1985 Toyota Camry GLI – Today’s Tempter

By: Alex Affat, Unique Cars magazine

Date: 18.03.2020

After something truly oddball for your next classic Japanese show?

There’s a burgeoning cult of classic car owners that aren’t gravitating towards the big-dollar hero cars and concours nut-and-bolt restorations; but instead hunting out impossibly clean survivors of cars that were little more than consumables.

Ho-hum catalogue offerings that lived their life being utilised into oblivion, and are seemingly non-existent today are increasingly stealing the show at local cars and coffees everywhere.

Ones like this – a 1985 Toyota Camry GLI, in mint condition. It’s not the car itself that excites us, but the sheer odds that one in this condition survives.

In Australia, the V10-generation Camry was a strong seller and a solid car – bigger than most thought it would be, had a hint of European-styling and, most importantly, performed better and was more competitively priced than its Camira, 626 and Telstar rivals.

The cabin was generous in space and comfortable with flash features like individual headrests – something to write home about back in 1983.

Toyota proudly boasted that it had the ‘world’s first hollow crankshaft’ and as most of the torque was delivered low down – it was surprisingly spritely off the line.

This 1985 GLI liftback is indicative of the only trim and body style offered to Australia, and comes from one elderly owner who has kept the little Camry garaged and well maintained.

It presents in impossibly clean and original condition (seriously, when was the last time you saw one of these?) down to the intact pinstriping.

The Camry has always been serviced consistently and boasts and accident-free history and will come with a roadworthy certificate.

If you’re an oddball enthusiast, or simply after something truly left-of-field to show-off at the next cars and coffee or classic Japanese car show, this little Camry might well be deserving of preserving.

The car is based in Victoria, and is listed for $5,000.

Check out the full listing here!

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