- Toyota has confirmed a new GR Celica will compete in the World Rally Championship from 2027.
- A road-going version is in development, but it may not arrive until nearer the end of the decade.
- Toyota hasn't confirmed what will power the road car, and reports suggest petrol or hybrid power, not fully electric.
- It's the latest in a string of revived names, including the electric Citroen 2CV.
The Toyota Celica is coming back. Toyota confirmed this week that it'll compete in the 2027 World Rally Championship with a new car called the GR Celica, and a road-going version is in development, though it may not reach showrooms until nearer the end of the decade. It's the first new Celica since the last one went out of production in 2006.
What do we know about the new Toyota Celica?
For now, most of the detail is about the rally car, which will run under the new Rally1 rules from 2027 with a front-mounted, turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine. The road car is much less certain. Reports suggest it could use a new turbocharged 2.0-litre engine with around 450hp, possibly with a hybrid option, but Toyota hasn't confirmed what will power it, and the head of its Gazoo Racing division says the project is only at the first of four development stages.
Why are old car names coming back?
The Celica is part of a growing trend for carmakers bringing back famous names. Citroen is reviving the 2CV as an electric city car for under £15,000 in 2028, and Renault has already brought back the 5 and the 4. A name people remember gets a new car noticed, and for buyers who grew up with the original, it's a powerful pull.
If there's an old Celica in your garage, or any car from the same era, find out whether all this nostalgia has made it worth more with a free car valuation from Regit.
Our verdict
The Celica has a proper rallying pedigree, so bringing the name back on a WRC car makes a lot of sense, but a road car is still years away and nothing about its price or powertrain is confirmed. If Toyota can build an affordable, fun coupe to wear the badge, it'll have a hit on its hands, but don't sell your old one just yet.