--- title: "Watch the Youngest-Ever WRC Champ Mob a Classic Toyota Celica Rally Car" description: "Gen-Zer Kalle Rovanperä is the youngest-ever WRC champion, and you can watch him wheel this classic Toyota Celica racer with reckless abandon." date: "2022-12-09" modified: "2022-12-09" authors: - name: "Peter Nelson" job_title: "Contributor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/peter-nelson" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/watch-the-youngest-ever-wrc-champ-mob-a-classic-toyota-celica-rally-car" categories: - "Culture" - "History" - "News" - "Racing" --- # Watch the Youngest-Ever WRC Champ Mob a Classic Toyota Celica Rally Car ![]() *\MattyB727 YouTube\* The Olds often think that today's youngsters can't drive a car or truck with a [manual transmission]()—even adding "equipped with Millennial anti-theft device" bumper stickers to manual cars. Well, they should meet 22-year-old Finnish [pro rally driver]() (and 2022 World Rally Champion) Kalle Rovanperä. The videos below are making the rounds on social media, showing Rovanperä driving the wheels off of an old Group A Toyota Celica GT-Four ST185 from the early '90s. This was shot at the [Rallylegend event in San Marino]() back in October, and what a spectacle it is to behold. Despite his young age, he's obviously way more equipped to drive it at the limit than probably 99% of the human population. Yes, yes, we all know that the Finns are heavily invested in car control education—but this is still quite an amazing feat. The Group A Celica GT-Four ST185 made around 300 horsepower and 340 pound-feet of torque from its turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. It was equipped with four-wheel drive, a manual transmission (no paddles), and no nannies to speak of. Just a careful right foot and early '90s turbocharged thrills. It competed in the World Rally Championship between 1992 and 1996, winning the championship in 1992, 1993, and 1994. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Pn8NJJZTw It's always cool seeing a young pro having a fun time behind the wheel of a classic race car. Like when [Pato O'Ward drove the McLaren MP4/5B]() that Ayrton Senna won the 1990 F1 World Championship in, or when [Valentino Rossi piloted the Mazda 787B]() at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This serves as proof that there's a lot of passion among young folks for engaging analog cars at all levels. It's a shame that these are becoming increasingly harder (or more expensive) to attain. *Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Peter Nelson is a former staff writer at The Drive. He often finds himself blogging about all-things motorsports and off-roading as he's thoroughly infatuated with having fun behind the wheel. ### Author social links [LinkedIn]() [Instagram]() [Twitter]()