Toyota Confirms Celica Return, And It's Racing It In WRC

Toyota has officially confirmed that the Celica is making a comeback. We've known about the Japanese brand's plans to revive this iconic nameplate for some time, and it's now finally been revealed that the Celica will compete in next year's World Rally Championship alongside the GR Yaris Rally1 that motorsport fans know.

New regulations in the top Rally1 class of WRC mean car manufacturers are no longer limited to competing in just a single model, so Toyota can run the all-new Celica alongside a new version of the GR Yaris Rally1. Toyota was spotted testing a mysterious two-door rally coupe at the start of this year, prompting speculation that it was a new Celica designed to replace the Yaris. Claims that the car was the Celica have proven to be accurate, although it will race alongside the Yaris, rather than supersede it.

In September, an updated prototype of Toyota's new GR Celica Rally1 car was filmed up close. It looks significantly different from the GR Yaris Rally1 that competed in the 2026 WRC season, with a lower front end and headlights similar to the Corolla sold in Europe. Other key elements of this prototype include a gaping-wide grille, a large hood vent, a roof scoop, boxy front and rear quarter panels, and a large fixed rear wing.

Speaking with DirtFish, Toyota technical director Tom Fowler confirmed that the GR Celica Rally1 and GR Yaris Rally1 are identical under the skin and that it's competing with the Celica largely as a "marketing tool." While the two rally cars share most of their components, they have unique bodywork. Both will use turbocharged 1.6-liter engines, though Toyota hasn't confirmed if it'll use a three-cylinder or a four-cylinder.

The Toyota Celica has a long and rich history in the World Rally Championship. It made its international rally debut in 1972 and later competed in the Group B era of the mid-1980s with the Celica Twin Cam Turbo. After the Group B class was banned, Toyota created the Celica GT-Four and went on to claim drivers' championships with it in 1990 and 1992 with Carlos Sainz Sr., as well as claiming titles with Juha Kankkunen in 1993 and Didier Auriol in 1994. Toyota has also had lots of recent success, winning the past six manufacturers' titles.

If news of the Celica returning to the top form of rallying isn't enough to get you excited, the fact that a road-going Celica is just around the corner should. In addition to developing a new mid-engined platform that could revive the iconic MR2, Toyota is hard at work on a new Celica that you'll be able to walk into a dealership and buy. The last Celica was built in 2006, so its return will be long overdue.

Recent reports point towards the new Celica using the same basic front-engined setup as the superb GR Corolla hot hatch. Unlike that car, the Celica should debut with Toyota's new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder rather than a turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder. With a larger turbocharger, this engine can make up to 600 horsepower for motorsport use, though road-going versions should settle around 400 hp. Next-generation versions of the GR Yaris and GR Corolla are also tipped to use this engine, as is the MR2. The new street-legal Celica should pair this 2.0-liter mill with an advanced all-wheel-drive system and is expected to be available with a six-speed manual and an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Once Toyota launches the new Celica and MR2, it will have one of the most exciting families of performance cars of any mainstream brand. The current GR86 is one of the best rear-wheel-drive sports cars in its segment, while the GR Yaris and GR Corolla are both class-leading hot hatches. The new Celica and MR2 will sit above them, while the GR GT serves as the company's halo performance model.