Toyota Celica LB Turbo
Encyclopedia
The Toyota Celica LB Turbo was a Group 5 Special Production
racecar version of the 3-door liftback first generation Toyota Celica 2000 GT built by Schnitzer
via Toyota Deutschland to compete in Division 1 of the DRM
.
It competed in the German
series in 1977 and 1978. Plagued by reliability problems, it managed to finish twice and win a non-championship race. At the end of its Europe
an career, it went on to compete in Japan
.
Throughout its competitive seasons, it was the only non-German car to compete in the top division of the German series.
s that had dominated international motorsport
and also the Division 1 of the German DRM series for Group 5 cars. It was based on the 3-door liftback first generation Toyota Celica 2000 GT.
As with all Group 5 cars, the Celica received extensive modifications to the bodywork, which was re-styled and built from lightweight fiberglass
. Only the hood, roof, doors and rail panel were retained from the stock model. The Celica's distinctive features are its wider body sills in front of and behind the door panel and sloping nose beyond the bonnet, which encases the double headlamps and square grille.
To keep up with its competitions, Schnitzer used the Toyota 18R-G engine from its production model with a specially designed 16 valve cylinder head
and a Kugelfischer
fuel injection
system topped up with a KKK turbocharger. The engine produced a total output of 560 hp from its bored 2090 cc engine.
Partway through the 1978 season, as the Celica color scheme was changed from blue to red and white, revisions were also made to its bodywork to improve its aerodynamics
.
Aside being factory supported
, sponsorship was provided by optical manufacturer Rodenstock
.
in July 1977, supporting the German Grand Prix
. Driven by Harald Ertl
, the blue Celica qualifed thirteenth, 25 seconds per lap slower than the pole-winning 935. It retired from the race after four laps. It returned for the following round in Zolder, qualifying seventh, five seconds slower than the pole-winning 935. There it retired after 3 laps. At the final round in Nürburgring
, it finished fourth behind three privateer
Porsche 935s which it had intended to compete against.
The Celica returned to Zolder for a non-championship ADAC Trophy to score its only victory.
, the defending champion with the Gelo Racing Team, a top Porsche privateer, took over driving duties from Etrl, who stepped down to campaign BMW
s with the team in the lower Division 2. At the first round in Zolder, the Celica retired from engine failure on its second lap. At the Nürburgring
round supporting the Eifelrennen
skipping the previous round also at the same track, it retired after four laps. Skipping the next round at AVUS
to prepare for the 1000 km Nürburgring, Stommelen partnered with Ertl. Although they qualified sixth, the pair retired with water pump and engine failure. Returning for the following round at Mainz Finthen
, they managed to finish eighth behind seven 935s (the highest finishing non-935 in the race). At Hockenheim, after avoiding the previous two rounds, it retired after an accident on the seventh lap, and at Zolder, it retired failing to complete a single lap. It never returned to compete again with two rounds remaining.
After that season, Schnitzer exclusively campaigned BMWs with greater successes.
by TOM'S
to compete in the Fuji Super Silhouette Series by its company founder, Nobuhide Tachi
. It was later sold to Trust Japan
in 1982, which then reverted the front nose back to the original Schnitzer version configuration. The following year, the Schnitzer Celica was retired in favour of the newly acquired Porsche 956
to compete in the newly introduced All Japan Endurance Championship
. Since the car was sold off, prior to the collapse of the super silhouette series in 1984, very little is known of its history. Nothing was heard of the car until it was discovered in the 2000s in a junkyard
in Japan in a neglected state with its Trust color scheme.
Despite its limited success in the series in spite of its claim it "won the German National Championship in 1977" printed on its catalogue and its sunsequent editions, the DRM liftback was immortalised by Tamiya as a 1/12 radio controlled car and a 1/24 static model.
