In recent years, Toyota has been trying to reinvigorate excitement in the brand by introducing new sports cars. To cut costs though, they partnered first with Subaru to make the GR 86 (formerly, Scion FR-S and Toyota 86), then with BMW to make the MK5 GR Supra. While both these sports cars are excellent in their own right, it upset some purists when these Toyota sports cars appeared to be more BMW and Subaru than Toyota.
With that in mind, the Toyota Celica has been absent from the production lines for seventeen years now. HotCars Digital Artist Timothy Adry Emmanuel's new digital concept render sees what would happen if Toyota made a new sports car entirely on its own without the help of other automakers based on the 1988 Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo.
Read on to see what this new Toyota Celica is all about.
Designing The Front Face Of The New Toyota Celica
The new Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo would have to be able to compete with its modern peers but also have a connection to the original from 1988. Emmanuel perfectly captures these prerequisites. Beginning with the front end, this version of the Celica has a clear nod to the fourth generation with its identifiable front molding that sits under the hood and the front spotlights.
But there’s a whole lot here that’s new. Gone are the infamous flip-up headlights. Now there are LEDs that nestle into the front molding above the front bumper that features large side intakes, a bigger grille, and a contrasting colored front lip.
A Fresh Profile For The New Toyota Celica All-Trac
Moving to the side, this reimagined Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo has undergone a major upgrade. The doors and rear panels have an aerodynamic shape with sharp linear contours stretching the entire length of the car.
There is a modernly styled side skirting with fins to tie in with the front view of this Japanese legend. The greenhouse on this new Toyota Celica is much smaller than the original and has a more organic shape. The whole design flows into the rear, where there are more modern additions.
The New Toyota Celica Gets An Aggressive Rear End
The rear of this fantasy Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo has been almost entirely redesigned. There’s very little of the original car in how this new version looks from the back, apart from the iconic “Celica” text badge at the base of the rear spoiler. A contrasting color rear lip wraps around a modern diffuser, and there is a memorable center arch that contains the taillights.
Although this part of the car doesn’t connect to the original model, it does offer this new Toyota Celica a unique, modern, and very aggressive look.
The New Toyota Celica Needs A Toyota Engine
While a new Toyota Celica has some incredible aesthetics, it still needs a proper engine to match these modern looks. The original 1988 Toyota Celica has a peppy 190-hp turbocharged 4-cylinder but those types of numbers wouldn't cut it in today's market.
Similar to the GR Supra, the new Celica could come with 2 engine options. The first would be a base turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. The 2.4-liter engine from the Lexus NX350 and RX350 makes the most sense and produces 275 hp.
For the top trim, the Celica could borrow the turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 from the Toyota Tundra. This powerplant makes a quite healthy 437 hp in the i-Force Max configuration. Both of these engines should please Toyota purists and be more than enough to compete with modern sports cars.
About The 1988 Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo
Toyota gave the All-Trac moniker to several models that had its four-wheel drive system. The Celica was one of the models included over a five-year period from 1988 to 1993 that spanned both the fourth and fifth generations. The rare 1988 model had a 2.0-liter turbo engine, four-wheel drive, and 190 hp.
Finding a clean 1988 Celica All-Trac Turbo these days isn’t easy, and could set you back around $5,000-$20,000 depending on the condition. With many more Mk3 Supras available on the market for a similar price, that might be a better option for your classic Toyota sports car.