We may be losing the Supra soon, but if it’s any consolation, we’re getting another Toyota sports coupe in return. It’s no secret that the company has been dropping major hints that wants to bring back the Celica in the lineup.
Toyota Motor Corporation’s chairman and namesake, Akio Toyoda, wasn’t shy about it, either. At one point, he even said, “I’m not just saying this because we’re at a rally event, but (Juha) Kankkunen is Mr. Celica. He was champion four times in the Celica. Now you can all have a think about why I’m using Kankkunen so much. See if you can guess!”
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Now, there are more concrete details. It’s not official confirmation from Toyota just yet. Instead, the latest development comes from the patent and trademark offices of Brazil. There, the name ‘Toyota GR Celica’ has been trademarked and likely ready for use at any time once approved.
Exciting stuff, indeed. The addition of the GR prefix also suggests that it’ll be a focused and properly sporty model. Engine details are unknown at the moment, but given Toyota’s recent efforts in combustion engines, we might see its new 2.0-liter turbo make its way under the hood.
If the trademark isn’t enough proof that Toyota wants to bring back the iconic nameplate, we don’t know what is. And if that’s still not enough, here are some words from Toyota’s chief technology officer Hiroki Nakajima during Rally Japan.
“So… I wonder if it's okay to say this in a public forum, but we’re doing the Celica!”
The question now is the launch date. Well, there’s no concept model of it just yet, nor are there any test mules spied in the open. But with the Japan Mobility Show coming later this year, it’s possible that it will become the venue for the concept model.
