UK media were given some insight into Toyota’s new coupe, including an unexpected name change to Celica Sport.
The revived Toyota Celica appears to be shaping up as a close match to previous rally-derived GT-Four versions.
That’s according to UK publication, Autocar, based on an interview with the head of marketing for Toyota’s Gazoo Racing performance arm.
Mikio Hayashi, the head of marketing for Gazoo Racing, dropped strong new hints about what to expect from the new model.
When pressed for details about the new coupe’s powertrain, Hayashi revealed that the current 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine in the GR Yaris and GR Corolla could be retired due to emissions.
“The displacement size of 1.6 litres, for example, cannot meet emission regulations.” Hayashi said, “So we have to consider the possibility of a 2.0-litre.”
While the current 1.6-litre engine was designed around WRC homologation requirements, the new, bigger engine will prioritise the demands of volume production, with a closer relationship to other engines in Toyota’s line-up.
Although not explicitly quoted in the article, Autocar also reveals that the new model was referred to as ‘Celica Sport’ rather than simply Celica.
While this appears to be the first mention of the Sport suffix, it could also be Toyota’s way of indicating that a more hardcore version may follow.
This strategy would follow the current Gazoo Racing convention of less powerful GR Sport and range-topping GR versions of cars like the Yaris and Corolla overseas, leaving room for a flagship GR Celica at a later date.
A Toyota spokesperson also reportedly revealed that the new coupe would have all-wheel drive.
Despite no single format defining the Celica name, with front-, rear-, and all-wheel drive models across generations, and both turbocharged and naturally aspirated engines, the move to a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive invokes the Celica’s rally heritage.
Across three generations, from 1986 to 1999, the Celica GT-Four featured a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine and all-wheel drive, with homologation-spec versions built to comply with World Rally Championship regulations of the era.
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
