Report: Toyota Is Making A New Celica – Debuting in 2025?

Toyota VP Hiroki Nakajima confirms the return of the long-awaited Celica, set to debut alongside the next-gen GR86 model.

This is it. After years of speculation and rumours, Toyota has finally confirmed that the beloved Celica nameplate is making a comeback. This was announced by the company’s vice president, Hiroki Nakajima, during the Rally Japan public event held at Toyota Stadium in Japan earlier this week.

Toyota executive Vice President Hiroki Nakajima (left) & Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda (right) were both present during the WRC Rally Japan public showcase.

As reported by BestCarWeb Japan, said announcement was made in a rather impromptu manner, as Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda, who was also in the audience during the Rally Japan event, was asked directly regarding the return of the Celica nameplate. The chairman, also known by his racing moniker Master Morizo, playfully dodged and redirected the question to his deputy.

To that avail, Nakajima spontaneously answered, “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. So, I’m not sure if it’s okay to say this in a public forum, but we’re doing the Celica!” BestCarWeb Japan reported.

Toyota Celica GT4 Mk5 (left) & Celica GTS Mk6 (right)

The Celica has always been a staple in Toyota’s lineup since the 1970s, where a total of seven generations were iterated throughout its four-decade history. Several rumours and stories regarding the comeback of the Celica have been in the air for years, with the latest one suggesting that the eighth-gen model could make its first debut at the upcoming 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon (TAS) next year, albeit in a pre-production concept form.

Besides the rumours and this impromptu confirmation by the company’s top exec, it seems that Toyota may have dropped some subtle hints regarding the Celica’s return weeks ahead of this latest revelation. As pointed out by Carscoops, in Toyota’s original anime series GRIP, the automaker showed a board in the background featuring some of its upcoming models, which not only include an eighth-gen Celica but also a new Supra Mk6, MR2 Mk4, GR86 Mk3, and GR GT3, to name a few. While they may seem like a mere coincidence, perhaps there’s more we can expect from the Japanese automaker in the near future.

Besides the new Celica, an audience member also asked the Toyota delegates regarding the next-gen GR86, specifically pertaining to rumours that it might get a turbocharged hybrid powertrain for its next-gen iteration. Answering this rumour, Toyota’s Super Taikyu Series driver Kazuya Oshima said, “We’re working on a lot of things for the future of the nameplate. Development is mainly happening on the circuit.”

Whether any of these rumours are true, it is good to see automakers like Toyota still putting their thoughts into developing and creating a new breed of sportscars, especially in this era of electrification and net-zero mobility adoption. On that front, Toyota has also showcased several carbon-free alternatives such as the GR Corolla H2 and the AE86 BEV concepts, proving that going net-zero does not necessarily mean that one has to entirely abandon their racing roots and heritage – a concept that some western brands seem hard-pressed to grasp.