We’ve raised the contentious issue of when a car can be considered a classic, or potential classic, in earlier issues. If you say advanced old age is a must, turn the page now. If not, you’ll acknowledge Toyota’s Corolla is well on the way to becoming a classic

The Corolla one of the world’s most popular cars even in its standard iterations, but rarity’s the clincher. Back in the ‘80s there was a GT version of the Corolla, a three-door car assembled or imported built-up. Toyota NZ saw the potential and built a five-door version — New Zealand was the only country to get it. Some 180 were built.

How many are left? It’s hard to say but Anna and Kerry Hammington, who own number 134, have spotted about 65 over the ten years they’ve had their car (and jotted each registration number down!).

Early Corollas were powered by a single-cam 1295cc motor boasting 53kW. The next, 1988 generation boosted that to a 1.6-litre twin-cam, the 4A-F engine with 70kW, but the GT was the hottie. The 4A-GE dohc motor, available in Japan on a rear-wheel-drive Corolla coupe and slotted amidships in the MR2 and in the Formula Atlantic single-seater racing cars, earned a reputation in racing and rallying. Toyota had aimed for a quieter, smoother, high revving unit that offered low down grunt, efficient combustion and low maintenance.

The GT had a five-speed gearbox but there were no changes to gearing. It felt low-geared at speed — around 3300rpm at 100kph in fifth — but the benefit was good response and pick-up. We’re talking hot stuff — four-wheel disc brakes weren’t yet common and this was the first Toyota powerplant to use an electronic fuel injection system.

Toyota launched the GT hatch in 1985, at $24,995 including seats trimmed in NZ leather. A facelift and a price hike followed in 1986, and by early 1987 the price of the three-door had reached $35,000 — the five door, with its power steering, cost even more.

WHEN IT WAS NEW

Richard Bosselman, Manawatu Standard motoring writer and the first private owner of the fivedoor car pictured here, remembers. “We sold our house in Wanganui and bought the car. We had some money left over for the move to New Plymouth… I can’t remember what I paid for it but they were a pricey car, certainly the most expensive Corolla. That was July 1987, when it was nine months old and with 10,500km on the clock.” The price no doubt reflected the work that had gone into its development. “I recall Toyota saying the bib spoiler was designed in NZ and wind-tested at the DISR lab in Lower Hutt. Apparently it had a small wind tunnel, and TNZ tried various shapes until it sorted one that kept the nose down and directed air to the front brakes. Well, in theory, anyway.

“It was such a neat engine, it still is. I think it’s the best engine Toyota ever made. The power’s not big by today’s standards, but it had heaps of character. It felt bigger than it was and the handling was good, it had good balance. It was quite economical if you wanted to drive it that way, but because it was so much firmer than the standard Corolla you tended to get a few rattles despite the fact the build quality was pretty good. You had to keep the leather up or it went hard; I used a leather conditioner I got from a saddlery. I spent a Sunday every month on it, all day — I’d lather it on in the morning and let it soak in. At the end of the day you had to buff it up — the car was off the road for a day, you couldn’t go anywhere in it!”

Bosselman sold the car after his parents had a wee biff in it. “I was never happy with the repair and went off it after that. I should have kept it but I sold it so I could buy another house. It depreciated quite a bit, Kerry paid about half what I did. “The thing about those cars was there was nothing built like them in NZ — Toyota NZ really took a risk with them. But their performance, for what they were, was pretty astounding. I’ve talked to Chris Amon about them, and he said of all the cars he worked on this gave him the most satisfaction. It was the car they had to do the most work on to get it to do what they wanted it to do, as Japan didn’t have a car like that, and the whole thing worked so well.”

Bosselman sold the car for 12 grand in May 1991, with 59,000km on the clock, to the Hammingtons. Kerry made the initial decision to buy. Anna didn’t like it; “I didn’t like the brown interior, didn’t like it from the passenger seat — the ride is quite firm. But once I hopped into the driver’s seat, I loved it.” Which is lucky, as it’s her car. “Other cars now feel floppy, even brand new — this one feels so tight. “Cars are a very personal thing, you don’t realise until you’ve connected with one. My first car was a Consul 315 — very wallowy, but it had lots of room for the kids and I just loved it. I had a 180B Datsun after that, but didn’t like it. I love this one.”

She likes how well the car goes; “You take it for granted because you drive it all the time — only when you hop into another do you realise how peppy mine is. It was a nightmare giving the kids driving lessons in it! They had no finesse. They’d step on it, the revs would soar and they’d stall — it was too touchy. Stalling a car’s not cool for a 16-year-old.”

JULIA’S ’87 COROLLA

Kerry and Anna bemoan ‘boy racers’ making changes in the search for the point of difference, but would be impressed by Julia Kitchingman, owner of the blue, 220,545km three-door. The 21-year old’s had her 1987 car since January last year, when she bought it for $3000 with 192,000 on the clock. “The mods include extractors, a full exhaust system. It was really tidy, the right price and though the kays are up there now, Toyota motors are really reliable, they just keep going. It’s turned out to be car I can’t see myself getting rid of. It’s got character, and it’s really fun to drive.”

And she should know, she flies over the Wainuiomata hill every day — “a lot of cars die and go at snail’s pace over it.” Her family is a lifetime member of the Hutt Valley Autoclub: “I’ve entered it in one event, a sealed autocross with my father and I taking turns to drive, and recently lightened the flywheel and got a heavy duty clutch put in. It’s now a lot zippier and reacts quicker in high range. “I would like to get some new wheels for it. I’m not planning any major physical changes as it’s becoming a classic car — or at least a sought-after car — because of what it is, not its age, so anything I do to it will be bolton changes, and I’ll keep the originals.”

TOYOTA’S NEW GT

Which is where the new Corolla GT comes in. Like its ancestors, it’s a Corolla with a hotter engine and other goodies to spice up the deal. But could it live up to the legend? After all, a quick drive in the two early GTs revealed cars which pull hard to over 7000rpm, that sound rorty, hold you snugly in exaggeratedly shaped leather seats and handle well for cars of the time.

Julia hadn’t been able to come up from Wellington but Anna slid into the sporty, if less so than the older GT’s, seat and headed for the horizon. This engine is the high-revving 1.8-litre Celica unit outputting 140kW at 7600rpm and 180Nm at 6800, mated to a sixspeed box. Not surprisingly, Anna liked its responsiveness. “It’s very peppy and tight. It handles very well.”

Kerry also liked it as it’s similar in character to the old car. “It wasn’t teeth-chattering harsh, there’s a nice little bit of engine noise — it’s the first time I’ve driven a six-speed and it’s pretty busy. It certainly turns it on when you get to 6000rpm, but having found how impressive that was my over-riding thought was I couldn’t imagine driving it in that fashion very often.” Anna added, “It feels nice and tight and firm, which makes me feel safer on the road. I’d have one,” but — “You’re not getting one!” Kerry quickly replied.

So is it a styling exercise? A cynical marketing ploy to give baby boomers that nostalgic feeling? Nope. The tuned suspension and this engine alone should dispatch that accusation — adding character to a model that can otherwise be accused of being bland, albeit well built and efficient.

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