Toyota Chaser


The Toyota Chaser is a mid-size car produced by Toyota. In the beginning, Chasers were four-door sedans and hardtop sedans; a two-door coupé was available only for the first generation. It was introduced on the Toyota Mark II platform and was only available at Japanese Toyota Auto Store dealerships as their top-level model. The Chaser was produced for six generations; production ceased in 2001 when both it and the Cresta were replaced by the short-lived Verossa.
The Chaser was one of Toyota's "triplet sedans": it, the Mark II, and the Cresta are rebadged models of the same car, sold through different dealership sales channels. The Chaser and its platform sisters are considered a class below the Crown. The Chaser offered a sportier image than the Mark II or the more luxury-oriented Cresta.
The Chaser's performance reputation benefited as the series and generations offered ever-increasing engine displacement. The addition of turbochargers and superchargers to growing engine displacement was offset by the fact that the Japanese Government taxed and regulated vehicle emission results. Larger engines offered more luxury, convenience, and suspension improvements as the generations progressed. Toyota chose not to install V6 engines in the Chaser for the entire series.

First generation (X30, X40; 1977-1980)

The Chaser was first produced in July 1977 with chassis codes X30, X31, X40 and X41, and evolved from the X20 generation Mark II GSS hardtop coupé. The X30-series chassis numbers were the original codes shared with the third-generation Mark II, with X40 numbers gradually introduced about halfway through the model's life for cars that could pass the new emissions rules. All vehicles sold with Toyota's TTC-C technology had a badge on the boot lid to indicate it complied with the Japanese Government's Clean Air Act of 1975. It was powered by the four-cylinder 1.8-liter 3T-U, 13T-U, and 2-liter 18R-U, and the six-cylinder 2.0 L M-EU engine – all single cam engines tuned for economy and clean emissions rather than performance. The M-EU engine came standard with multi-port electronic fuel injection.
The Chaser is a lightly redesigned Toyota Mark II, with a wider front grille and without parking lights. The Chaser also has taillights of a different design. Unlike the Mark II, there were no station wagons or commercial models offered. This was the only Chaser offered as a 2-door, with the 2-door option being replaced by the Toyota Soarer.
To provide buyers with a luxury sports sedan while minimizing tax consequences, the vehicle was limited to an engine size of 2000 cc as well as dimensions under long and wide. Engine displacements of 1.8 L and 2.0 L were offered to keep the annual road tax bill affordable to Japanese buyers, and the wheelbase was the same for both the two- and four-door. The Chaser was offered as a competitor to the Nissan Skyline coupé and sedan and the Mazda Cosmo. The front suspension was an independent MacPherson strut, and the standard rear suspension was a 4-link system, with top trim packages adopting an independent semi-trailing arm system instead. The models with a 4-wheel independent suspension also came with 4-wheel disc brakes. All body styles were now integrated with a safety cage with crumple zones for the front and rear, a body-on-frame chassis was abandoned, and unitary construction was now used.
The first Chaser came with power express down for the driver's window, a tilt steering wheel, a system monitor that would inform if the disc brake lining needed to be serviced, an AM/FM Stereo radio with four speakers, and a separately available cassette player or 8-track cassette, full instrumentation including a volt meter and oil pressure, cruise control, and the rear seatback that could fold down to accommodate long items in the trunk. The Chaser received a new windshield wiper and headlight switch layout, with the controls operated by levers attached to the steering column as is typical nowadays. Wipers were two-speed with intermittent wipe, a rear wiper was also available for the upper trim level packages.
The performance image was shared with the 1972 Toyota Sprinter Trueno, followed by the 1978 Toyota Celica XX, and the 1980 Toyota Celica Camry and shared the 2.0 L M-EU Inline-six engine from the Celica XX. The Celica XX was the top-level car exclusive to Toyota Corolla Store with the Celica Camry, then August 1980 the Celica Camry was also added to Toyota Vista Store with the more upscale Cresta.
  • Hardtop coupé trim packages
  • *SG Touring, SGS, SXL, GS, XL
  • Sedan trim packages
  • *SG Touring, SGS, GS, XL, DX

    Second generation (X60; 1980-1984)

