Rumor: Toyota Could Bring the Celica Back as an EV
Toyota’s outgoing CEO, Akio Toyoda, is a legitimate car guy, racing and driving vehicles harder than any executive probably should. A report from the Japanese site Best Car Web states that the automaker’s new CEO, Tsuneji Sato, expressed a fondness for the Celica, saying he’d like to see a new version of the defunct coupe in Toyota’s catalog.
The publication obtained a statement from Toyota that appeared to sidestep but not deny the question. A Toyota rep reportedly told Best Car Web, "The new president of Lexus and the GR company, Sato, has the intention of continuing to release GR sports models.” That’s not a confirmation of a new Celica, but it certainly doesn’t rule anything out.
This is exciting news, especially for Toyota fans, but it’s important to note that the reports aren’t verified. Best Car Web and Motor1 have both reached out to Toyota for comment but haven’t heard back. We know Toyota’s planning a range of electric vehicles, likely including a sporty coupe, but any resemblance to a Celica is probably coincidental at this point.
We’ve also heard from others at Toyota that there’s a desire to bring back cars like the MR2, and the Supra’s return seems to be a success, so this may not be such a long shot. In the meantime, we’ve also contacted Toyota for comment and will update this story when we receive a response.
[Image: Sue Thatcher via Shutterstock]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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What will the Subaru version be called? WReX?
There's also a rumor of Honda bringing a Prelude BEV to market. Which is also a waste of time, when they need to focus on electrifying the HR-V, CR-V, Pilot, Accord and Civic.
Best Car is just below supermarket tabloid in their respectability, with majority of their "scoop" a fanboy fantasy. Their every other issue involves a "confirmation" that an all new RX-7, Silvia, Skyline, or another late 80's/early 90's car revival.
This time, the new CEO's statement that he's a big Celica fan and that he'd like to see it again is true. Everything after that is a pure fantasy.
Likely as a 9 passenger $100k plus golf cart.