Although we haven't seen any photos of the prototype yet, Toyota has been talking about a possible return of the Cell for over two years. The company even released a pseudo-teaser during the second season of its anime series "Grip," which is worth checking out. In our photos, you can see seven generations of the Toyota Celica.
The eighth generation of the affordable sports car is still in development and is currently in “a fairly advanced stage of development,” according to Toyota’s senior vice president of North American production planning. Cooper Ericksen told MotorTrend that Toyota is already testing vehicles of the reborn Celica. And not only that: behind closed doors, dealers have already been able to see prototypes and design sketches for the first time.
The car's design remains a mystery, but Ericksen confirmed that all the images circulating on social media are false. Regarding the powertrain, he did not rule out the possibility of the car being equipped exclusively with an internal combustion engine, but the option of electrification is also open.
With a hybrid drivetrain, the new Celica could compete with another revived legend that is very popular among enthusiasts: the Honda Prelude. A fully electric version seems unlikely, especially since Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda recently expressed his preference for sports cars with “the smell of gasoline and a loud engine.”
Although the new Celica hasn't been officially approved for North America yet, the fact that it's in an advanced stage of development suggests it's on its way. If it doesn't make it to the United States, it wouldn't be the first Gazoo Racing product to be denied a US visa. Americans won't get the GR Yaris, but instead the GR Corolla. The latter will also be built in the UK in the future, so it could make its way to Europe. There's another banned model powered by the same three-cylinder turbo engine: the Japanese Lexus LBX Morizo RR.
The lack of photographic evidence likely means we'll be waiting a long time for the next-generation Celica. At best, we can't imagine the car hitting the market before 2027. But the Celica isn't the only fun car Toyota has in the works. The company has already announced that it's re-launching the Supra, and something is sure to come of the crazy mid-engine concept we saw earlier this year. A new MR2, perhaps? The car's name even appears in the trailer.
It's worth noting that Toyota has also hinted at an all-electric sports car. The latest update to the FT-Se concept suggested that it's still in development. Hideaki Iida, head of the Gazoo Racing Design Group, told InsideEVs that the car is expected to hit the market after 2026. Chief engineer Fumihiko Hazama mentioned dual-motor all-wheel drive, a next-generation battery pack, and a 0-100 km/h time of just three seconds.
Toyota's most fascinating high-performance vehicle, however, could wear a different badge. The GR GT3 concept is expected to evolve into a road-going Lexus supercar, possibly called the "LFR." It's rumored to be powered by a newly developed twin-turbo V8 engine, though nothing has been confirmed yet. Expect this flagship of high-performance vehicles to hit the market sooner rather than later.
While sports cars remain a niche market, Toyota is giving us hope for a more exciting future. But the question is where the new Celica would fit into the lineup, considering the GR86 is still around and the Supra won't be gone for long. With the Yaris, Corolla, 86, Celica, Supra, MR2 and LFR all potentially existing side by side, it could get a bit crowded in a few years. Not that we're complaining, but maybe those who count every crumb would.
