Toyota Revive MR2/Celica Hot Gt86 ?

[Keshav]

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this is the sound I'm talking about.

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[AVANTI R5]

Toyota is hard at work on the next MR2 successor to take on the next GT-R and NSX - at least according Japanese media.

When are we likely to see it, how much will it cost, and what will power this beast?

Is this a potential winner?

YouTube (Short URL)

YouTube (Short URL)

[oichan]

Hummmm..

[samb]

Toyotorghini!

[KC]

Originally Posted by samb

Toyotorghini!

Now, hear me out on this, *waves hands in air* Howabout... MRTHREE. *grins*

--kC

[Ultimateone]

Totally a Gallardo

[Sid03SVT]

A GT-R/NSX competitor doesn't make sense for Toyota, if anything I would have assumed it would have been another MR2 with a transverse FWD drivetrain in the back of a two seater like it was originally, reuse some of that GR Yaris power plant & drivetrain R&D to help the bottom line.

[Skunkers]

Originally Posted by Sid03SVT

A GT-R/NSX competitor doesn't make sense for Toyota, if anything I would have assumed it would have been another MR2 with a transverse FWD drivetrain in the back of a two seater like it was originally, reuse some of that GR Yaris power plant & drivetrain R&D to help the bottom line.

Yeah this pretty much. They may as well not even bother making it if they are going to slot it above the Supra. The MR2's entire appeal was to be a somewhat affordable MR car. I don't think people will buy a expensive version of it versus things like the C8 Corvette, R8, and Porsches.

[moshter11]

It will be like the Honda S660 and be Japan-only.

[AVANTI R5]

Could Toyota Finally Bring Back The Celica Name?

It may explain why the second-generation 86 hasn't been shown yet.




Following the reveal of the 2022 Subaru BRZ, we expected the 2022 Toyota 86 would follow close behind. The two cars looked pretty similar in the first generation, so we have a good idea of what to expect from the new 86. Much to our surprise, though, Toyota had no news to share on the 86 front, and the reveal was reportedly delayed by several months. Based on a new filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), we may know why the car is delayed.

Previous rumors speculated that the 86 could undergo a name change to fall under Toyota's Gazoo Racing sub-brand, like the GR Supra. The new name was rumored to be "GR86" but a recent trademark for the name "Celica" suggests this could be used for the upcoming 86 replacement. The filing was made on January 15, 2021, and covers "Automobiles and structural parts thereof."

The patent filing could be purely speculative so that Toyota can retain the rights to the name. Still, if the Japanese automaker plans to bring back this historic nameplate, we can think of no better model than the upcoming sports car co-developed with Subaru. The Celica name first appeared way back in 1970 and lasted for seven generations across various convertibles, liftbacks, coupes, and hatchback coupes, even coining the term "liftback" in 1973 to describe the fastback hatch model.

The second-generation model spawned a Celica Supra performance variant, which was later spun off into its own model called the Supra. The Celica's final iteration was a front-wheel-drive liftback coupe model that left production in 2006.

Toyota could have deployed the Celica name on the Supra 2.0 but decided it might cause confusion having the same car use two different monikers. Likewise, when Scion was shut down and the FR-S was renamed the 86, Toyota thought the Celica name deserved an all-new product. Well, now an all-new product is on the way, so perhaps we will finally see the Celica name reemerge. Toyota has previously expressed interest in reviving the Celica and MR2 names, so this may not be the last trademark we see from the Japanese automaker.

This Is the Toyota 86's New Bumper Design

It looks very much like the new Subaru BRZ.

The second generation Subaru BRZ was unveiled in November last year to much fanfare, but its sibling, the Toyota 86 is yet to break cover, with Toyota delaying its reveal by an estimated six months. To further complicate matters, Toyota has now decided to rebadge the 86 as the GR86 to bring it in line with the rest of Toyota's performance lineup, including the GR Supra and GR Yaris. However a recent trademark filing suggests Toyota may revive the Celica name for the sports car instead.

We already know what the Subaru BRZ will look like, but up until now, the world was uncertain about the exterior design of the Toyota. Not any longer: the 2022 Toyota GR 86's front end has been leaked, and it looks kinda like its Subaru sibling.

The Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ will be sharing most of their mechanical bits, but it is up to each manufacturer to style their cars as they see fit. It seems like Toyota has gone with a look not too dissimilar to that of the BRZ's, and one that is recognizable when you take a look at the feisty little GR Yaris that has been taking the automotive world by storm in recent months. A small rectangular cutout in the grille is ready to house the GR badge, and the rest of the bumper design features hard lines that mimic the BRZ. The shape of the headlights, the rear bumper design and other small details will have the biggest impact on how the GR86 will differ from the BRZ.

What we do know is that the second-gen 86 will pack more firepower in the form of a 2.4-liter flat-four engine, up from the first-generation 2.0-liter engine, and will deliver 228 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 184 lb-ft of torque at 3,700 rpm. Power will be sent to the rear via a six-speed manual or auto transmission, and the curb weight will be only 2,900 pounds. Expect the GR86 to have a starting price of just under $30k.

[SCRAPPYDO]

Originally Posted by Keshav

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWdatUMNmTI?t=437

this is the sound I'm talking about.

sounds like an electric RC car.

[AVANTI R5]

Japanese car-maker caught re-filing trademarks for old Celica tag, hinting at a return for the famous nameplate

Toyota has begun filing patent applications to re-use the Celica name, with the Japanese car-maker caught seeking to protect against others using the nameplate in the US.

With rumours the Japanese brand is reapplying for trademarks in other markets for the name last used on the seventh-gen T230 that was made between 1999-2006, it seems likely the Celica name is ripe for a reboot.

This could take the shape of a new coupe that might slot into between the 86 Coupe and the GR Supra or, perhaps, an all-new pure-electric sportscar.



