The return of the Toyota Celica is finally a reality. Officially announced during the Rally of Japan, this icon of the 2000s is about to come back to life.
Toyota is preparing a resounding return with the next generation of the Celica, almost two decades after its production ended. This was officially confirmed by Yuki Nakajima, vice president of the brand.
The return of a legend
The long-awaited news has arrived: Toyota is preparing to resurrect the Celica. After years of fan-fueled rumors, the Japanese manufacturer officially confirmed this project during the Rally of Japan. Vice President Yuki Nakajima said: “We’re going to do the Celica!”reports Autocar. This announcement, although late, finds its roots in clues disseminated in recent months. A promotional video released by Toyota, in the form of a cartoon called Grip, discreetly showed a whiteboard listing several upcoming models, including a Celica Mk8. This wink made the automotive community vibratealready buzzing after the presentation of the FT-Se concept at the last Tokyo Motor Show.
But what makes this return so special? Since its disappearance in 2006, the Celica has been an accessible sports car in everyone’s minds. Toyota promises to maintain this spirit while modernizing it thanks to a “revolutionary” electrical architecturedesigned to offer a driving experience as “exhilarating” as in classic thermal models. To support this rebirth, Toyota has developed a modular architecture that allows for low seating and increased agility. A configuration that recalls the driving sensations of old Celicas, while meeting the requirements. Shinya Ito, general manager of Lexus Electrified, also stressed that this modular platform opens “many possibilities”especially for more extreme designs. This project is not limited to the Celica: Toyota also plans to renew the MR2 with a compact roadster based on the FT-Se.
An electric Celica, but not only that…
Early indications suggest that Toyota will not compromise on the Celica’s sporting DNA, despite its transition to electric. The new generation promises a balance between power, design and connectivity, while aligning with standards environmental. But Toyota is not content to bring the Celica back to the forefront. At the same time, the GR86 should evolve to integrate a hybrid enginewhile the Supra, launched in 2019, could also be renewed in the next three to four years. The return of the Celica therefore promises to be a key piece in redefining the identity of Toyota sports cars.
Ultimately, the message is clear: Toyota doesn’t just want to bring back the Celica to satisfy fans’ nostalgia. It’s about reinventing a legend for a new generation of drivers. For the moment, no image of this new model has leaked onto the internet, but it won’t be long before the Japanese manufacturer will have to wait very long before showing the first lines of its little sports car, which, we hope , will be greatly inspired by the concept that pleased the public so much.
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