​​A New (GR) Celica?​

Remember the Toyota Celica?

In the fall of 1970, Toyota introduced a small coupe that would bring enthusiasts to our showrooms for years to come. The Celica looked like a typical sports coupe of the era, but it was more efficient and completely fun to drive.

From that start, the Celica became everyone’s go-to affordable sports coupe. It came in a notchback, liftback, and convertible, and you even had some models with turbochargers and all-wheel drive. The Celica began to appear as everyone’s favorite sporty car to drive. They also took to the streets in the Toyota Celebrity Race during Long Beach Grand Prix weekend.

By 2006, the Celica became history. Thirty-six model years of fun for the enthusiast was over. We have seen vehicles that would try to fill the Celica’s void, such as the Scion tC, GR 86, and GR Supra. Yet, there are those who would rather have the real thing.

What if we told you that a rumor is being reported of the Celica’s return? As an authority on automotive industry news, Autoblog reported that Toyota has confirmed the return of the Celica. Along with the CarScoops website, they stated that “a new trademark filing suggests it will carry the performance-focused GR branding. With reports pointing to a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine pushing 400 horsepower and potential all-wheel drive.” This was even confirmed at a public event in Japan. Toyota’s Global Vice President Yuki Nakajima said, “[w]e’re doing the Celica.”

Everything else has been a series of speculation and rumors. Would it be front-engined or mid-engined? What will it look like? On which platform will it be built on? There are so many possibilities to consider, yet with nothing confirmed, we can only guess.

Although the number of coupes and sporty vehicles has dwindled in recent years, Toyota is committed to offering them to our customers. Under the Gazoo Racing brand, our commitment to engaging enthusiasts is more robust than ever with the GR Supra and GR 86. The future shows that we are bringing forth a new generation of GR sports coupes later this decade and beyond. Some of these will be a part of our Beyond Zero plan to introduce a line of zero-emission vehicles to market.

If you cannot wait for a new Celica, Valley Hi Toyota can get you into a GR 86, GR Supra, or GR Corolla in the meantime. Contact us to experience the excitement of Gazoo Racing on the road or at a nearby track – maybe Willow Springs or Thermal?