Ryan Tuerck Installed a 600-HP GR Corolla Engine in This AWD Celica Rally Car.

      Ryan Tuerck via YouTube

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      Ryan Tuerck is well-acquainted with extreme engine swaps. He previously fitted a Ferrari V8 into a Toyota GT86. His latest creation, however, remains within the Toyota lineage, equipping a 1994 Celica with the powertrain from the current GR Corolla, along with a rally-ready suspension. This project has been in development for some time but made its competitive debut at the FAT Ice Race.

      Referred to as the GT411, the build of the Celica is chronicled across several videos on Tuerck’s YouTube channel. Tuerck's aim was to create a “psycho rally car” reminiscent of the 1990s Celica GT-Four. While Tuerck owns a JDM GT-Four road car that he wanted to preserve for daily driving, he opted to base the GT411 on a USDM Celica GT, which was stripped down to its rusted frame.

      Ryan Tuerck via YouTube

      In the United States, the sixth-generation Celica was only offered with front-wheel drive, so extensive modifications were necessary to convert it into a rally car. The first step involved altering the floorpan, followed by installing a tubular rear subframe to accommodate an all-wheel drive system, featuring Wavetrac differentials linked to a Holinger sequential gearbox. Additional enhancements included a roll cage and carbon fiber body panels, transforming this neglected street car into a rally machine.

      Conversely, the 1.6-liter turbo-three engine fits seamlessly into the bay that once held a four-cylinder unit. Instead of the GR Corolla’s 300 horsepower, the G16E engine delivers 500 hp at low boost and peaks at 600 hp with maximum boost. This performance is credited to a Garrett G30-770 turbo and a custom exhaust header from Teixeira Fabrication, which handled much of the work on the build. The engine is also outfitted with Nitto Performance Engineering forged pistons and rods, Kelford Stage 2 camshafts, and a Supertech valvetrain.

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      After roughly a year of development, the GT411 participated in a remarkable lineup of vehicles at the FAT Ice Race in Big Sky, Montana. Tuerck secured second place in the car’s inaugural event, a commendable achievement for a newly completed build. For anyone familiar with 1990s World Rally Championship footage, the nostalgia is unavoidable.

      The Celica was a prominent contender in the WRC throughout the 1990s, with the ST205 GT-Four—sharing a body shell with this model—best remembered for illegal turbo restrictors during the 1995 season. Moreover, if recent teasers are any indication, a new iteration of the sporty coupe may reappear on WRC stages.