3 days ago
More Juicy Details Surface On Toyota's Star Celica Sports Car Revival
The GR Yaris M Concept
Photo by Toyota
Earlier this year, I reported on a radical new Toyota concept that debuted at the Tokyo Auto Salon. Called the GR Yaris M Concept, it hinted strongly at the powertrain for the next-generation Celica and boasted a gutsy 400-hp 2.0-liter turbo mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox.
But as some new information on the coupe has come to light, as exposed in the latest issue of Japan's Best Car magazine, I thought it high time we updated news on the return of this major Toyota sports car. And that news specifically refers to special lightweight body parts, an 8-speed automatic option, two specific grades and a new launch date.
The mid-engined M Concept hints at next-gen Celica
Photo by Toyota
But before we get onto the new data we've sourced, let's go over what we know. Strongly backed by both Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda and CEO Koji Sato, the new Celica will be powered by a next-generation turbocharged inline 4-cylinder 2.0-liter engine pumping out 400-hp and 550Nm of torque. So just to be sure, the new Celica will not employ any hybrid technology whatsoever, but will simply incorporate the GR Yaris M Concept's mid-engined gasoline turbo powerplant and feature a 4WD drivetrain.
Toyota has even let on that this concept will compete in race form in Japan's Super Endurance Series starting with the race at Autopolis circuit on July 26-27, as the brand's engineers tweak the powertrain and chassis to maximize feedback for the new Celica.
The new Celica will be Toyota's first mid-engined sports car since the MR-S was axed back in mid-2007. We can expect to see the coupe developed at Toyota's Shimoyama proving ground in central Japan, in addition to the 13-mile long Nurburgring in Germany.
But of course, the Celica is well-known as a successful rally car, having won three driver championships in the early 1990s. But the all-new Celica will switch from rally to race track as it employs a new personality.
According to Best Car, the new information this time round includes a new roof and hood made of carbon fiber, which significantly reduces curb weight while increasing rigidity. This means that this coupe will employ a double rear deck carbon fiber layout, one for the mid-engined hood and one for the trunk.
Also to improve all-round visibility, one other update includes a surprisingly upright A-pillar and rounded glass at both sides of the windshield to allow drivers to see as far around the next upcoming bend as possible, which is a must for any good sports car.
Expected to be launched in two specs—the RZ and the (race spec) 'RC', the Celica—as mentioned above—was originally expected to just offer a 6-speed manual transmission. But after a rethink, and to make the car more palatable to a wider range of motorists, Toyota will also offer an 8-speed automatic.
One other new snippet of information is that Toyota is now telling us that the new Celica's debut will be delayed. The expected launch has been pushed back from spring 2027 to spring 2028, but the prototype is strongly rumored to appear at the 2027 Tokyo Auto Salon in January.
