TOYOTA is set to release three new sports cars with the revival of the Celica and MR2 models, as well as the return of the swashbuckling Lexus LFA.
The cult favourite trio, all of which will be internal combustion engine-powered, will form the future of the Japanese mega-brand’s sports car offerings.
The return of the cult favourite MR2 alongside the once rally-going Celica comes as Toyota finds itself with two rather large gaps to fill in its billing.
The mighty GR Supra is tiptoeing towards the end of its production run after six years back in the limelight, with petrolheads recently treated to one final version called the A90 Final Edition.
However, a new Supra has been pencilled in for 2027 release, according to Japanese magazine Best Car.
Meanwhile, the GR86 has already reached the end of the road, at least in Europe, where it was cut from sale thanks to EU safety regulations.
According to Autocar, the revival of the Celica and MR2 names fulfils the ambition of the company’s chairman Akio Toyoda, who envisioned the return of their “three brothers” along with the aforementioned Supra.
Both cars are to be powered by a new turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine called G20E, recently revealed at the Tokyo Auto Salon – with reports suggesting it boasts more than 400bhp in road-going form and tops 600bhp in motorsports.
It first appeared in a heavily modified GR Yaris – Toyota’s souped-up version of the loveable hatchback – called the M Concept, which is reportedly a test bed for the new unit.
The concept is then expected to transform into the MR2, while the car’s design could take inspiration from the FT-Se concept – first seen at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2023.
Allowing for a typical four-year development cycle, the new MR2 could be ready for production for around 2028.
But it could happen even soon, with Toyota perhaps concerned by the incoming introduction of restrictions on the sale of pure-petrol cars in the UK for 2030 and the EU in 2035.
The Celica, meanwhile, is expected to be the first of the trio to be released and according to Best Car, could not only reprise the GT-Four name but could even return to the World Rally Championship – like it did in the 1990s.
The FIA recently expanded the sport’s regulations to allow a wider range of bodystyles from 2027, including saloons, hatchbacks, SUVs and even bespoke designs.
Lastly, the successor to the Lexus LFA, first previewed by the GR GT3 concept that was unveiled three years ago, has been spotted running in both road-going and racing trim at circuits across Europe.
That includes the iconic Spa-Francorchamps and the Nurburgring Nordschleife.
The new Lexus will be powered by a V8 engine with twin turbochargers – capable of producing around 500 to 600bhp in racing form.
While a name has yet to be announced, Lexus has trademarked ‘LFR’.
