It would be foolish for the division to rest on its laurels now that Toyota’s Gazoo Racing (GR) performance branch is firmly established.
Then there is the Celica, a reasonably priced coupe that went through seven incarnations from 1970 to 2006 and soon gained a reputation for offering a lot of enthusiast appeal at a reasonable price.
Similar to the final-generation Celica, Theophilus Chin’s reimagined 2022 Celica is built on a borrowed Corolla platform, which isn’t the most interesting foundation but offers plenty of room for customization as a member of Toyota’s modular TNGA chassis family.
This adaptability makes a variety of powerplant alternatives possible. Again, going back in time, there is space for engines from both the Corolla and the Camry, resulting in base engine tuning of at least 125kW and 152kW from the 2.0-liter and 2.5-litre engines of the source cars, respectively.
The 2.5-liter engine would make a fantastic base model for Australia, with the 2.5-liter hybrid Camry serving as the “flagship” model, tuned to produce at least 170kW with, hopefully, development room to pair it with a manual and conventional automatic, as opposed to the Camry’s less-exciting 160kW with a CVT.
Our eighth-generation Celica carries on from where the angular seventh-gen car left off rather than ripping up the rulebook and starting from scratch. Similar low profile, with an improvement over the previous triangular headlight.
Although the body is still a liftback design, it is now more horizontal in nature like those found on Toyota’s popular models.
The front bumper intake makes a connection to the present Corolla, but the thin slit grille calls to mind the previous Celica.
Even while the vehicle is still, the inflated wheel arches, wider front and rear tracks, vented front guards, rising bodyside feature lines, and sill panels give the appearance of motion.
With LED lighting and bumper garnishes in the shape of vents, the rear of the car is highlighted by a tail-light panel that wraps around the corners like a strut brace, emphasizing the forward-motion design.
We’d want to see the maximum output 220kW engine from the GR Corolla combined with the 390Nm output from the GRMN Yaris because the outputs for the GR Celica can only be range-topping. Similarly, ‘circuit’ suspension, forged alloy wheels, and Torsen limited slip differentials front and back are non-negotiable.
The GR-exclusive stepped central air intake, the larger vents behind the front wheels, the GR Corolla’s trio of functional exhaust tips, the ST205 GT-Four-inspired bonnet scoop, and, of course, GR’s distinctive Frosted White paint were all exterior features we simply had to have.
Sadly, there are currently no signs that Toyota will produce a new Celica; instead, the firm seems pleased with the GR86 and GR Supra. We can fantasize.
In This Article...
Toyota discontinued the Celica for what reason?
Toyota has produced a lot of intriguing cars over the years. Toyota has always focused on efficiency, usability, and affordability, from the Prius to the RAV4. Looking back at earlier Toyota models to see how far the company has advanced in terms of design and quality is also enjoyable.
The Toyota Celica is one of the more well-known Toyota models that is no longer in production. We wonder what happened to the Toyota Celica because it seemed like everyone knew someone who owned one. Despite the fact that manufacture was only stopped in 2006, there aren’t as many of them on the roads nowadays. Sure, there are a few here and there, but it begs the question as to why many more didn’t utilize this sporty yet efficient vehicle.
A quick overview of the Toyota Celica’s history is necessary to comprehend what transpired with the vehicle. The car was produced from 1970 to 2006, but the drivetrain’s move from rear- to front-wheel drive in 1985 was the biggest shift.
The original Celica came in three trim levels: LT, ST, and GT, and was a hardtop coupe. The GTV trim level was also available; it was released in 1972, handled a little better, but had a less opulent interior. A 1.6L or a 2L engine was standard on the Celica.
When the second-generation Celica was introduced in 1978, it was offered as a coupe and a liftback with a “B pillar. 2.2L engine provided power to the base model Celica of the second generation.
When the third generation of Celicas was introduced in 1981, buyers once again had a choice between a coupe and a liftback. In 1984, a convertible version was also released. This generation of Celicas comes standard with a 2.4L engine. In 1982, all Celicas sold in North America were required to have fuel injection.
Toyota Celicas of the seventh and last generation, which were coupes, were sold from 1999 to 2006. Power locks and windows were installed in the center console, and the car was lighter and more cheap than prior model years. In its base model, it had a 1.8L engine that generated 140 horsepower. Due to poor sales, Toyota declared that it would stop manufacturing the Celica in the United States in 2004.
The Celica eventually evolved into the Celica Supra, then into just the Supra, but that is an another tale for another day. Live long and prosper, Toyota Celica!
What does a 2022 Toyota Celica cost?
