SerpApi.Org
Earlier this year, we got our first glimpse of what we thought might be the next-generation Toyota Celica. It was a WRC rally car prototype in camouflage, but sporting a distinctly coupe-shaped body. Being a WRC car, though, the shape was likely a bit wonky due to regulations that demand all series cars use the same space frame. Today, though, we may have our best preview of the production car thanks to an X user's chance encounter.
It Has Surprising Proportions
According to the post, X user You_SuiKoyoAZ was at Fuji Speedway's museum cafe when the test car showed up on track. Thankfully, said user took photos and even some video of the car as it was lapping. It's similar to the WRC prototype in the sense that it's a two-door with a fair bit of glass area (if it wasn't filled in by blank panels). However, the roofline is significantly lower, and the doors are much longer, more in keeping with a coupe.
Additionally, the front end looks longer and lower. The length isn't just at the very front, but also between the front wheels and the A pillars. It's enough for us to think the car could have a longitudinal engine layout and a drivetrain that could be rear- or all-wheel drive.
This test car has plenty of parts that are almost certainly not going to reach production. The headlights and taillights appear to have been pulled straight off of the GR Yaris. The big rear wing looks purely functional, not like a factory or dealer option. Plus, the fenders are especially wide and aggressive. We're thinking this might be a test mule for a race car based on the eventual production car.
The video reveals one other interesting tidbit. As the car heads onto the straight, the driver clearly shifts. The revs pause, and for far longer than one would expect if the car had an automatic or sequential transmission. That leads us to think this car is probably equipped with a genuine manual gearbox.
What We're Expecting
Toyota has confirmed it's working on a new performance car, though hasn't said for sure that it will be called Celica. We do expect it to have that name, and we're also expecting it to have a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that Toyota has also been developing. It's called the G20E, and it's a derivative of the 1.6-liter three-cylinder currently in the GR Yaris and GR Corolla. The engine has actually been shown off in Toyota's mid-engine GR Yaris prototype where it makes more than 400 horsepower. Rumor has it that it could even support up to 600 hp.
Beyond the engine and the body style, though, it's hard to say much else with certainty. All-wheel drive seems likely if Toyota ties it to the WRC car. It would also help differentiate it from the GR 86, assuming that model remains. Plus, as we've already discussed, this new prototype could indicate a longitudinal engine and a manual transmission.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
As enthusiasts, we're obviously excited that Toyota is far from done when it comes to sports cars. We'll be curious to see how it fits into the Toyota line-up, though. The GR Yaris and GR Corolla have already filled the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive performance car niche, and the GR 86 does the same for an affordable sports coupe. We can see two possibilities. One is that the GR 86 is replaced by the new Celica, or the Celica may end up as a more high-end sports car, possibly filling in for the now discontinued GR Supra. Output in the 400-hp range would certainly put it in the range of the Supra and that car's rivals.
It's also evident that Toyota is still committed to motorsports, since this sure seems like a race car prototype. That was clear with the new GR GT, which seems purpose-built to create a great GT3 car. However, Toyota has a presence in other race car classes below GT3, thanks to the Supra. With the Supra going away, Toyota will need a replacement, and this new Celica could be just that. Plus, its heritage and the new WRC rules lend themselves nicely for a rally car like we saw earlier this year.
Source: X / You_SuiKoyoAZ
