Photo: Instagram | hotcars.official and adry53customs
Toyota pulled the plug on the Celica nearly two decades ago, and we haven’t heard much about it, from an official point of view anyway, ever since.
The last example of the seventh generation was made in Japan in 2006, and it was offered in a three-door liftback body style, with a front-engine and front-wheel drive layout. The lump of choice was a 1.8-liter straight-four, in different states of tune, with up to 190 hp produced.
An all-wheel drive system was available for the sixth, fifth, and fourth generations, and the third-gen was rear-wheel drive, just like its two predecessors. The first Celica was pretty much a Japanese muscle car, bar the V8 power obviously. With its timeless design, and an assortment of gasoline burners, hooked up to manual or automatic transmissions, it came out at the end of 1970, and it stuck around for seven years.
Now, ever since Toyota sounded the death knell for the Celica 17 years ago, there have been constant rumors of a possible comeback, with modern underpinnings, and the latest safety and technology gear. But as every gearhead and their pet knows, it hasn’t returned with a new generation. And judging by the company’s push for electrification, with the obvious emphasis on expanding and refreshing its high-riding vehicle lineup, chances are we will never see a Celica-badged sports coupe in the near future, not with an internal combustion engine anyway.
Nevertheless, while Toyota is anything but interested in reviving the Celica nameplate, even if they have re-secured the moniker with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the internet has given us numerous fresh takes on it. The latest has adry53customs and hotcars.official behind it, and it kind of sends GR Supra vibes from certain angles, albeit with smaller proportions. It has a modern design language, with lots of soft lines running across its length, and a new-gen Prius-like face with a few updates. Out back it looks like an exaggerated Supra. If taken individually, these cues are not something to write home about, but overall, they blend in quite nicely for the most part.
A modern-day Celica (or would that be the GR Celica?) would need a punchy engine under that long hood, a smooth-shifting transmission, joined by a three-pedal version, and pure rear-wheel drive in order to attract enthusiasts and sell in sufficient numbers to be a viable product. But would you contribute to its sales by purchasing one if they gave it a go, or would you rather stick to the GR 86 or the GR Supra instead? You could also choose something from a different auto marque, so what would it be? Drop a line below and let us know.
An all-wheel drive system was available for the sixth, fifth, and fourth generations, and the third-gen was rear-wheel drive, just like its two predecessors. The first Celica was pretty much a Japanese muscle car, bar the V8 power obviously. With its timeless design, and an assortment of gasoline burners, hooked up to manual or automatic transmissions, it came out at the end of 1970, and it stuck around for seven years.
Now, ever since Toyota sounded the death knell for the Celica 17 years ago, there have been constant rumors of a possible comeback, with modern underpinnings, and the latest safety and technology gear. But as every gearhead and their pet knows, it hasn’t returned with a new generation. And judging by the company’s push for electrification, with the obvious emphasis on expanding and refreshing its high-riding vehicle lineup, chances are we will never see a Celica-badged sports coupe in the near future, not with an internal combustion engine anyway.
Nevertheless, while Toyota is anything but interested in reviving the Celica nameplate, even if they have re-secured the moniker with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the internet has given us numerous fresh takes on it. The latest has adry53customs and hotcars.official behind it, and it kind of sends GR Supra vibes from certain angles, albeit with smaller proportions. It has a modern design language, with lots of soft lines running across its length, and a new-gen Prius-like face with a few updates. Out back it looks like an exaggerated Supra. If taken individually, these cues are not something to write home about, but overall, they blend in quite nicely for the most part.
A modern-day Celica (or would that be the GR Celica?) would need a punchy engine under that long hood, a smooth-shifting transmission, joined by a three-pedal version, and pure rear-wheel drive in order to attract enthusiasts and sell in sufficient numbers to be a viable product. But would you contribute to its sales by purchasing one if they gave it a go, or would you rather stick to the GR 86 or the GR Supra instead? You could also choose something from a different auto marque, so what would it be? Drop a line below and let us know.
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