoid into a rectangular one. The interior has undergone a modernization of the steering wheel, center console and seat shape. The model received three variants of power plants, the volume of which was 1.4, 1.9 and 2.2 liters. In the case of the most powerful of the mentioned engines, special ventilation holes were provided on the hood. As for the transmission, they all worked in tandem with an automatic machine in four stages. Plus, the model has acquired a new platform - A-35. Its wheelbase, compared to the previous version, increased by 100 mm.
Second generation
The next generation of the model was put into production in 1977. The author of the appearance of the novelty was the famous American car designer David Stollery. Tuning Toyota Selika of the second generation, compared with the previous version, was not very significant: the car inherited a lot. At the same time, individual components and assemblies underwent revolutionary changes. First of all, this concerns the new radiator grill, over which the hood hangs, as well as the headlights placed in rectangular niches. Both bumpers became fully rubber coated. Exterior mirrors moved to the side doors (previously they were on the wings). Among other things, on the second generation machines appeared medium racks. In addition to the previous two body options, the novelty was also produced in the form of a convertible.
Third generation
Another version of the model “Toyota-Selika” was born in late summer 1981. The car received a new design both inside and out. The car was produced on the basis of the A-60 platform in three body styles. The novelty received a longer hood and a huge windshield. Due to the greater inclination of the front struts , she significantly improved aerodynamic performance. Two years later, Japanese designers slightly changed the model. A key innovation at the same time are retractable headlights. In addition to them, the arrangement of devices on the panel has changed, the quality of materials for interior decoration has improved, and modified chairs have also appeared. The new Toyota Selika was equipped with improved power plants from the previous generation, in which injectors replaced carburetors. In addition, the three -speed automatic transmission , which was mentioned earlier, was discontinued.
Fourth generation
The front-wheel drive platform T-160 became the base for the cars of this fourth-generation model. The first copies came off the assembly line in 1985. Here, both the technical components and the design were radically changed. The harsh lines on the body are history, and soft, smooth contours have come to replace them. Japanese engineers placed the front folding lights on the hood a little higher than before. The middle pillar was generally dismantled. Thus, the designers returned to the original version of the car. On the other hand, this allowed to significantly improve visibility, a vivid confirmation of which were numerous positive reviews. Four-generation Toyota Selika also received a four-wheel drive modification. In this case, the GT-Four designation additionally appeared in its name.
The cars were equipped with a two-liter engine with a turbine, while the previous gearbox was modernized for them.
Fifth generation
In 1989, the fifth generation of the model was released. It was built on the T-180 platform and received a rounded body, which had a positive effect on aerodynamic performance. A spoiler appeared at the back, which stylishly connected the ends of the racks. Car designers updated the grille for him and installed a bumper with vertical-shaped partitions. Throughout the year, Toyota Selika was produced in the form of an elevator and a coupe, after which another body type was added to them - a convertible.
Sixth generation
October 1993 was marked by the birth of the sixth generation of a model based on the T-200 platform. Retractable headlights are a thing of the past and have been replaced by separate round optics. In the central part of the front bumper appeared a kind of "shark teeth." On the hood of the car, designers installed arcs designed to cover the headlights. The model was equipped with three engine options, the volume of which was 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2 liters. They functioned in conjunction with a five-speed manual or with a four-speed automatic.
Latest version
In 1999, the debut of the last, seventh in a row, generation of Toyota Selika cars took place. The characteristics of the model from a technological point of view are quite decent. In particular, a 1.8-liter engine equipped with a turbine was installed under the hood of the car. Its maximum power was 140 or 190 horsepower. The units worked with mechanics at five or six speeds, as well as with a four-speed automatic transmission. The maximum speed of the car was 225 km / h.
In the interior, you should highlight the regular steering wheel, consisting of three spokes. The center console is cone-shaped, and the speedometer on the instrument panel is located in the center. Standard chairs cannot boast of distinct lateral and lumbar support. In general, car owners often independently transform a gray interior.
The car received a completely updated body. At the front, the designers installed triangular headlights, which with their sharp ends “reached” almost to the center of the wing. The stylistic decision related to combining the bumper and hood into a single unit became quite interesting. Compared with the previous version, the roof has become more sloping. On both sides of the body, Toyota Selika acquired stylish lines. The top extends from the exterior mirrors to the trunk lid, and the bottom extends from the end of the front wing to the top of the rear. A model based on the T-230 platform is built. In April 2006, the manufacturing company announced the termination of production of the model.
Summary
In conclusion, it should be noted that this car was not officially delivered to our country. Despite this, it is very popular among fans of Japanese sports cars. In this regard, on domestic roads you can find cars that are representatives of all seven generations. As for the cost of Toyota-Selik, the price of a car on the Russian secondary market is in the range from 150 to 500 thousand rubles, depending on the mileage, year of manufacture and condition.