The Toyota Corona (Japanese: トヨタ・コロナ, Toyota Korona) is an automobile manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota through ten generations between 1957 and 2001. Traditionally, the competitor from Nissan was the Nissan Bluebird. The word "corona" is Latin for "crown", a reference to an earlier vehicle Toyota offered called the Toyota Crown. It was exclusive to Toyopet Store dealership channels in Japan, while the larger Crown was available only at Toyota Store locations.
In many countries, the Corona was one of Toyota's first international export models, and was shortly joined by the smaller Toyota Corolla, providing buyers with a choice of a larger car, with similar operating expenses to the smaller Corolla. The Corona was Toyota's second sedan in their hierarchy of products, just below the Crown, until 1968 when the Corona name was used on a larger, all new platform called the Toyota Corona Mark II, which gave buyers more interior space while still offering dependable, affordable performance.
The Corona became successful in export markets and was marketed under a number of different nameplates worldwide—including those branded in much of Asia as Coronas marketed in European markets as Carinas.
Seventh generation
Front-wheel drive (T150; 1983–1989)
The T150 Corona was known as the Corona FF, selling alongside the more traditional and recently facelifted rear-wheel-drive Corona (T140-series). Essentially a shortened version of the Camry, this was part of Toyota's very cautious approach to introducing front-wheel-drive vehicles. Toyota returned to a platform naming tradition, assigned to different body styles this generation was made available, abandoned in 1978. The Corona FF as introduced in January 1983 was only available with a five-door liftback body style, and only with the carburetted 100 PS (74 kW) 1.8-litre 1S-LU inline-four. In October 1983 a more traditional four-door sedan was added, and the T150 gradually became the main part of the Corona lineup as the T140-series shrank in importance.
In 1983, the T150 Corona became the first Japanese made car with digital color liquid crystal gauges.
Along with the new bodystyle, more engines were also added: a smaller 1.5-litre 3A-LU at the bottom, while the 1.8 was now available with fuel injection (1S-ELU) and 115 PS (85 kW). There was also a two-litre diesel (2C-L) and the carburetted 1.8 was replaced by the central point injected 1S-iLU, with an extra five horsepower. In 1984, this chassis was also used as the basis for a new, front-wheel-drive version of the Carina sedan.
Export markets
The Corona hatchback was eventually dropped in Australia in 1983 in favour of the larger Camry and the previous-generation saloon and estate were dropped in 1987 to be replaced by the Toyota Camry#V20, but in New Zealand, Toyota continued to offer the Corona, assembled locally at Toyota's plant in Thames, New Zealand. Initially, the T150 Corona was launched in New Zealand in 1983 as a hatchback only, to complement the previous generation T140 Corona saloon and estate which continued to be sold in the New Zealand market as in Australia. However, the T140 saloon was dropped in 1985 and the T150 Corona saloon was then launched to replace it. With suspension fettled by racer Chris Amon, the New Zealand Coronas had carburetted 1.8s or a fuel-injected 2-litre engine. Later, Toyota New Zealand followed Australia's lead and eventually dropped the Corona in 1996, instead marketing the Australian-built Camry as its offering in the mid-size segment of the market.
Export-market Coronas were generally fitted with the 1.6-litre 4A engine, but in many markets (New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Latin America) the T150 Corona was also available with 2.0-litre engines. In Southeast Asia, the 1.6 EX-Saloon with no emissions gear (4A-L) produces 79 PS (58 kW) at 5600 rpm. In Indonesia, the original T150 was sold as the Corona GL and after the 1985 facelift it became the Corona EX-Saloon (AT151).
Toyota's large family car lineup in Europe was quite confusing when looking over the past 25 years. The 1970 through 1983 Carina sister models had been sold in most of Europe, but in 1984 they were replaced with the "Carina II" – which was really the 1983 model Corona as sold in Japan with alterations to the headlights, grille and trim (the Carina in Japan at that time was a similar but boxier vehicle.)
In August 1985 the Corona underwent a small change, largely consisting of new, bigger taillights. Also new was the related Celica and Carina range. With a more sporting chassis and five-lug wheels (rather than four), this received the new T160 chassis code. This chassis, as well as the twin-cam two-litre 3S-GELU engine with 160 PS (118 kW) (JIS) at 6400 rpm was used for the new Corona 2.0 GT and GT-R versions.[44] A sporting 1.8 SX-R version (1S-ELU) of the 160-series sedan was also added in late 1985.
Corona Coupé (T160; 1985–1989)
When the Celica was realigned from its former Toyota "A-series" RWD platform to share the Corona "T-series" FWD platform, the Celica notchback was rebranded as the Corona Coupé in Japan, which was identical to the internationally available Celica version with the only difference being the removal of the retractable headlights in favour of conventional fixed items. This replaced the rear-wheel-drive T140 Corona Coupé, leaving only a few vans and sedans in the RWD Corona lineup. The T160-series cars have a somewhat longer wheelbase as well as a wider track (front and rear) than the Celica version available elsewhere in the world. The Corona Coupé remained exclusive to Toyopet Store Japanese dealerships along with the larger, all new Toyota Soarer, while the Celica liftback and convertible remained at Toyota Corolla Store locations. The Corona Coupé was manufactured from 1985 until 1989. In 1994 it was belatedly replaced by the Toyota Curren and sold at Toyota Vista Store locations.
The Corona Coupé came with three engines; the SOHC 1.8-litre 1S-iLU and two twin-cams, the 1.6-litre 4A-GELU or the 2-litre 3S-GELU. Chassis codes are ST160, AT160, and ST162. In May 1988 the 1.8-litre engine was replaced by the twin-cam 4S-FiLU.
Source: Wikipedia
Reply With Quote