A new Toyota Celica is reportedly under development, and it will be unlike any other Celica before it. All seven Celica generations built between 1970 and 2006 had the engine mounted in the front, even though there were some drive layout differences, as the first four generations were RWD-based and the latter three generations were FWD-based.
Mind you, for the eighth-generation model expected to be unveiled at the end of 2027, Toyota is said to be making significant changes in philosophy, switching to a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout.
Our sister website Carbuzz found the story in reputable Japanese auto magazine Best Car, which claimed in its July issue that the next-generation Celica, codenamed 710D, would make its debut at the 2027 Tokyo Motor Show on a new mid-engine platform.
According to Best Car citing inside sources, the platform is the same one used by the Toyota GR Yaris M Concept unveiled in early 2025 at the Tokyo Auto Salon. The GR Yaris M is basically a GR Yaris hot hatch modified to ride on a mid-engine platform.
More than a concept car, the GR Yaris M was described by Toyota as a prototype used together with other test vehicles to develop “ever-better motorsport-bred cars.” The development prototype featured a new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with the GR Yaris’s existing all-wheel-drive system.
The engine produced approximately 450 hp in the GR Yaris M, but Toyota has suggested that an output of more than 600 hp is possible. Amazingly, that’s before any electrical assistance comes into play, as the 2.0-liter engine is being developed for both standalone and hybrid applications. To sum things up, the next Celica will feature a mid-mounted 2.0-liter turbo-four with all-wheel drive, which almost sounds too good to be true in this day and age where sports cars are at the bottom of the priority list for most mainstream automakers.
As a reminder, the Toyota Celica has offered all-wheel drive in the past, but never a mid-engine layout. Traditionally, the mid-engine sports car role in Toyota’s lineup was assumed by the MR2, but with the next Celica adopting a midship layout, the fate of a next-generation MR2 is uncertain. As much as Toyota is committed to launching new cars for enthusiasts, having two mid-engine sports cars in the lineup is probably something not even the world’s largest carmaker can afford.
Rumors of Toyota developing a new MR2 have been doing the rounds in recent months, but if the future Celica will indeed be mid-engined, the case for a new-generation MR2 is likely very thin – unless Toyota is planning to reinvent the MR2 as an all-electric sports car.
The Best Car report goes on to say that the new Celica’s only engine option will be the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, rated at around 400 hp without electrical assistance. The engine will be mated to either a six-speed manual or the 8-speed Gazoo Racing Direct Automatic Transmission (DAT) from the GR Yaris. As for the styling, the mid-engine Celica may be influenced by the FT-Se Concept from 2023. While it featured an all-electric powertrain, the concept had the proportions of a mid-engine car and Toyota even hinted that it could accommodate an internal combustion engine.
A hybrid version of the same engine will reportedly be reserved for the future Supra, which will deliver around 500 hp. The sixth-generation Supra will retain the front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, and it will top Toyota’s sports car lineup. The mid-engine Celica would slot below it, while a new GR86 would take its place at the bottom of the range. Exciting times ahead, not only for fans of Toyota sports cars, but also for fans of sports cars, period.
Source: Best Car via Carbuzz
We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
Your comment has not been saved
This thread is open for discussion.
Be the first to post your thoughts.