Group 5 (racing)
Group 5 was an FIA motor racing classification which was applied to four distinct categories during the years 1966 to 1982. Initially Group 5 regulations defined a Special Touring Car category and from 1970 to 1971 the classification was applied to limited production Sports Cars restricted to 5...
racecar version of the 3-door liftback first generation Toyota Celica 2000 GT built by Schnitzer
Schnitzer Motorsport
Schnitzer Motorsport is a motorsport team based in Freilassing near Munich, Germany. From the early days of its establishment, the team has operated an automobile racing squad for BMW, and has remarkable results in touring car and sports car racing scenes....
via Toyota Deutschland to compete in Division 1 of the DRM
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft or simply DRM as it was known, was a touring car and Sportscar racing series...
.
It competed in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
series in 1977 and 1978. Plagued by reliability problems, it managed to finish twice and win a non-championship race. At the end of its Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an career, it went on to compete in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Throughout its competitive seasons, it was the only non-German car to compete in the top division of the German series.
Development
The A20 Celica was built to compete against the Porsche 935Porsche 935
The Porsche 935 was introduced in 1976, as the factory racing version of the Porsche 911 turbo prepared for FIA-Group 5 rules. It was an evolution of the Porsche Carrera RSR 2.1 turbo prototype which had scored 2nd overall in the 1974 24 Hours of Le Mans....
s that had dominated international motorsport
Motorsport
Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition...
and also the Division 1 of the German DRM series for Group 5 cars. It was based on the 3-door liftback first generation Toyota Celica 2000 GT.
As with all Group 5 cars, the Celica received extensive modifications to the bodywork, which was re-styled and built from lightweight fiberglass
Glass-reinforced plastic
Fiberglass , is a fiber reinforced polymer made of a plastic matrix reinforced by fine fibers of glass. It is also known as GFK ....
. Only the hood, roof, doors and rail panel were retained from the stock model. The Celica's distinctive features are its wider body sills in front of and behind the door panel and sloping nose beyond the bonnet, which encases the double headlamps and square grille.
To keep up with its competitions, Schnitzer used the Toyota 18R-G engine from its production model with a specially designed 16 valve cylinder head
Cylinder head
In an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head sits above the cylinders on top of the cylinder block. It closes in the top of the cylinder, forming the combustion chamber. This joint is sealed by a head gasket...
and a Kugelfischer
Kugelfischer
Kugelfischer is the name for a mechanical fuel injection pump. It was produced by FAG Kugelfischer and later by Robert Bosch GmbH...
fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
system topped up with a KKK turbocharger. The engine produced a total output of 560 hp from its bored 2090 cc engine.
Partway through the 1978 season, as the Celica color scheme was changed from blue to red and white, revisions were also made to its bodywork to improve its aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
.
Aside being factory supported
Factory-backed
Factory-backed is a term commonly used in motorsports to describe a sponsored racing team, car, motorcycle or driver that competes with official sanction and financial support, or "backing" from a manufacturer. As motorsports competition is an expensive endeavor, some degree of factory support is...
, sponsorship was provided by optical manufacturer Rodenstock
Rodenstock GmbH
The Rodenstock GmbH is a renowned German manufacturer headquartered in Munich and the only brand producer of the entire spectacles product worldwide...
.
1977
The Celica made its debut in the eighth round of the DRM series in HockenheimringHockenheimring
The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix...
in July 1977, supporting the German Grand Prix
1977 German Grand Prix
The 1977 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Hockenheimring on July 31, 1977. After Niki Lauda's near-fatal accident at the dangerous Nürburgring in 1976, the German Grand Prix was moved to and held every year except for 1 at Hockenheim until 2007, and this was the second year the race...
. Driven by Harald Ertl
Harald Ertl
Harald Ertl was an Austrian motorsport journalist and racing driver.-Career:Ertl was born in Zell am See and attended the same school as drivers Jochen Rindt and Helmut Marko, so he had an early relation to motorsports. In 1969 he bought a Formula 5, won six races, but also rolled at the Nürburgring...
, the blue Celica qualifed thirteenth, 25 seconds per lap slower than the pole-winning 935. It retired from the race after four laps. It returned for the following round in Zolder, qualifying seventh, five seconds slower than the pole-winning 935. There it retired after 3 laps. At the final round in Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
, it finished fourth behind three privateer
Privateer (motorsport)
In motor sport, a privateer is usually an entrant into a racing event that is not directly supported by an automobile manufacturer. Privateers teams are often found competing in rally and circuit racing events, and often include competitors who build and maintain their own vehicles...
