interior boasts sporty and functiona! From page 49 a “Sunroof Delete” option. A fully-equipped GT-S model comes to $33,720. Styled in California The Celica was styled at Teyota’s CALTY design research centre in Newport Beach, California. Tes most dramatic styling clements, in my opinion, are its long, tiangular headlamp covers and V-shaped hood contours, the unusual flared body creases along the upper sides of the car, and its high, blunt rear-end with an air vene in the lower rear bumper. in addition, the Celica has a functional hood scoop. The Celica’s styling, reminds we of Ford’s “New Edge” styling used on the Ford Focus and the Mercury Cougar, the latter an obvious competitor for the Celica. Compared to the previous Celica, the new model is 93 mm (3.7 in.) shorter in over- all length, but has shorter front and rear overhangs. Its wheelbase is 60 mm (2.4 in.) longer which improves the ride and provides a longer cabin with more interior room. Sporty interior meets safety standards The Celica’s interior design is both sporty and functional. Front, two-tone sport seats have generous side bol- sters to grip the occupants during spinted driving, and the Celica has a gaod driving position relative to the stick shifi, instruments, controls and windows. The ewin rear bucket seats are adequate tor short drives but wouldn’t be comfortable on long drives. Large round analogue gauges are backlit in a bright red colour and are shielded from the sun’s glare by 2 protruding hood. The centre dash and console has a pol- ished metal finish, and include a large covered stor- age bin in the upper dash area. Between the front seats are two large cupholders and another covered storage NEWS photos Mike Waketistd SOME af the most dramatic styling elemenis of the 2009 Toyota Celica are its unusual flared body creases aicng the upper sides of the car, and its high, blunt rear-erid. UN ES CS ES ATTENTION) JEEP OWNERS Complete mechanical & electrical repairs compartment. The overall quality of interior materials is what you would expect of a Toyota, but P thought the plastic cover for the storage bin did- n’t match the standards of the rest of the car. As a hatchback, the Celica has a roomy 12.9-cubic-fuot trunk which includes a built- in storage tray and hooks tor grocery bags. By folding down the 50/50 split rear seatbacks, long objects, like skis or snowboards, can he accommodated. For safety, the Celica’s interior feacures dual front airbags, impact absorbing materials on the roof and doors, three-point seatbelts with pre-tensioners and force limiters for front passengers, three-point seatbelts fer rear passengers, and rear child seat anchors. Height- adjustable front head restraints are standard, but rear head restraints are not available. In the event the airbags are deployed, a sen- ah sor will disconnect the fuel pump to minimize the risk of fire. Standard 1.8-litre engine is all you really need With a curb weight of just 1,100 kg (2,425 Ib) and 140 horsepower, the new GT is quicker in a straight line than the previous Celica, and feels more nimble because of its lighter weight, quicker steer- ing, and better brakes. The Celica’s fully inde- pendent suspension (front MacPherson strut/rear dou- ble wishbone) and standard 60-series 15-inch radials pro- vide excellent grip, however the ride over read irregulari- ties was a bit stiff for my lik- ing. The Celica‘s standard five-speed manual transmis- sion has medium Iength, casy throws and clutch action is light. I also liked the six- speed manual transmission in the GT-S, but the sixth gear See Engine next page 183 Pemberton Ave. : factory trained technician INPEX AUTO 176GA West 14th Street Tei: 985-6237 (off Pemberton Ave., entrance at rear} Visit our wed site: wre. impexauto.com | : . When you buy an automobile from Wolfs Mazda, you can rest assured. 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