Did Toyota Accidentally Tease Its New Sports Car?

Toyota might’ve just accidentally teased one of its new sports car revivals. In a recent blog post by the world-famous DirtFish rally school, along with several accompanying posts on X (1, 2), Toyota confirmed it’s testing its new WRC racecar.

Accompanying the news bit were some photos from a big WRC fan, who posted his findings on social media. Not only does the new prototype confirm Toyota’s impending return to the World Rally Championship.

The new prototype has fans speculating out the wazoo, claiming it could be teasing the new Celica revival.

A new Celica is in the works, could this be it?

Marcio Pereira

We already know Toyota is hard at work developing some new sports cars. While there have been a few confirmations and teasers, ambiguity still surrounds which future models will arrive first.

So far, Toyota already confirmed the return of the Celica at the annual Rally Japan event in November 2024. Toyota Motor Corporation’s Executive Vice President for Product, Yuki Nakajima, confirmed it by exclaiming, “we’re making the Celica,” who was on the event’s main entertainment stage with Akio Toyoda.

Marcio Pereira

Toyota has also been known to be working on a mid-engine MR2 revival. That came to light after the automaker revealed its mid-engine GR Yaris M prototype.

More tidbits also confirmed the arrival of both vehicles. Which, mainly from the automaker filing trademarks for the MR2 and the Celica around the globe.

Marcio Pereira

Given Toyota’s last big champion wins prior to its 2017 reentry involved a Group A Celica in the 1990s, that has fans connecting the dots, claiming the test mule could be teasing a new model.

Additionally, peek at the prototype in question, and one can see a more coupe-like body. Versus, the Yaris’s two-box hatchback shape.

“At this point in time we are already running our prototype test car,” Toyota’s technical director, Tom Fowler, told DirtFish. “The design team are concentrating on all of the feedback that’s coming from that car and working around issues and improvements.”

Reviving its WRC heritage

Marcio Pereira

Toyota reentered the World Rally Championship in 2017, after a nearly decade-long hiatus. But because the Celica hasn’t been in production since 2009, the automaker has utilized its Yaris platform for its competition-spec rally cars.

However, Toyota only really got famous in the WRC racing Celicas during the Group A era of the 1990s. It’s the same era that made the Subaru Impreza WRX STI and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution famous on the WRC stage.

Marcio Pereira

Since then, Toyota tried competing with race-prepped Corollas. However, the effort wasn’t as successful, leading the automaker to eventually withdraw from WRC in the late 2000s.

The Japanese auto giant returned in 2017 with the Yaris, which went on to score numerous victories since. But now, Toyota’s apparently looking to succeed the Yaris with the Celica revival.

Toyota

To date, Toyota amassed nine manufacturer title wins and ten driver titles, making it one of the most revered names in WRC.

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