Rumors that Toyota is planning to revive more of its iconic sports cars just won’t go away, and the Japanese manufacturer has just added more fuel to the fire.
Eagle-eyed fans of Toyota’s GRIP cartoon series have noticed references to several unreleased performance vehicles, including the next-generation Celica and MR2 models, in a recent episode of the one-minute anime.
The MR2 – a compact sports car with mid-engine and rear-wheel drive – has been missing from the Toyota range since 2007, when the third generation convertible was no longer available.
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However, the second season of GRIP started by teasing a Mk4 MR2, after years of speculation surrounding an all-new successor to the popular MkIII.
Similarly, the list of future sports cars featured in GRIP also includes the ‘Celica Mk8’, suggesting the revival of another famous Toyota nameplate that has been dormant for almost two decades.
Production of the seventh-generation Celica coupe ended in April 2006, after the model fell victim to a slump in the Japanese sports car market that saw iconic models such as the Mazda RX-7, Toyota Supra and Nissan 240SX disappear from showrooms.
At the end of last year, Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda said Toyota times magazine that he was pushing for a new Celica.
“Well, I did [put in a request for a new Celica]but I don’t know under what name it will appear,” he said.
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In addition to referencing the revival of the MR2 and Celica nameplates, the recent episode of GRIP mentioned the GR GT3 race car, which is expected to make its racing debut in 2026 in the LMGT3 category of the World Endurance Championship (WEC). .
Evolutions of the Supra and GR86 sports cars round out the list of recommended performance machines. Despite speculation that the current fifth-generation Supra will be launched without an off-the-shelf replacement, Toyota representatives in Australia have guaranteed its future.
“There is no plan to discontinue the Supra brand at this car company. I know that,” Toyota Australia vice-president of sales, marketing and franchise operations Sean Hanley said recently.
The future of the GR86, Toyota’s entry-level performance coupe, is less clear.
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