There have been intermittent rumours for several years now about the return of two Toyota sports cars, the Celica and the MR2. Those rumours have only intensified since the rebirth of the Supra for 2020.
And now there's another clue pointing in that direction: an anime-style comic strip produced by the automaker. In a new episode, eagle-eyed observers spotted a whiteboard in the background of a shot that lists a number of classic Toyota models, and these inherit a designation that hints at a new generation.
The list includes some familiar names, including an eighth-generation Toyota Celica and a fourth-generation Toyota MR2.
The hint comes 47 seconds into the first episode of the second season. The scene also shows a sixth-generation Supra and a third-generation GR86.
Toyota hasn’t confirmed whether these models will be produced, and it has to be said that the marketing department of the Gazoo Racing (GR) division is a master at titillating enthusiasts in this way, just for fun.
However, in the past, models have appeared in this way before going into production, so those enthusiasts can hope for the best.
The Celica was last offered in 2006, though it had disappeared from the Canadian market the year before. Same for the MR2, which survived until 2007 in other markets.
We'll have to see if there are any real plans behind what we've seen, and if so, in what form. It's hard to imagine gasoline-powered models without some form of electrification. But who knows, Toyota has a knack for surprising - sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.
