Toyota presented the seventh generation of the Celica in the summer of 1999, but in 2000 they presented at the Tokyo auto show the Cruising Deck concept. The concept integrated three key elements of a light sport model, which was designed for young people: style, power, and affordability.
The back of the car was replaced with a flat deck, which could be folded upright to form a vertical cushion for the rear passengers, with the head cushions being built on the car’s large spoiler.
Behind the front passenger seats the car had a separating crystal, which could descend, so that the passengers can communicate between them. The separator could be folded downwardly to form the bottom cushion of the rear seat.
Mechanically the car was equipped with a 1.8-liter engine, which had twin camshafts and the new VVTL-i system and it was able to yield 192 hp at 7,600 rpm. The Celica Cruising Deck was accompanied by a matching trailer, carrying a jet ski.
