A Toyota executive appears to have given up on the return of a classic sports car that was last sold in the United States in 2025.
The Japanese automaker is set to bring back the Celica in 2027 after years of rumours.
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Yuki Nakajima, Toyota's executive vice president, appeared to mistakenly confirm the return at an event in Japan over the weekend.
Originally, the question of the Celica's return was put to former CEO Akio Toyoda by Japanese magazine Best Car.
But when he gave a guarded answer and referred the question to Nakajima, the executive was much more frank.
“We'll make silica,” he said, before admitting he may have gone too far.
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“I'm not sure if it's okay to say this in a public forum,” he said.
However, in truth, the Celica's return may be a case of the automotive industry's worst kept secret.
The last time Toyota sold a sports car under the Celica name was in 2005.
But last year, Toyoda, then CEO, said he wanted to revive the brand.
In the same year, Toyota President Tsuneji Sato also expressed interest in bringing back the model.
Further evidence was provided by Toyota Grip's interior animation series, which was released to promote the auto giant.
In the series, a white panel appears with the words “Celica Mk8”, a possible reference to a follow-up to the seventh generation Celica, the last one released in the United States.
Toyota has reportedly stepped up its efforts to revive some popular nameplates and sports cars in recent years.
In 2019, the Supra was brought back.
The cars will be retired in 2025
According to Motor1, there are 20 cars that won't make it for the 2025 model year, including sedans, some SUVs, and sports cars.
The cars expected next year are:
- Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (sedan)
- Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio (SUV)
- Audi A4 (sedan)
- Audi A5 Coupe/Cabrio (2-door sedan)
- BMW X3M (SUV)
- Bugatti Chiron
- Chevrolet Camaro
- Chevrolet Malibu
- Fisker Ocean (EV)
- Ford Escape
- Jaguar F-Type
- Maserati Ghibli
- Mitsubishi Mirage
- Mini Clubman
- Nissan GT-R
- Nissan Titan
- Ram 1500 TRX
- Toyota Supra (4 cylinder)
- Volvo S60
Source: Motor1
Earlier this year, Toyota announced a comprehensive lineup of gas-powered four-cylinder engines that will be part of many of its new models.
This announcement came during a technical conference in which the company also announced a new partnership with the Japanese companies Mazda and Subaru.
Chairman Toyoda has repeatedly called for the return of some Toyota sports cars in a number of interviews.
The Celica was first launched in 1970, and its final model rolled off the assembly line in 2006, after seven generations.
Early versions were marketed as a competitor to the Mustang, providing a more affordable sports car.
Reports say that a prototype of the eighth-generation Celica may appear next year at the 2025 Tokyo Motor Show.
