The Celica debuted as the first "specialty car" in Japan. Specialty cars (known as pony cars in the U.S.) referred to affordable and sporty cars that were built on existing sedan platforms. Unlike other sedan-based coupés available at the time, the Celica's styling and brand name clearly set the car apart from its base model, and its extensive customization options known as the "full-choice system" also proved popular.

The Celica came in a 2-door hardtop coupé body, with a lineup of engines including a 1,400 cc unit and three 1,600 cc units, and a choice of 4- and 5-speed manual and 3-speed automatic transmissions. There were four model grades including ET, LT, ST, and GT, in ascending order of value. Customers could freely select and combine the engine, transmission, interior and exterior equipment and accessories to personalize their cars, with the price tag ranging from 570,000 yen to 1 million yen. The Celica shared its platform with the Carina family-use sedan that debuted at the same time, although the Celica made a DOHC engine available to its GT grade model, giving customers access to the new high-performance type engine that was still rare in Japan.

The "full-choice system" was based on a similar practice adopted by Ford Motor Company for the 1964 Mustang. The unprecedented success of the Mustang in the U.S. drew in its trail a horde of competing pony cars, including the Chevrolet Camaro, the Pontiac Firebird, and the Dodge Challenger.