- Toyota insiders claim it will be called the Celica Sport.
- The next GR-badged sports car could have all-wheel drive.
- Power is expected to come from Toyota’s new 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine.
Toyota has been talking about bringing back the Celica for almost four years. Since then, the company has dropped hints, either through the Grip anime series or by filing a trademark to protect its beloved nameplate. Several dealers have apparently seen the car behind closed doors, but in public, the car still doesn’t appear.
Although a mysterious sports coupe was spotted testing in Portugal late last month, Toyota never officially identified it as the next Celica. New report from automatic car citing company insiders who claim the performance model is called the “Celica Sport.” Additionally, a spokesperson quoted by the British magazine said the new Gazoo Racing branded vehicle has four-wheel drive.
As for what will power the reborn Celica, all signs point to the new “G20E” engine. This is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol unit whose engineers have set an output target of more than 400 hp. Plugless versions with larger turbochargers can exceed 600 hp. However, that level of performance likely only applies to racing cars that don’t have to meet strict emissions regulations.
Toyota Celica Sport Could Have More Than 400 Horsepower
For a road-legal version, around 400 hp seems more realistic. Talking about compliance with strict laws, ironically the smaller 1.6-litre engine found in the GR Yaris and GR Corolla isn’t a match. said GR marketing manager, Mikio Hayashi automatic car that “G16E” fails to meet stricter emissions laws:
‘A displacement of 1.6 liters for example cannot meet emissions regulations. So, we have to consider the possibility of 2.0 liters. Nothing has been decided yet whether it will be a standard hybrid or a plug-in hybrid.’
This shows that some form of electrification will be implemented, thereby reducing CO₂ emissions while increasing total output. Of course, this adds complexity and weight, but hybrids are increasingly necessary to keep a car’s performance alive. Relevant examples include the new BMW M5 and Audi RS5, with more electric performance models likely to arrive soon.
Meanwhile, Toyota has tested the new “G20E” engine on the GR Yaris prototype with the four-cylinder engine located behind the seats. However, the eighth generation Celica is expected to remain front-engined like its predecessor. The 2.0-liter unit will also likely power a mid-engined sports car that Toyota has already begun testing in prototype form, although a production model is still four to five years away.
The company previously said its new performance-oriented engine would support a wide range of applications, potentially becoming the backbone of the GR lineup. It’s easy to imagine it on the next-gen GR86, GR Yaris and GR Corolla, ideally joined by the new Celica Sport and MR2. Given Toyota’s willingness to talk more openly about the Celica, it’s likely the Celica will be the first to arrive. We might get our first taste of it when the WRC-spec version debuts, perhaps in the coming months ahead of the 2027 season.
Toyota GR Celica Sport rendering by Motor1.com
Photo by: Theophilus Chin | Motor1
Motorcycle Pickup1: Toyota seems determined to revive the Celica. Now that Gazoo Racing has been spun off as a standalone brand, the company aims to expand its product range in the coming years. The V8-powered GR GT supercar will be a flagship with a six-figure price tag, but a more affordable model is coming soon.
Developing the new engine as part of a hybrid powertrain raises hopes that Toyota’s sports car will be sold in Europe, where stringent emissions regulations have nearly eliminated high-performance vehicles.
