Over two decades after Toyota discontinued the Celica nameplate with its seventh-generation model, the Japanese carmaker is set to bring the moniker back with a new hybrid all-wheel-drive sports coupe, per a new report from Autocar UK. Internally referred to as the Celica Sport, the eighth-gen model will serve as an entry point to Toyota’s performance-focused GR line-up and is expected to directly rival the Honda Prelude.
The Celica’s return was officially confirmed by Toyota in late 2024 as part of an effort to revive the “three brothers”, a term chairman Akio Toyoda affectionately uses for the Supra, Celica and MR2. The Supra nameplate came back as part of a joint collaboration with BMW in 2019 for the fifth-gen model (codename: A90), with the Celica likely to be next. A new mid-engined MR2 is tipped to be in development too.
Eighth-gen Toyota Celica: Everything we know
Like previous generations of the Celica, the eighth-gen model is anticipated to use the underpinnings of a mainstream Toyota car, possibly the next-gen Corolla. The front-engined coupe is likely to be powered by Toyota’s all-new 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that debuted last year, which is codenamed the G20E. This motor has a shorter piston stroke than Toyota’s current engines, making it lighter and more compact, and is expected to develop around 400hp and 500Nm in road-going applications.
The G20E engine will be paired with a hybrid system in the new Celica – it remains unclear whether the setup will be a strong hybrid or a plug-in hybrid. A Toyota spokesperson confirmed to Autocar UK that the eighth-gen Celica will be fitted with AWD as well.
As for the form factor, expect the eighth-gen Celica to be a two-door coupe, much like its predecessors. Styling may draw inspiration from the top-of-the-line Toyota GR GT supercar, which looks quite rakish and menacing. Interestingly, there will be a WRC version of the new Celica for the 2027 season. A prototype of the same was spotted testing a few months ago, sporting an all-new, relatively compact two-door body.
Since the 2027 WRC regulations mandate a 1.6-litre engine, however, the rally Celica is expected to use an evolved version of the GR Yaris’s 3-cylinder turbo-petrol motor. Speaking to Autocar UK, Gazoo Racing marketing manager Mikio Hayashi said, “The displacement size of 1.6 litres, for example, cannot meet emission regulations. So we have to consider the possibility of a 2.0-litre” for the road-going Celica, lending further credence to the utilisation of the G20E.
Dipan Sur
Dhruv Dhaka