The X60 Chaser began sales in October 1980, with the addition of the new 2.0-liter six-cylinder multi-port fuel injected 1G-EU single cam gasoline engine and a 2.2 L four-cylinder L-series diesel engine. The Chaser continued as the performance sedan and shared many technical improvements introduced on the Celica XX.
Body styles offered were a four-door sedan or 4-door pillared hardtop, and no longer offered the 2-door hardtop, which was replaced by the all-new luxury coupé Toyota Soarer. The top trim package "Avante" was introduced and remained until the Chaser was discontinued in 2001.
The word "avante" is Latin and means to go forward or to lead ahead.
The hardtop and sedan came with individual trim packages, and the hardtop was the most desirable, while the XL and DX had flat bumpers that shortened their overall length. The front suspension consisted of MacPherson struts with a lower control arm, and the rear suspension used a semi-trailing arm with coil springs and separately installed shock absorbers. Four-wheel ventilated disc brakes and speed-sensitive power rack-and-pinion steering were standard. Fourteen-inch aluminum alloy wheels were standard on the Avante and SG Touring trim packages while thirteen-inch steel wheels were installed on other trim packages. The Avante was available with ESC and was later added to other trim packages over time.
The cloth-only interior offered a power-adjustable driver's seat with lumbar support. The rear seat had a fold-down armrest and a 60/40 split rear seatback that could accommodate longer items. Each trim package offered seven exterior colors, and one two-tone color choice of dark gray over silver was only available on the Avante. Interior color choices of blue, gray, or brown were offered, but each trim package had a unique upholstery pattern in cloth, and leather was unavailable. The body color dictated the interior color unless specially ordered, and the availability of standard equipment for each trim package grew as the selection was elevated.
Optional items included several sound system choices, including an AM/FM stereo cassette with integrated equalizer, a trip computer, power windows with standard equipped express down for the driver's window, glass sunroof, cruise control, digital clock with an alarm feature, a rear window wiper with electric defrost, headlight washers for the halogen headlights, and three-point seatbelts for front and rear passengers with ELR safety lock-down in case of a collision.
This generation saw the introduction of a new companion called the Cresta to compete with the Nissan Leopard, while the Chaser continued to be the alternative to the Skyline.
In August 1982, the 2.0 L 6-cylinder 1G-GEU twincam with the new engine family name LASREα was added, and the series R and M engines were phased out. In 1980, the Celica Camry, which was offered at Toyota Corolla Store and Toyota Auto Store, was renamed the Toyota Vista and a new dealership, Toyota Vista Store was created for the Vista.
  • Hardtop trim packages
  • *Avante, SG Touring, SXL, GT, XG, XL
  • Sedan trim packages
  • *Avante, SG Touring, SXL, GT, XG, XL, DX
  • Diesel Sedan trim packages
  • *XL-Extra, XL, DX

    Third generation (X70; 1984–1988)

This series first appeared in August 1984, and the hardtop body style was the only one offered. This car's exterior dimensions were slightly smaller than those of the sister cars, Mark II and Cresta. Still, the Chaser was more performance-oriented while maintaining the Cresta's advanced features and luxurious interior. In October 1985, the 1G-GTEU parallel twin turbo was installed in the trim package "GT TWIN TURBO," which was a trim package name shared with the Cresta. Disc brakes are larger in diameter, and it was now equipped with bucket seats, borrowed from the Supra to distinguish that the Chaser was a performance sedan and set it apart from the luxurious Cresta. The Cresta, Chaser, and Mark II would now share a model code for the entire production series. The Chaser was marketed for the growing private ownership market, while the Crown offered additional amenities focused toward chauffeur-driven corporate ownership and premium-level taxi service. Side turn signal lights were installed above the headlights to enhance pedestrian safety.
The 1G-GEU engine received various improvements, while the LPG-powered engine was changed to the 3Y-PU. As for appearance, larger bumpers and a new front grille accompanied substantial changes to the equipment. The early type rear combination lamps were kept with minor revisions. The TEMS installation shared the same settings used in the 1986 Soarer and 1986 Supra to remain consistent with its performance-focused market position. The four-wheel independent suspension was improved and given the name PEGASUS, which first appeared on the Soarer. The "GT TWIN TURBO S" was only available with a 5-speed manual transmission. There were three kinds of four-speed automatic transmissions on offer labeled as ECT-S. The conventional automatic for the 1800 and turbodiesel engines, a four-speed with a two-way overdrive for the 2-litre petrol engine, and an electronically controlled overdrive unit for the twin cam and turbo models. The ECT-S setting was linked to the TEMS setting, and the vehicle speed-sensitive power steering was modified.
Optional items introduced from the previous generation continued while new enhancements appeared. The trip computer was now integrated into a digital instrument cluster, which incorporated the TEMS setting and the ECT-S gear selection to include whether the transmission was in "Normal," "Power," or "Econ" settings and whether the overdrive was disengaged. Six different stereo choices were offered along with simple satellite controls on the left side of the instrument cluster within reach of the driver's hand that controlled stereo volume, fan speed, and airflow direction, an illuminated ignition key slot, power-folding side-view mirrors installed on the doors, fully automatic climate control, and an air purification system installed behind the rear seats. Bucket seats, borrowed from the Supra, were only available on GT Twin Turbo trim packages.
In January 1987, the "Avante Lordly" variant was released, and in September 1987, new versions of the 2L and 2L-T diesel engines complying with the 1986 car emissions standards were introduced. In January 1988 the "Avante Supra" special edition was released as a companion to the updated, third-generation Supra.
  • Trim packages
  • *XL, XG, XG-Extra, SXL, Avante, Avante TwinCam, Avante Turbo, GT Twin Turbo
  • Diesel Sedan trim packages
  • *XL, XG