Rumors about the rebirth of the legendary Toyota Celica have been making headlines for some time, but now the good news seems more solid than ever. And during the recent WRC Rally of Japan, Toyota vice president, Yuki Nakajima, confirmed to the public that work is being done on the long-awaited eighth generation of the Celica.
This revelation comes on the heels of several clues, including the appearance of the Celica Mk8 name on a slate of future Toyota anime web series projects. Furthermore, the recent registration of the Celica name in a patent has further fueled the hypepointing out that the return of this sports car seems closer than many expected.
Return to the origins and an engine with a Toyota seal
“To be honest, right now there is no trace of him,” the executive said, according to the half Japanese Best Cartranslated into English. “However, there are many people in the company who are looking forward to the Celica. So… I’m not sure if it’s okay to say this in a public forum, but let’s do the Celica!”
If something has become clear in Nakajima’s statements, it is that Toyota wants to recover the essence that made the Celica a legendary model. Although there are still no confirmed images or technical details, the executive’s words suggest that the brand is working on its own engine, leaving behind the collaboration strategy for this key aspect.
The inspiration comes directly from Akio Toyodapresident of the company, who mentioned Subaru’s boxer engine and Mazda’s rotary engine as his favorites, without including any of Toyota’s own creations. This comment sparked the engineers’ ambition, according to Nakajima: “We are going to create an engine that Morizo (Toyoda’s pseudonym) will not want to leave behind.”
Source: YouTube
This engine, intended for the successor to the GR86, could also be the basis for the Celica, opening the possibility of both models sharing a powertrain and a rear-wheel drive layout. This approach would not only honor the Celica’s sporting roots, but would also cement its position as a potent rival in the sports coupe market by offering a more traditional alternative to increasing electrification.
However, another less romantic possibility is that, in a context in which the automobile industry is reviving emblematic names to attract both nostalgic and new customers (examples are the hybrid Honda Prelude, the electric Ford Capri, the electric Renault 5 or the Ypsilon hybrid, among others), the future Celica is electrified in some way.
In fact, the Celica could be inspired by the Toyota FT-Se Concepta prototype unveiled at the last Tokyo Motor Show. This model, designed as a low-weight electric sports car with angular lines, represents an important technological evolution for Toyota.
The FT-Se Concept, which was initially thought to be the basis for the new electric MR2, will feature Toyota’s third-generation batteries. These batteries promise to be significantly lighter than current ones, which will improve the vehicle’s agility and performance. If the Celica inherits this approach, it could combine the sporting heritage of its previous generations with the innovations needed to compete in the era of electrification.
Be that as it may, the return of the Toyota Celica promises to revive a legend in the automotive world. Although there are still many unknowns to be resolved, such as whether the model will be internal combustion or electrified, for the moment it is enough for us to know that one day we will see this icon on the roads again.
With this commitment, Toyota seeks not only to attract the nostalgic, but also to win over a new generation of drivers who long for a compact, agile sports car with character.
Source: www.motorpasion.com
