• Toyota CTO Hiroki Nakajima reportedly confirms Celica’s revival at the Rally Japan event.

• Speculation grows following public interest from Akio Toyoda and others.

• Toyota’s GR lineup may include other teased models like the MR2 and GR GT3.

This is as good a certainty as we’re going to get. It once more appears that Toyota will bring back the Celica nameplate, based on comments made by its Chief Technology Officer, Hiroki Nakajima, during the 2024 Rally Japan event held at the Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture. While not an official product announcement, Nakajima’s statement is the closest confirmation yet of the brand’s intent to revive the iconic sports car.

MR2, Celica, Supra, and GR86 May Return: Toyota’s Latest Hints

Speaking to attendees, Nakajima reportedly said, “We will make the Celica,” though he questioned whether it was the right moment to share such information. Hints about a potential revival have been steadily growing over the past year, years even. In an interview published in October 2023, Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda disclosed that he had requested senior leadership to bring back the Celica. Similarly, Toyota President Tsuneji Sato publicly expressed a desire to see the name return to Toyota’s lineup.

The rumours were further stoked when the words “Celica Mk8” appeared on a whiteboard in Toyota’s Grip anime series, a show the automaker often uses to drop Easter eggs about future products. Further hints from the series suggest Toyota’s GR lineup could expand even more. The show also referenced a “GR86 Mk3,” a “Supra Mk6,” and an “MR2 Mk4.” The series even teased a “GR GT3” model, which could eventually spawn a Lexus-branded equivalent, speculatively named the LFR.

Toyota’s Expanding GR Performance Lineup

In addition to Celica-related speculation, Toyota has been refining its Gazoo Racing (GR) performance lineup. Toyota addressed attendees’ questions about the next-generation GR86 during the same Rally Japan event. While no specific details were confirmed, the development team indicated that rear-wheel drive would likely remain a core feature.

Toyota is also developing a new family of small-displacement four-cylinder engines, including 1.5- and 2.0-litre variants with and without turbocharging. The turbocharged 2.0-litre unit has been tested in a stripped-down Lexus IS, raising the possibility of its future use in lightweight performance vehicles.

While Toyota has not officially confirmed a Celica revival or its GR expansion plans, Nakajima’s statement at Rally Japan adds significant weight to the possibility.

Source: Motor1