Others suggest Toyota is planning to bring back the name to ensure the 86 coupe complies with the new naming convention for high-performance vehicles developed by Gazoo Racing.

If so, the 86 coupe could be renamed the GR Celica, sitting above the GR Yaris but below the GR Supra.

Another more controversial theory has suggested that Toyota might be plotting to reintroduce the name on a sporty SUV, with the brand hoping to cash-in on the Celica’s reputation and motorsport success.

[AVANTI R5]

Toyota UK Bids Farewell To The 86 Sports Car, Announces ‘Next Chapter’

The 86 had a good run, but a new one is on the way.

The nine-year run for the Toyota GT86 (known simply as the 86 in the United States) is finished in the United Kingdom. Over its production run, the automaker managed to move nearly 7,500 units of the car there. Don't miss the coupe too much, though, because a new one is coming. "Of course, this is not the end of the story: watch this space for the next chapter," Toyota says in its farewell sports coupe.

The GT86 debuted in production specification at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. The vehicle's name has a couple of meanings. It's a reference to the rear-drive AE86 Corolla coupe that's famous from the manga Initial D. In addition, the engine cylinders have a bore and stroke of 86 millimeters.

Toyota has been careful not to reveal too many details about the second-gen 86. The best hint about it yet is from a design trademark registration that appears to show the coupe's new lower fascia. In comparison to the mostly identical Subaru BRZ, the 86 has a bigger grille and more rounded styling.

Like the first-gen 86 and BRZ, the two vehicles should be mechanically identical. The new Subaru model adopts a 2.4-liter flat-four engine, so Toyota can no longer claim the bore and stroke as a source of the vehicle's name. The powerplant makes 228 horsepower (170 kilowatts) and 184 pound-feet (249 newton-meters). Buyers can choose between a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.

The suspension uses MacPherson struts in front and double wishbones in the rear. The chassis and subframe mounts receive reinforcements to increase overall rigidity by 50 percent.

At least for the Subaru, the company estimates the BRZ to weigh 2,815 pounds, which is 17 pounds more than before. The figures for the Toyota should be similar.

The new BRZ goes on sale this fall. Because the two vehicles come from the same factory, it seems likely the 86 would arrive around the same time. The unveiling would happen before that, so look for a premiere in the coming months.

Source: Toyota

000000

[chanomatik]

Very interesting...

[AVANTI R5]

New Toyota GR sports car could be electric MR2 successor

Radical two-seat concept provides first glimpse of what could become a rival to Lotus's 2026 sports EV

Toyota is developing a small, two-seat electric sports car which could be the first bespoke EV from its Gazoo Racing performance brand.

Shown alongside 14 other Toyota and Lexus concepts as company president Akio Toyoda revealed half of a planned 30 new EVs from the brands by 2030, the unnamed coupé appears similar in size to Toyota's MR2 sports car, which bowed out in 2007.

In 2018, Autocar reported that Toyota was considering a revival of the MR2 following the launch of the GR Supra, and an electric powertrain was on the cards.

At that time, sales and marketing boss Matt Harrison said the firm was at the "discussion stage" with plans for a reborn MR2, and confirmed it was an attractive proposition to company bosses.

Toyota president Akio Toyoda is a well-known sports car enthusiast, and has previously spoken of his desire to one day see the 'Three Brothers' – the Supra, Celica and MR2 – revived for the modern era. With the Supra now three years old and the GR86 effectively serving as a Celica equivalent, the focus has likely shifted to the development of a second bespoke GR model.

The first clues to a reborn MR2 were given in 2015 by the diminutive S-FR, which did not evolve into a production model. This latest concept looks to be slightly larger and features much more aggressive styling cues unlike anything seen on a production Toyota so far.

Most intriguingly, its cab-forward silhouette hints at a revival of the MR2's characteristic mid-engined format, which could mean Toyota is planning a similar stacked-battery arrangement to that of Porsche and Lotus's upcoming electric sports cars.

This would help the sports car to retain some of its spiritual predecessor's trademark dynamic balance, despite the added weight of an EV powertrain. It also would mean the driver can sit as close to the ground as in the MR2, which would not be possible with an under-floor battery pack.

Whether Toyota's e-TNGA EV platform, as used by the bZ4X, could accommodate such a layout is unconfirmed. So far, that platform has only been deployed in four- and front-wheel-drive formats, and Toyota would no doubt opt for a rear-driven layout in an entry-level EV sports car.

Toyota has hinted that its entry-level EVs will prioritise affordability over long range, which - together with the need to keep weight down - means the sports car could be among the first of Toyota's EVs to receive a more energy-dense solid state battery.

Lexus has hinted at a similar plan for a new electric supercar it is readying as a spiritual successor to the V10-engined LFA.

[godfather2112]

Ok, that looks pretty damn good. Please actually bring this to fruition.

[SCRAPPYDO]

With the GR86 so praised and loved by, well just about everybody, and the Supra being, well a Z4, where does the Celica fit in? Not much room between the GR86 and the 4 banger Supra.

And I see nothing wrong with the Supra having the Celica name. It is not like they did not do this before.

[subyski]

Really, the 4 cylinder Supra could have been a Celica and the 6 cylinder being the Celica Supra. But that would be kinda weird to do now just to fill the Celica name. But I wonder if another gen of the Z4/Supra will exist. Even if Toyota doesn't build an in-house I6, maybe expanding their partnership with Mazda and using their in development I6 could be an option at least be an all Japanese Supra.

It could be fun to see the Celica name revive as an AWD version GT-4 instead of a GR Corolla.

An EV MR2 could slot in somewhere.

It's actually great to see the desire to revive all these nameplates but I have a difficult time seeing how they all slot into the lineup without overlap and drive sales.