One of the few remaining reasonably priced sports cars with rear-wheel drive on the market, the 2022 Toyota GR86, which succeeds the previous-generation 86, increases horsepower, torque, more aggressive styling, and cutting-edge safety systems. And despite all of those improvements, the 2022 GR86’s starting price for the six-speed manual version will only be $28,725 (all prices include destination). The 86 skipped 2021, so that’s only $670 more than the base 2020 model with a manual.
What Toyota was the Celica’s successor?
In January 1980, Toyota introduced the four-door Celica Camry to the Japanese market. This vehicle was essentially a 19771981 Toyota Carina (A40 and A50) from the second generation with a front end that was extended to match the 19781981 Celica XX, also known as the Celica Supra in export markets. This Carina-derived Celica is a four-door sedan as opposed to a coupe or liftback, unlike other Celicas. When the front-wheel-drive Toyota Camry (V10) model was introduced in 1982, Toyota replaced the Celica Camry.
Will the GR86 replace the Celica?
There are plenty aspiring automobile designers out there that have a basic understanding of computer rendering and produce predictable concepts with no realistic chance of materializing, regardless of final design. There is nothing wrong with dreaming, but the market for affordable RWD and FWD coupes is both nearly dead. Who is it intended for? How does it avoid duplicating a current product? Toyota declined to utilize the moniker Celica, which could have been used to either the GR86 or the 2.0 Supra. It makes sense because, even more than 15 years ago, when numerous manufactures offered FWD coupes, they were durable but unimpressive FWD coupes for a considerable amount of time until they perished. The Supra name was utilized again because it is valuable, thanks in large part to a laughably idiotic “car” movie and the diseased nostalgia-seeking eye (in their day, they were routinely near the lower end of performance shootouts with their contemporaries, all of which are worth a lot less money today).
Does the Celica Supra exist?
The A60 Celica XX, which debuted in Japan in July 1981, marked the next development in the Toyota Supra’s history. This new model, which was built on the slick, third-generation Celica platform and emphasized athletic prowess, was marketed as the Celica Supra in all export countries.
In August 1982, the new Celica Supra was introduced to the European market for the first time. In the UK, where there was a limited supply of just 100 vehicles per month, the Celica Supra enjoyed an added air of exclusivity.
The Supra’s renowned long wheelbase and stretched front-end allowed Toyota to once again equip its top-of-the-line sports car with a straight-six powerplant, particularly its new 2.8-litre 5M-GE flagship twin-cam engine, even though it was identical to the regular Celica coup from the B-pillar backwards. Retractable headlamps, a more pronounced flare to the wheel arches, and, most crucially for enthusiasts, independent rear suspension were other distinguishing features of the second-generation Celica Supra.
Similar to the Celica, is the Toyota 86?
Toyota has been making allusions to the long-anticipated reintroduction of other well-known nameplates, such as the MR2 and Celica. From 1970 until 2006, the Celica was a sporty coupe that was produced across seven generations. Supra, Toyota’s iconic sports vehicle, was first a Celica trim level before becoming an independent model in 1986. With the 86 and Supra, Toyota now offers a two-car series of sports cars. Many have questioned why the 86, which is less powerful, didn’t simply take the Celica label.
When the Scion brand was disbanded, the 86 wasn’t given the Celica name back, which is exactly why we spoke with Toyota spokesperson Nancy Hubbell at the premiere event for the new Supra.
Remember that the Toyota 86 was initially marketed as the Scion FR-S in the US but went by the name GT86 in other countries? Toyota made the decision to keep three Scion models in production as rebadged Toyota vehicles after the Scion brand was discontinued in 2016. Hubbell recalls, “I was in the meeting when we agreed to name the iM the Corolla iM, the iA the Yaris iA, and the FR-S the 86.” The reason the 86 wasn’t given the Celica nameplate was that it required a new product, and there wasn’t much enthusiasm for it.
It would have been false to slap the Celica brand on a vehicle that had already been sold under a different moniker. Because the Celica name is valuable, it will only be applied to a brand-new automobile that was specifically designed to be a Celica. Toyota chose the 86 designation because it wanted the US-spec vehicle to more closely resemble the GT86 offered in other regions. We might see the nameplate reappear when/if the 86 is replaced because Hubbell didn’t confirm or reject that the Celica moniker could ultimately make a comeback.
It would be challenging to forecast how the Celica will look in 2019 because it underwent so many changes over the course of its 36-year lifespan. The twin sports cars, the 86 and BRZ, were co-developed by Toyota and Subaru, but neither company has been forthcoming about whether or not a new generation will be added. We wouldn’t mind if Toyota chose to call the second-generation 86 the Celica if it did decide to produce one. We’d also be pleased if Toyota opted to sell the Celica in the US instead of the four-cylinder Supra.