Local racing legend Dante Silverio brought back his beloved 1971 Toyota Celica for one last victory lap.
There was a time when motorsports was huge in the Philippines. It was in the 1960s up to the mid-1970s when car racing of various types took over the streets of Metro Manila, most notably in the Greenhills area.
That area became known as the playground for motorsport enthusiasts, whether it was drag racing along White Plains Avenue or showing off shiny, heavily-accessorized high-end car models with music blaring out of equally high-end speakers.
Filipino race drivers were considered sporting icons, and their exploits were right up there in the sports pages alongside the regular staples like basketball and boxing.
In fact, one of the most prestigious races in Southeast Asia was known as the Greenhills Grand Prix, alternatively known as the Philippines Grand Prix, an annual race on a three-kilometer circuit where drivers from all over the world navigated around what is now the expansive Greenhills Shopping Center.
In that era of fast cars and competitive races, Dante Silverio was right smack in the middle of the action. Looking back, it was inevitable. His uncle, Ricardo Silverio, Sr., owned Delta Motors Philippines, which was the exclusive distributor of Toyota vehicles in the Philippines.
The crown jewel of the Toyota line back then was the Celica, a stylish two-door sports car that was a major status symbol among Manila’s rich and famous. In 1971, there were only four units of the Toyota Celica twin-cam 1600 in the Philippines. One of them was gifted to Dante Silverio for him to use in the 1972 Greenhills Grand Prix.
“(It) was brought in as a surprise package from our mother company, Toyota of Japan, which I begged for them to give me a competitive car to compete in the 1972 Greenhills Grand Prix,” Silverio told The GAME. “And my feelings and prayers were answered by Toyota, and so they sent me this beautiful car to compete with the number 49.”
Despite going up against more powerful cars and more experienced drivers, Dante won the race and etched his name into Philippine motorsports history.
“Well, this beautiful car won the event,” he proudly said. “We won the 1972 Greenhills Grand Prix.”
Eventually, Dante moved on to other passions. Toyota was one of the pioneer teams of the PBA when it opened shop in 1975, and he coached the Comets to six championships in the mid- to late-1970s. After stepping away from basketball, he became an accomplished painter while his son, Jojo, followed in his footsteps and made a name for himself in the late 1980s motorsports scene.
But he never let go of his Toyota Celica, tucking it away in his Magallanes office building where it served as a fading reminder of his glory days.
Until one day, Dante Silverio decided to bring his vintage car back to life. He was going to fully restore it, both body and engine, even if it meant scouring the world for spare parts.
“Well, it has been in line for restoration, but it took a little while to really put the car together again because of missing parts that were difficult to procure,” he said.
“To tell you honestly, it took about 10 years to restore this car. This car is 50 years old, you know. This car is from 1972, so it took a little while to gather all the necessary parts to complete the modification.”
Finally, in June of 2026, the full restoration was completed, and Dante Silverio’s original 1971 Toyota Celica roared back to life. Fifty-four years after he crossed the finish line first, Silverio put a key into the ignition and turned on the 1600cc engine to the cheers of approval from a crowd of friends and fellow motorsports enthusiasts.
Much has changed since that historic race through the streets of Ortigas Center. Delta Motors along with its PBA team folded in the 1980s amid political and economic turmoil. Toyota discontinued the Celica line in 2006, while the motorsports scene in the Philippines, while still active, was never able to replicate its popularity from five decades ago.
But for one night, Dante Silverio was able to recapture the magic he conjured up in 1972 with his beloved Toyota Celica. It was a moment that will stay with him forever. The man is turning 89 later this year, but when he speaks it feels like he’s about to approach the starting line along Ortigas Avenue.
“Of course, the visible memories from this car is winning the particular event that it participated in, the 1972 Greenhills Grand Prix. That was the most memorable part of this car.”
Images by Ed Simon/KLIQ, Inc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dante Silverio is a Filipino motorsports figure who won the 1972 Greenhills Grand Prix driving a Toyota Celica twin-cam 1600. He later coached the Toyota Comets to six PBA championships in the mid-to-late 1970s and became an accomplished painter after stepping away from motorsports and basketball.
The Greenhills Grand Prix, also called the Philippines Grand Prix, was an annual race on a three-kilometer circuit around what is now Greenhills Shopping Center. It ran during the 1960s to mid-1970s and drew international drivers, ranking among Southeast Asia’s most prestigious motorsports events at the time.
Only four units of the Toyota Celica twin-cam 1600 existed in the Philippines in 1971. One was gifted to Dante Silverio by Toyota Japan for the 1972 Greenhills Grand Prix, which he won despite competing against more powerful and experienced entries.
Delta Motors Philippines, owned by Ricardo Silverio Sr. and the exclusive Toyota distributor in the country, folded in the 1980s amid political and economic turmoil. Its PBA team, the Toyota Comets, folded along with it after Dante Silverio’s coaching tenure in the 1970s.
The restoration took about 10 years, largely due to the difficulty of sourcing parts for a car that was already 50 years old. The full body and engine restoration was completed in June 2026, and the Celica was started publicly for the first time since its racing days.
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