Publication: Car Graphic
Format: Road Test
Date: January 1971
Author: “C/G Test Group” (uncredited)

Road testing the Toyota Carina 1600ST

The Toyota Carina (named after the constellation Carina) was first shown to the public at the Tokyo Motor Show in the fall of 1970, and went on sale on December 1. It is a semi-fastback five-seat sedan closer in exterior dimensions to the Corona 1500/1700 than to the Corolla. Three engines are offered: the 1407cc OHV unit shared with the Corolla 1400, with a crossflow cylinder head and an output of 86ps; a 1588cc version created by enlarging the bore, producing 100ps; and a twin-carburetor version of the latter developing 105ps. There is also a wide choice of transmissions: a 3-speed column shift, a 4-speed floor shift, and, on the 1600cc models, even a 5-speed. This is one of the Carina’s major attractions. The suspension is unlike that of any previous model. At the front is a conventional MacPherson-strut arrangement, while the rear uses a layout basically similar to that of the Crown, with a rigid axle located by four links and a Panhard rod and supported by coil springs. Both two- and four-door bodies are available, with prices ranging from 509,000 yen for the 1400 Standard with 3-speed column shift to 720,000 yen for the four-door 1600ST with twin carburetors and 5-speed.

Publication: Motor Fan
Format: Road Test
Date: March 1971
Author: Katsuhiko Nishida, Kenji Higuchi, Yasuhei Oguchi, Hiroshi Okazaki, Atsushi Watari, Akira Miyagawa, Kiyoshi Matsumura, Kunitaka Furitani, Masahide Sano, Hiroshi Hoshijima, Tadashi Nishiyama, Katsumi Kageyama, Yasu Saito, Kenzaburo Ishikawa, Akio Numazawa, Toshihide Hirata, Kiyoki Higuchi, Motor Fan Editorial Department (uncredited)

Aiming for “People First”

Magazine: To begin with, could you tell us about the aims and general outline behind the development of the Carina and Celica?

Publication: Motor Fan
Format: Test Drive Report
Date: July 1971
Author: Eiizo Ikeda

The Cool One in “Mermaid Blue”

If the Celica already offered a 1600cc DOHC-powered model, then why had there been no equivalent version of the Carina? And why has the long-awaited “Carina GT” finally appeared now?

While driving the car, we explored the background behind these questions.

The Composition of the Carina 1600GT

Under its “full-line policy” slogan, Toyota’s recent new-model strategy has been advancing at a pace virtually without precedent anywhere in the global automobile industry.

Publication: Car Graphic
Format: Road Test
Date: July 1971
Author: “C/G Test Group” (uncredited)

Summary: A family sports car combining the two-door Carina ST body with a 1.6-liter DOHC engine. Excellent 5-speed gearbox. The engine is flexible enough to use fifth gear from 60km/h, making it well-suited even to low-speed driving in the city. Impressive fade resistance from disc/drum brakes. Handling is at a high standard even on cross-ply tires. Well-balanced engine and chassis. Good passenger accommodation and interior equipment. Fuel economy is rather poor.