We’ve heard rumors detailing a new Toyota Celica for so long that the model would likely be nearing the end of its life cycle had it launched when the first report emerged. Fans waiting for the eighth-generation Celica shouldn’t give up hope: It’s reportedly still in the pipeline, but it hasn’t been approved yet.
“[The] bottom line is we are working on a product that could theoretically go by the Celica name if we can figure out how to pull it off and it gets approved,” revealed Cooper Ericksen, the senior vice president of product planning and strategy for Toyota’s North American division, in an interview with Motor Trend.
Forget about the vague rumors and the rampant speculation that are shrouding the new Celica; Cooper’s comments are about as official as it gets. And, it’s important to point out that he didn’t say “there’s a new Celica due out soon!” At this stage, the model sounds like it’s merely a prototype that hasn’t received the proverbial green light for production yet, and that it hasn’t even been assigned the vaunted Celica name.
Taken at face value, the executive’s statement suggests that the eighth-gen Celica isn’t a done deal. But, it also confirms that something is happening behind the scenes; There’s an ongoing project inside Toyota that is developing a coupe positioned between the GR86 and the Supra. Cooper stopped short of revealing what the new Celica might look like, but he clarified that the various renderings floating around the internet and being passed off as official leaked images of the car are fake and not accurate.
“It’s a pretty advanced development,” Ericksen said. He added that Toyota engineers have started testing the new Celica, and dealers on both sides of the Atlantic have reportedly been shown sketches depicting what the model could look like. What exactly is the brand testing? It’s too early to say, but the coupe won’t be heavily electrified. It may receive some kind of hybrid system; It will not be electric, however.
Another point that’s up in the air is when the eighth-gen Celica could make its debut. The launch timing won’t be set until the coupe is approved for production. “It’s a big wait and see. I’m just hopeful that we can get something,” Cooper concluded. The seventh-gen Celica (pictured throughout) retired from our market at the end of the 2005 model year, though production for Europe and Japan carried on until 2006. Hitting either anniversary is unlikely, and it’s not too far-fetched to speculate we may need to wait until closer to 2030 to see a new Celica. Toyota is working on numerous other projects, including a long-rumored truck positioned under the Tacoma that’s aimed at the Ford Maverick, and a low-volume coupe is likely low on its list of priorities.
Ooo, what about a Dacia Sandero?