Toyota confirms new Celica

• Toyota is working on a modern Celica
• The new sports car is expected to complement, rather than replace, the GR86 and Supra.
• The jury is still out on whether the car will pack a gas engine or be an EV

Toyota’s renewed interest in performance and sports cars may bring yet another gift to enthusiasts: a new Toyota Celica.

Speaking during last week’s Rally Japan, senior Toyota official Yuki Nakajima confirmed that a new Celica is in the pipeline, Autocar reported on Monday.

Nakajima reportedly stated that work on the car had already begun but emphasized that it was still early days

“We’re making the Celica,” he is quoted as saying. “To be honest, there is no sign of it right now. However, there are many people within the company who are eagerly awaiting the Celica.”

Toyota has been hinting for years at a new Celica as part of a trio of sports cars including the GR86 and a high-end model, likely the Supra or a modern MR2. The last Celica, the seventh generation of the nameplate, ended production 18 years ago.

Toyota also continues to protect the “Celica” name; most recently, it renewed its trademark filing in 2021.

And only this year, an episode of Toyota’s self-published cartoon, called “Grip,” showed a whiteboard listing several potential new models including a new Supra, a new Celica, a new MR2, a new GR86, and a GR GT3. Of these, the GR GT3 has already been spotted testing, both as a race car and as a road car that could potentially end up wearing a Lexus badge.

What isn’t clear is whether the new Celica will pack a gas engine or electric motors. According to Autocar, Toyota has been debating whether to develop the car as an electric vehicle, or stick with a gas engine, possibly in hybrid configuration. The automaker has said it plans an electric sports car, and rolled out electric sports car concepts in 2023 and 2021. It also confirmed an electric sports car for Lexus in 2021 with the reveal of the Lexus Electrified Sport concept.