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Breaking News: Toyota Celica Is Making A Comeback After An 18 Year Hiatus
Exciting news for car enthusiasts! Honda is reviving the beloved Prelude, and Toyota isn’t far behind, as they’re set to bring back the iconic sporty coupe name. It’s hard not to feel the buzz in the air: the Toyota Celica is making its comeback!
The Celica model name may not resonate as loudly as ‘The Supra’, but it is undoubtedly a household name in the automotive world. The last Celica left the factory gates in Susono, Japan, some eighteen years ago, and as much as former Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda would have liked it otherwise, there was no market for a successor. The fact that Honda recently definitively announced that it would breathe new life into the Prelude must have put extra pressure on Toyoda’s bruise. But not for long. Because guess what? Toyota is bringing back the Celica!
In early 2021, it was already announced by the English Autocar that there was hope on the Celica horizon. Toyota had re-registered the Celica model name with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This time, it was announced via the normally well-informed Best Car that the Toyota Celica is returning. The Japanese magazine quotes Toyota’s Chief Technology Officer, who confirms that Toyota “[…] will make the new Celica.” For now, we have to make do with this otherwise empty confirmation, but that is already quite something.
The Toyota Celica debuted 54 years ago and survived in various forms until 2006. The Celica started its life as a rear-wheel drive but switched to front-wheel drive in the third generation. Over the years, four-wheel-drive variants have also appeared. Except for the last Celica, each model was available—depending on the market—as a two-door and three-door. In addition, convertibles were also on the order lists for the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth generations.