Toyota confirms active development of a possible eighth-generation Celica coupe.
Prototypes are testing ICE-based powertrains, with no electrified version confirmed.
Existing renderings circulating online do not reflect the actual design.
Toyota is not teasing anything this time: It has confirmed that it is developing a new vehicle that may revive the Celica name. Interestingly, company officials emphasize that existing internet renderings do not reflect the car’s true design. There’s more news, too.
Cooper Ericksen, senior vice president of Product Planning and Strategy for Toyota North America, told MotorTrend that while work continues on a potential eighth-generation Celica, its final approval remains uncertain. “We are working on a product that could theoretically go by the Celica name if we can figure out how to pull it off and it gets approved,” Ericksen said, adding that all current online images are “wrong and fake.”
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Development of the coupe includes running prototypes and drivetrain test mules. Vehicles have reportedly been shown to dealers, and a Celica-branded model may already be approved for the Japanese market. The project is not being led by Toyota’s North American team, which has yet to receive confirmation of a regional launch.
The powertrain is still under evaluation, but Toyota executives suggested the vehicle could rely on a conventional internal combustion engine, rather than an electrified system.
1979 Toyota Celica | Photo: Toyota“I’m not closing the door to a vehicle that is ultra lightweight, that has a super advanced system but is still a traditional ICE,” Ericksen said. Akio Toyoda, chairman of Toyota Motor Corp., has previously stated a preference for internal combustion in GR-branded performance vehicles, citing driving dynamics.
David Christ, general manager of the Toyota Division at Toyota Motor North America, pointed to the Celica name’s legacy and its appeal in the U.S. market. “Obviously the brand name has a lot of good history in the U.S. We’d love to have more offerings that are fun to drive,” he said.
If brought to market, a new Celica would expand Toyota’s growing GR performance lineup, which includes the turbocharged GR Corolla, the GR86 coupe, and the flagship Supra. The latter, ageing though still relevant, could very be replaced by a RWD boosted Celica.
A future Celica could also compete with the upcoming Honda Prelude hybrid, which targets a similar segment. Might we suggest a turbocharged hybrid AWD Celica?
Toyota last offered the Celica in 2006, ending the model after seven generations.
