Toyota’s performance division is absolutely ready to bring back one of its most recognizable nameplates-Celica.
After Toyota’s new WRC rally car prototype gave us our first tangible hints, a new report confirms the next-gen Celica will indeed be an all-wheel-drive, hybrid-powered affair.
Gazoo Racing marketing manager Mikio Hayashi has officially confirmed the upcoming model will be named Celica Sport and will use an all-wheel-drive layout-a pretty unsurprising move given the Celica’s deep roots in rally competition. Of course, the Celica doesn’t discriminate-some past generations came with front-wheel drive, while the earliest Celicas were rear-wheel drive.
Recent videos of a camouflaged Toyota prototype testing in Europe fueled speculation that the new Celica will play a role in the brand’s future WRC efforts. And based on these new developments, it seems it absolutely will.
Under the hood, the Celica Sport is expected to feature a hybrid powertrain built around a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Toyota has previously confirmed development of this engine-internally referred to as the G20E-and previewed it in concepts like the mid-engined GR Yaris M.
Hayashi hinted that the move to a larger displacement engine is partly driven by emissions requirements, which might mean the current 1.6-liter setup used in models like the GR Corolla may not meet future regulations. Hayashi also confirmed Toyota has not decided whether the new Celica will use a conventional hybrid or plug-in system, but a hybrid it will be.
“The displacement size of 1.6 liters [used in the GR Yaris], for example, cannot meet emission regulations. So we have to consider the possibility of a 2.0-liter,” Hayashi told Autocar. “We are thinking about various sizes, but we are not at a stage where we can tell you exactly what size it is. Nothing has been decided yet about whether it will be a standard hybrid or plug-in hybrid.”
AutoGuide’s Take:
The new powertrain is unlikely to be exclusive to the Celica. Toyota is likely to deploy variations of the system across its Gazoo Racing lineup, including potential updates for the GR Corolla and GR Yaris, depending on the market.
An exciting development for sure. It will be curious to see if the powertrain makes its way to other GR coupes like the Supra or 86 and what that could mean for other projects related to those programs. The Miata and the BRZ come to mind quickly.
There have been rumors that the next-gen Toyota 86 and Mazda Miata could share their underpinnings, but what if the next-gen Toyota 86 isn’t an 86 at all? Toyota already built a GR86 using the GR Corolla’s entire drivetrain, so what if instead it shows up wearing the Celica Sport badge?
Then other questions start to pop up:
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Does Subaru still get a version?
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What am I going to make for dinner?
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Are all sporty coupes destined to cost more than $50,000?
Thankfully, unlike the new Honda Prelude, it sounds like the Celica Sport will at least honor its sporting heritage with a sporty powertrain and rally pedigree.
Check out our new MK8 2028+ Toyota Celica Forum
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