Porsche 935s which it had intended to compete against.
The Celica returned to Zolder for a non-championship ADAC Trophy to score its only victory.
1978
In the 1978 season, Rolf StommelenRolf Stommelen
Rolf Johann Stommelen was a racing driver from Siegen, Germany. He participated in 63 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one podium, and scored a total of 14 championship points...
, the defending champion with the Gelo Racing Team, a top Porsche privateer, took over driving duties from Etrl, who stepped down to campaign BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
s with the team in the lower Division 2. At the first round in Zolder, the Celica retired from engine failure on its second lap. At the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
round supporting the Eifelrennen
Eifelrennen
The ADAC Eifelrennen was an annual motor race, organised by ADAC Automobile Club from 1922 to 2003, held in Germany's Eifel mountain region even before the Nürburgring was built there.- History :...
skipping the previous round also at the same track, it retired after four laps. Skipping the next round at AVUS
AVUS
The Automobil-Verkehrs- und Übungs-Straße, better known as AVUS, is a public road that was also used as a motor racing circuit. It is located in the south-western districts of Berlin, Germany, between Charlottenburg and Nikolassee, and is nowadays an important part of the public highway system, as...
to prepare for the 1000 km Nürburgring, Stommelen partnered with Ertl. Although they qualified sixth, the pair retired with water pump and engine failure. Returning for the following round at Mainz Finthen
Mainz Finthen Airport
Mainz Finthen Airport . is an airport in Germany, located about 3 miles southwest of Mainz ; approximately 280 miles southwest of Berlin....
, they managed to finish eighth behind seven 935s (the highest finishing non-935 in the race). At Hockenheim, after avoiding the previous two rounds, it retired after an accident on the seventh lap, and at Zolder, it retired failing to complete a single lap. It never returned to compete again with two rounds remaining.
After that season, Schnitzer exclusively campaigned BMWs with greater successes.
Japan
In 1979, the Celica was brought over to JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
by TOM'S
TOM'S
is a factory supported racing team and tuner of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. The name stands for Tachi Oiwa Motor Sport. Their head office is located in Tokyo, Japan. They are currently heavily involved with Super GT racing and Formula 3 racing...
to compete in the Fuji Super Silhouette Series by its company founder, Nobuhide Tachi
Nobuhide Tachi
is a former Japanese racing driver, and the co-founder of TOM'S, a Japanese racing team and tuner for Toyota.His son, Shingo was also a racing driver.-Racing career:...
. It was later sold to Trust Japan
GReddy
is a Japanese automotive aftermarket company specialising in performance tuning parts for cars. The company is widely known for its subbrand of tuning parts GReddy and the turbochargers under this brand.-The Trust Company:...
in 1982, which then reverted the front nose back to the original Schnitzer version configuration. The following year, the Schnitzer Celica was retired in favour of the newly acquired Porsche 956
Porsche 956
The Porsche 956 was a Group C sports-prototype racing car designed by Norbert Singer and built by Porsche in 1982 for the FIA World Sportscar Championship...
to compete in the newly introduced All Japan Endurance Championship
All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
The , abbreviated as JSPC, formed by the Japanese Automobile Federation, was a domestic championship which took place in Japan for Group C and IMSA GTP prototype cars and also featured cars that were eligible for touring car racing in its earlier years...
. Since the car was sold off, prior to the collapse of the super silhouette series in 1984, very little is known of its history. Nothing was heard of the car until it was discovered in the 2000s in a junkyard
Junkyard
The word junkyard may refer to:*A wreck yard, also known as a junkyard or scrapyard*Junkyard a hero. He is featured in Robot Chicken where he dies of theobromine poisoning.*Junkyard , a hard rock band based in Los Angeles...
in Japan in a neglected state with its Trust color scheme.
Despite its limited success in the series in spite of its claim it "won the German National Championship in 1977" printed on its catalogue and its sunsequent editions, the DRM liftback was immortalised by Tamiya as a 1/12 radio controlled car and a 1/24 static model.