- Toyota is preparing an eighth-generation Celica performance coupe.
- The new model is expected to share underpinnings with the next Corolla.
- It will likely feature a hybrid turbo 2.0-liter engine and an AWD layout.
Toyota has spent the past few years building Gazoo Racing into a real performance division, and the wish list is finally getting answers. The Celica’s return was officially confirmed earlier this year, and the open question since has been what it rides on. Japanese reports first pointed to shared hardware with the mid-engine MR2 revival, which would have produced something very different from the car we remember. The latest word describes a front-engine all-wheel-drive hybrid coupe borrowing its architecture from the next-generation Corolla.
For now the car is being referred to as the Celica Sport, though Toyota has also trademarked GR Celica, which tracks. It will be joined by a mid-engine sports car that could revive the MR2 name. New generations of the GR 86 and GR Supra are rumored to be in the works as well, all of them sitting below the GR GT flagship supercar.
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According to a new report by Autocar, the new GR Celica’s underpinnings are expected to be closely linked to the upgraded multi-energy platform of the next Corolla. This follows the recipe of previous generations while ensuring commercial viability and more reasonable production costs compared to a bespoke architecture. The confirmed AWD layout and a sportier chassis setup are enough to sharpen the driving dynamics of the coupe compared to the FWD sedan.
Our speculative rendering of the upcoming Toyota Celica Sport.
The reborn Celica will be powered by a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, currently being tested by the mid-engined GR Yaris M prototype. The G20E unit will likely be part of a self-charging hybrid setup, replacing Gazoo Racing’s current turbo 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine that might be phased out due to stricter emission regulations. Toyota has revealed that the upcoming 2.0-liter is good for 400 hp in road-going form and capable of more than 600 hp in motorsport flavor.
Et en vidéo #WRC pic.twitter.com/IijrGfLWwN
— Rallye Sport (@RallyeSport) February 26, 2026
On paper, a Corolla-based GR Celica lines up against the Civic-based Honda Prelude. If the reported specs hold, the two won’t be playing the same game at all, with Toyota chasing outright performance and driver involvement while Honda’s aiming for something far softer.
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Furthermore, Toyota will reportedly give buyers a choice between a six-speed manual and an eight-speed automatic, both paired with a standard rally-derived AWD system lifted from the GR Corolla. That puts real daylight between the Celica and the Honda, which makes do with simulated gearshifts and front-wheel drive. It also gives the coupe a clear identity next to the rear-drive-only Toyota GR 86.
Illustrations: Thanos Pappas for CarScoops
Besides the production Celica Sport, Gazoo Racing is readying a rally version that could replace the GR Yaris in the WRC. Despite sharing the same name and some styling traits, the rally car will be entirely different under the skin, as dictated by regulations. A camouflaged prototype was spotted testing on WRC stages earlier this year revealing a mid-engine layout and an aggressive aero package.
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Toyota has yet to share any teasers or sketches of the Celica Sport, but we tried to envision its exterior design in a speculated rendering. Our take adopts a two-door coupe stance combining the styling language introduced by the new Corolla concept with sporty cues from Gazoo Racing. The automaker could also add references to previous generations of the Celica, with the silhouette of the ST165 appearing in an early cryptic teaser back in 2024.
Without an official date on the horizon, we can only assume that the Toyota Celica Sport will be unveiled over the next couple of years, hopefully arriving to dealerships as a 2028 MY.
