- Toyota Gazoo Racing has confirmed a new generation of the Celica is now in development.
- The sports car may pair a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with AWD and a manual gearbox.
- Debate continues over whether the GR Celica will feature front or mid-engine placement.
After years of speculation, Toyota’s dormant Celica nameplate is finally set to return. The company has confirmed the model’s comeback and even filed a trademark for the “GR Celica” name. As development of the eighth-generation continues, we’ve gathered the latest available information, along with a few intriguing (and occasionally far-fetched) rumors coming out of Japan.
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The Big Debate About The Layout
Toyota hasn’t released official specs for the new GR Celica, which has left room for plenty of speculation. Still, the turbocharged 2.0-liter G20E four-cylinder engine that was announced last year sounds like a no-brainer for the GR Celica. In its base form, the engine produces up to 400 hp (298 kW / 406 PS), but according to Toyota officials, it can “easily” surpass 600 horsepower for road use with a larger turbocharger.
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However, the car’s layout is a point of debate. Traditionally front-engined, the Celica may break from its roots. Japanese outlet Best Car reports that the next-generation model could adopt a mid-engined configuration. If true, this would blur the line between the Celica and the also-rumored MR2 revival, with the article suggesting both projects may have been consolidated into one.
Toyota previewed the G20E engine in the mid-engined GR Yaris M Concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon. That car is headed for motorsport testing, which could help refine the setup for future production models.
The problem with the mid-engined theory is that an earlier Toyota teaser mentioned both the eighth-gen Celica and the fourth-gen MR2, alongside new generations of the GR 86 and GR Supra sports cars and the GR GT3 supercar. Furthermore, during a press event in Tokyo, a Toyota driver suggested that the new engine could be fitted in an “MR-something”, although the Celica was also mentioned from someone in the background.
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Regardless of where the engine ends up in the chassis, the GR Celica is expected to feature Toyota’s GR-Four all-wheel-drive system. This would align with the rally heritage of past GT-Four Celicas, which gained fame in the fourth, fifth, and sixth generations. A six-speed manual could be offered alongside an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, following the approach used in the GR Corolla and GR Yaris.
Advanced Development Prototypes
So far, no test mules have been caught in the wild, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t out there. Cooper Ericksen, Toyota North America’s Senior VP of Product Planning and Strategy, told MotorTrend that “a product that could theoretically go by the Celica name” is in the works and at a “pretty advanced development” stage. He stopped short of giving any launch timeline.
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The same report claims that the company has already shown prototypes of the GR Celica to US dealers. However, Toyota executives dismissed the accuracy of unofficial renderings circulating online, suggesting that the actual design is quite different. In reality, it is hard to predict the looks of the upcoming model that has to be differentiated from the GR 86 and the GR Supra in order to make sense in the future Toyota lineup.
A Rally Comeback in the Making?
Another interesting rumor suggests that the new GR Celica might serve as the foundation for a future rally car for the top category of WRC, taking over from the GR Yaris. This would make sense as its predecessors competed at World Rally Championship stages from 1988 until 1995, winning two manufacturers’ and three drivers’ titles.
Best Car speculates that the production model will be unveiled at the 2027 Tokyo Auto Salon. Of course, more information might surface before then. For now, the GR Celica looks set to carry forward a legacy that began in 1970 and ran through seven generations until the model was discontinued in 2006.
