Forget collaborations with BMW or even Subaru. Toyota has confirmed that its next sports car will be an entirely in-house creation, without any external involvement.
In an interview with Australian outlet Drive, Toyota Australia's head of Sales and Marketing was clear. Said Sean Hanley, “We can do this on our own. Why? This is what GR is about.”
The division known as GR, short for Gazoo Racing, has designed the sportiest vehicles in the Toyota lineup to date. Its engineers are behind the return of the Supra and contributed to the development of the GR 86 and the GR Corolla.
Not a Lexus
Hanley’s comment set rumours flying as to what exactly the future sports car will be. The most frequently mentioned project is the LF-R supercar, but that is going to be a Lexus and not a Toyota. It will take over from the LFA, which had a short but successful existence with all 500 units produced selling out very quickly.
Other speculation concerns concepts presented by Toyota, such as the FT-Se, an electric supercar the arrival of which is announced for Japan in late 2026. The GR division, however, is reportedly not involved in its development.
A future Celica?
Of course, the Celica name has also resurfaced. For several years, Toyota has hinted that a new version could see the light of day, but nothing has ever been formally announced.
The Toyota Celica sports coupe was discontinued in 2006 after a 35-year career. Seven generations of the car were offered on the North American market.
It's worth remembering that Toyota’s decision to go it alone to produce a new sports car follows the automaker’s announcement that production of the current Toyota Supra, built in collaboration with BMW, will end after the 2026 model-year.