Rumors of a Celica return have been circulating for over a year and a half, but we finally have confirmation from the horse’s mouth. Or, rather, the mouth of a top Toyota exec who would know about such things. The admission at a Japanese motorsports event read like an off-the-cuff remark, but often those are the most revealing.
Rally Japan was held last over the weekend in Aichi and Gifu Prefectures, near Toyota’s hometown. And as Japan’s sole OEM campaigning a WRC car, Toyota had a huge presence at the season closer in its backyard. Chairman Akio Toyoda was on stage at a Toyota Stadium event when he was asked point blank by Best Car editorial director Hitoshi Hongo, “Are you making a Celica?”
Toyoda-san has been seemingly intentionally stoking the Celica rumors himself, talking nonstop about the Celica to the press and even teasing its possibility from official channels. But when asked by Hongo this time, he said, “I can’t answer that question.” Instead he replied, “There’s an executive officer here today, so let’s ask him,” before passing the mic to Toyota product VP Hiroki Nakajima.
“To be honest, there’s no shape of it right now, but many people within the company want to do it,” Nakajima told the crowd. “So… I wonder if it’s okay to say this in a public forum but, Celica, we’re doing it!”
Ever the lark, Toyoda-san then replied impishly, “Are you alright? It’s a lot of work, you know. Best Car wrote [that Toyota is making the Celica] but we shouldn’t believe that.”
“We haven’t said when we will start development,” Nakajima said in response, “So it may be next year.” If true that would mean the Celica is still several years away, which seems unlikely if Toyota has already gotten to the point where they’re acknowledging its comeback in such a jovial manner.
It’s all a game of media brinksmanship, but we’d wager that by the time president Koji Sato declared it was his life’s dream to bring back the Celica in March 2023, the project had already been green lit. That could mean they’ve had almost two years working on it, making the timeline of a 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon concept unveiling seem plausible. In any case, it’s exciting news and pretty cool of Toyoda and Nakajima to give away the news at a fan-filled rally event.
My hope is that since Toyoda-san seems to stoke these rumors at rally events, and has mentioned Juha Kankkunen as Mr. Celica in relation to the rumors as well. Hopefully that means they want to honor the rally heritage…and not in some sort of crossover.
I wouldn’t get too excited, since the market for sports coupes died years ago, and Toyota already has the 86 and Corolla hatchback.
I think since it’s likely not far into development -if at all- by the time it would come out it may replace the GR86 and/or the GR Corolla.
That GR86 should’ve been badged as the Celica
Absolutely.
I disagree. The Celica was not a sports car. It was always a sporty looking commuter car with the emphasis on looks. It was never a canyon carver like the GR86.