It’s said that Toyota will be relaunching its sports car, the Celica, around 2026, with a full model change. If this happens, it will mark the first time the iconic Toyota Celica has been back in 20 years, having ceased sales in 2006. A red engine currently under development was unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2024, and I feel there’s a chance that this engine could be used in the revived Celica, so I’ve put together this article.
“Red engine” under development unveiled at “Tokyo Auto Salon 2024”
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) and LEXUS will be holding a “New Year’s Greetings from Morizo” event at the TGR booth in East Hall 8 at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2024, which will be held at Makuhari Messe from January 12th to 14th, 2024. Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman and Representative Director Akio Toyoda will be delivering a speech at the event, announcing the launch of a new “engine project.” Photographs of the creation of a “silver engine” and a “red engine” were shown.
In his “New Year’s Greetings from Morizo,” Toyoda Akio spoke on three themes: 1. “Making Friends for the Future,” 2. “Making Friends Across Borders,” and 3. “Protecting Friends for the Future.” In the third section, “Protecting Friends for the Future,” Morizo made a request to Toyota: ” Engines still have a role to play as a realistic means toward carbon neutrality, so let’s further hone our engine technology and launch such a project.” President Sato and the rest of the management team agreed, and a new project was launched. Toyoda concluded by saying, ” EV, HV, PHEV, FCEV—any power source is fine. The truth is always the same: ‘The enemy is carbon.’ Let’s create the future together, car lovers. “
During the “Car Roundtable Discussion” held after “New Year’s Greetings from Morizo ,” a question was asked about the two engines currently under development, to which Chairman Toyoda replied hesitantly, “Well,” explaining that the first, silver engine is “an environmentally friendly engine,” and the second, red engine, is “an engine that can win races.” This means that there is a possibility that this red engine will be installed in a future sports model, and based on past trends, this author got the impression that Chairman Toyoda would like to use it in the next Celica engine.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and Lexus Announce Exhibit Details for Tokyo Auto Salon 2024
Toyota Chairman Morizo shows off his car collection, including the “Jimny” that’s not a Toyota.
Will it be Toyota’s new GR “Celica”?
In an interview, Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda revealed that he had expressed his desire to revive the Celica name, but emphasized that the decision was not his alone.
In an interview livestreamed on the Toyota Times YouTube channel ahead of the Rally Hokkaido, Toyoda was asked about the possibility of a new Celica (5:21:19). “Well, I don’t know what name it will be released under,” Toyoda said. “Some people are tired of hearing me say it,” he said.
Four-time WRC champion Juha Kankkunen is synonymous with the Celica. He said, “We should think about why Akio Toyoda has been using Juha Kankkunen so much.” The chances of the Celica’s revival seem quite high.
summary
There have been many talks about what could be the key to the revival of the Celica, but when you put it all together, you get the sense that Akio Toyoda has a strong desire to revive the Celica name. However, as Toyota Motor Corporation himself has said, not all opinions are accepted, so it may not be a company where the chairman’s opinions are always accepted. However, as engine development progresses and discussions move forward internally, it seems possible that a new Celica could be introduced in the not-too-distant future.
Tokyo Auto Salon 2024
https://www.tokyoautosalon.jp/2024/
Auto Salon News Release
https://www.tokyoautosalon.jp/topics/detail/100686
Toyota News Release
