- Toyota is engaged on a contemporary Celica
- The brand new sports activities automobile is anticipated to enrich, fairly than substitute, the GR86 and Supra.
- The jury remains to be out on whether or not the automobile will pack a gasoline engine or be an EV
Toyota’s renewed curiosity in efficiency and sports activities vehicles could carry one more present to lovers: a brand new Toyota Celica.
Talking throughout final week’s Rally Japan, senior Toyota official Yuki Nakajima confirmed {that a} new Celica is within the pipeline, Autocar reported on Monday.
Nakajima reportedly said that work on the automobile had already begun however emphasised that it was nonetheless early days
“We’re making the Celica,” he’s quoted as saying. “To be sincere, there isn’t any signal of it proper now. Nevertheless, there are lots of folks throughout the firm who’re eagerly awaiting the Celica.”
1994 Toyota Celica
Toyota has been hinting for years at a brand new Celica as a part of a trio of sports activities vehicles together with the GR86 and a high-end mannequin, seemingly the Supra or a contemporary MR2. The final Celica, the seventh era of the nameplate, ended manufacturing 18 years in the past.
Toyota additionally continues to guard the “Celica” title; most not too long ago, it renewed its trademark submitting in 2021.
And solely this 12 months, an episode of Toyota’s self-published cartoon, referred to as “Grip,” confirmed a whiteboard itemizing a number of potential new fashions together with a brand new Supra, a brand new Celica, a brand new MR2, a brand new GR86, and a GR GT3. Of those, the GR GT3 has already been noticed testing, each as a race automobile and as a highway automobile that might probably find yourself sporting a Lexus badge.
What is not clear is whether or not the brand new Celica will pack a gasoline engine or electrical motors. Based on Autocar, Toyota has been debating whether or not to develop the automobile as an electrical car, or stick to a gasoline engine, presumably in hybrid configuration. The automaker has mentioned it plans an electrical sports activities automobile, and rolled out electrical sports activities automobile ideas in 2023 and 2021. It additionally confirmed an electrical sports activities automobile for Lexus in 2021 with the reveal of the Lexus Electrified Sport idea.
