For several months now, rumors have been circulating about the return of another popular Toyota nameplate: the Celica. It’s worth noting that the Toyota Supra and Celica were initially a single model. Over time, the two models diverged in their evolution. Ultimately, Toyota ceased production of the Celica in 2005 after seven generations of this legendary sports car.
It’s confirmed!
The trouble with rumors is that they often lead to false information. However, in rare cases, the story turns out to be true—and this is one of those cases. The news has been officially confirmed by Hiroki Nakajima, Toyota’s Vice President of Products and Technology.
Of course, we don’t know much yet about the upcoming Celica, other than that it will undoubtedly be sporty, as the project is being handled by Toyota’s GR (Gazoo Racing) division.
For now, we don’t know what the new Celica will look like or even what kind of powertrain it will feature. Some speculate that it could be based on the FT-Se concept that Toyota introduced at last year’s Mobility Show. However, other rumors suggest that this concept might instead serve as the basis for the new MR2.
In any case, it’s highly likely that the new Celica will share its platform with a sports car from another brand. The possibilities are numerous, given Toyota’s many partnerships in the industry. For example, the current Supra is based on the BMW Z4 platform, while the GR86 is essentially a twin of the Subaru BRZ.
Another question remains: where will the new Celica fit within Toyota’s lineup? It seems plausible that it could be positioned between the GR86 and the Supra, though the automaker might surprise us in this regard.
Finally, the most important question of all: will the new Celica be available in your market? It’s not impossible that this sports car could be targeted exclusively at other regions. We’ll have to wait for its official unveiling to know for sure.
Jean-Sébastien Poudrier
