This Toyota Celica Has a 600-HP GR Corolla Engine

A Man With a Plan

Ryan Tuerck is one of the more recognizable personalities in the motorsports world. He built up his following by competing as a professional drifter, known for his aggressive but precise driving style. He’s won multiple notable competitions in the world of drifting over the years.

Tuerck is also known for some very cool drift car builds that have become as iconic as himself. He was the man who put a Ferrari 458 V8 in a GT86, a high-revving Judd V10 in an A90 Supra, and a 3D-printed tube chassis on a 1966 Toyota Scout drift truck. His latest creation seems subtle compared to the others, but it is just as impressive.

GR Corolla-Powered Celica GT4

Tuerck has established a penchant for using Toyotas as his build platforms, and the latest project is no exception. Tuerck has claimed this as one of his dream builds, taking the iconic ’90s Celica GT4 and putting the modern beating heart of the Toyota GR Corolla. Moving away from his normally drift-biased cars, project GT411 is a rally car that pays homage to what made the Celica famous.

Ryan claims that his philosophy for this car was to build a “psycho rally car.” He already has a JDM Celica GT4, which he admitted he wanted to keep street-legal, so for this project, he built the GT411 using a US-model Celica GT.

Since all US sixth-generation Celicas were front-wheel drive only, heavy modifications were needed to convert it to an all-wheel-drive rally car. Some things were modified, such as the floor plan, which includes a rear installation of a subframe to accommodate an all-wheel-drive powertrain.

Other modifications are Wavetrac differentials connected to a Holinger sequential gearbox. The panels were converted to carbon fiber for lightness and durability, and of course, the addition of the roll cage. A highlight of this build is the G16E-GTS 1.6-liter 3-cylinder turbo found in the GR Yaris and GR Corolla. GT411’s version is a heavily modded unit that, in low boost, makes 500 hp and, in big boost trim, can reach 600 hp. Most of the work was done by Teixeira Fabrication, who installed the Garrett Turbo, a custom exhaust, and the new engine internals.

Paying Dividends

Project Celica GT411 took over a year to fully build, and made its debut at the FAT Ice Race in Montana. While there were still some teething issues, such as the speed sensors that needed calibration, Tuerck was confident that the GT411 could perform well on the ice rally track.

Amazingly, Tuerck and the GT411 nabbed second place in the rally, proving that the build was well worth it and giving Tuerck a rally trophy to add to his accolades. While the whole build may not be faithful to the Celica’s true rally form, GT411 is a tasteful and capable take on a modern Celica rally challenger.