After reviving the 86 and Supra, Toyota may reportedly be bringing again two different iconic sports activities automobiles.

Studies out of Japan point out the corporate may revive its mid-engined MR2 sports activities automobile with turbocharged three-cylinder energy, whereas Toyota’s chairman is pushing for a Celica revival.

Japanese information outlet Finest Automotive Net studies phrase from a “dependable supply” that Toyota will launch a “pure [petrol]” mid-engined sports activities automobile in 2026.

Resulting from tightening emissions rules, such an effort would seemingly be the corporate’s final non-electrified sports activities automobile.

The report suggests this future mid-engined sports activities automobile will likely be unique to Japan, and have the identical engine because the GR Yaris and GR Corolla sizzling hatches.

Within the GR Yaris, the G16E-GTS 1.6-litre turbo three-pot makes 200kW of energy and 370Nm of torque, sufficient to propel the little hatch from 0-100km/h in 5.2 seconds.

The GR Corolla has extra energy (221kW) however the identical torque determine, besides within the Morizo Version which has 400Nm.

It’s unclear what transmission the brand new mid-engined sports activities automobile will use, as the recent hatches from GR are presently solely out there with handbook transmissions.

An eight-speed automated is, nevertheless, being examined and may discover its approach into the recent hatches.

Toyota can be reportedly seeking to deliver again the Celica, with the opportunity of a revival being mooted a couple of instances.

Most not too long ago in an interview performed by Toyota Occasions journal at Rally Hokkaido, Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda mentioned he was pushing for a brand new Celica.

“Effectively, I’ve [put in a request for a new Celica], however I don’t know what identify it would come out beneath,” he mentioned.

The dialog then centred round Juha Kankkunen, an iconic rally driver that discovered success driving Celicas.

“I’m not simply saying this as a result of we’re at a rally occasion, however Kankkunen is Mr. Celica. He was champion 4 instances within the Celica. Now you may all have a take into consideration why I’m utilizing Kankkunen a lot,” Toyoda-san mentioned.

He then reportedly appeared instantly down the digital camera lens and mentioned: “See if you happen to can guess!”

The chairman, together with Toyota president Koji Sato, talked in regards to the Celica earlier this 12 months on the Shinshiro Rally.

In response to the chairman speaking about his ardour for the Celica, Sato-san mentioned, “I wish to deliver again the Celica.”

There haven’t been many clues concerning what powertrain a hypothetical Celica may use.

Given Toyota now intends to launch 30 EVs by 2030, it’s attainable an reasonably priced electrical sports activities automobile may very well be a part of its plans.

Final week it teased an electrical sports activities automobile idea referred to as the FT-Se, set to be revealed at subsequent week’s Tokyo motor present.

In December 2021, it additionally previewed an unnamed GR-branded idea with electrical energy and what seems to be a two-seat format.

The model final floated the concept of a petrol-powered MR2 successor when it unveiled the S-FR idea on the 2015 Tokyo motor present.

That automobile had a mid-mounted 110kW/148Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, with drive despatched to the rear wheels through a six-speed handbook transmission.

Whereas the S-FR’s engine outputs weren’t superb, the idea was mentioned to weigh simply 980kg and was beneath 4 metres in size.

The MR2 lasted for 3 generations between 1984 and 2007, whereas the Celica was even longer-lived.

Debuting in 1970, the Celica was bought till 2006 throughout seven generations.