New Toyota GR Celica trademark is latest step in sports car's revival
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The revival of the Toyota Celica sports car is getting closer with the publication of a new trademark likely to grace the reborn coupe’s tailgate.
Toyota has issued its latest hint at the revival of the Celica sports coupe with a trademark filing in Brazil last month for the GR Celica badge.
The Japanese car giant has been seen trademarking the Celica badge in the past, but it is the presence of the GR prefix that is of particular interest.
All other current Toyota performance car wear the branding of its Gazoo Racing high-performance division – GR Supra, GR86, GR Corolla and GR Yaris – so it would be natural for a reborn Celica to follow suit.
MORE: Toyota Celica revival reportedly confirmed by top executive
Plans for a new Celica have reportedly already been confirmed by Toyota, according to quotes published by magazine Best Car last year, nearly two decades after the original line went out of production in 2006.
“To be honest, there is no sign of it right now. However, there are many people within the company who are eagerly awaiting the Celica,” Toyota chief technology officer Hiroki Nakajima is said to have told attendees of the Japanese round of the World Rally Championship in November 2024.
“So… I wonder if it’s okay to say this in a public forum, but we’re doing the Celica!”
Arrival timing is yet to be confirmed, but it has been speculated it could be as soon as this year.
MORE: Toyota reveals new petrol engine, rumoured for Celica and MR2
Japanese reports suggest the revived Celica will be powered by Toyota’s next-generation 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which is planned to develop as much as 300kW.
The previous Celica sold from 1970 to 2006 and was originally a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive coupe before transforming into a front- and all-wheel-drive layout later in life (the latter reserved for the rally-bred GT-Four flagship), but there is a possibility it could go mid-engined to create space for the front-engined GR86.
Toyota recently unveiled a mid-engined prototype based on the GR Yaris, fitted with its new 2.0-litre engine driving the rear wheels.
A revival of the Japanese car giant’s back catalogue of iconic sports cars – including the Celica and mid-engined MR2 – has long been on the cards.
MORE: New Toyota MR2 one big step closer with reveal of mid-engined GR Yaris prototype
Toyota president Koji Sato said in May 2023 “I want to revive the Celica,” followed by comments from Chaiman Toyoda at another Japanese rallying event later in the year hinting at a new Celica.
“I'm not just saying this because we're at a rally event, but Kankkunen is Mr Celica. He was champion four times in the Celica,” Toyoda (translated) told the brand’s internal publication Toyota Times.
“Now you can all have a think about why I'm using Kankkunen so much. See if you can guess!”
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