Once ridiculed for being the world’s largest appliance car maker, Toyota has emerged as the unlikely savior of small, somewhat affordable performance cars in the United States. The automaker has given us the GR Supra, GR86, and GR Corolla in recent years, and an executive recently hinted that one of the brand’s most iconic nameplates could be returning.
Chairman Akio Toyoda told Best Car magazine, “We will make the Celica.” Rumors have swirled for years that the sporty two-door could make a return, and while Toyoda quickly realized that he might have let too much slip with the statement, the development makes it much more likely that we’ll see the car at some point in the near future.
While we could be a bit closer to seeing a new Celica, Toyota is unsurprisingly tight-lipped about what it could entail. The automaker has not hinted at the car’s powertrain options or specs, but it has said that it’s developing a new family of four-cylinder engines, including 1.5- and 2.0-liter units. Some combination of forced induction and electrification is expected for one of them.
Of course, it’s probably a good idea to temper expectations. Honda is bringing the Prelude back as a hybrid, and while it will likely be quick, it won’t be the light, lively sports car the original was. That said, Toyota’s recent GR models are impressive, even if it had to lean on BMW for the Supra, which could bode well for a future Celica.
[Images: Toyota]
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Source: The Truth About Cars
