Toyota's Mid-Engine Celica Rumors Intensify: A Deep Dive into the WRC Prototype and Gazoo Racing's Mid-Engine GR Yaris
The automotive world is abuzz with speculation about Toyota's potential return to the WRC with a mid-engine Celica. This comes on the heels of a recent sighting of a camouflaged GR rally car testing in Portugal, which has reignited talk of a Celica revival. Meanwhile, Toyota's Gazoo Racing division has been fueling rumors with a mid-engined GR Yaris prototype in Japan and a mysterious WRC coupe spotted in Portugal.
The GR Yaris M Concept, unveiled in January 2025, is a mid-mounted turbo 2.0-liter engine and AWD powerhouse. Despite initial development hiccups, the program is back on track, and many see it as a preview of a future mid-engined production sports car, either a revived GR MR2 roadster or a GR Celica coupe.
At the opening round of the All Japan Rally at Mikawa Bay, Toyota rolled out a different GR Yaris M prototype. This one, driven by Morizo and Takamoto Katsuta, featured a smaller turbo 1.6-liter engine, suggesting it was closer to an early development mule than a finished evolution.
The white GR Yaris M prototype, compared to the black hatchback competing in Japan's Super Taikyu Series, looked more stage-ready than circuit-focused. It rode on smaller alloy wheels with a gravel-spec setup and featured provisional side intakes plus a new roof scoop. Missing were the fender extensions, vented hood, and oversized rear wing seen on the earlier version, suggesting this was more development mule than finished article.
According to Japanese outlet Best Car, someone close to the project was asked directly about the car's identity. They offered no hard details, but reportedly "didn't deny that the test car wasn't a Celica." This carefully phrased non-answer has done little to calm speculation.
Toyota has already confirmed that the Celica will return to the production lineup wearing Gazoo Racing emblems. The company has also acknowledged it is working on a mid-engined sports car, widely believed to be the long-rumored revival of the MR2.
Every previous Celica has been front-engined, but Best Car suggests the next generation could move to a mid-engined layout. Toyota has yet to confirm anything, leaving the final configuration open. If and when the GR Celica arrives, the most likely candidate under the hood remains the new turbo 2.0-liter engine.
The latest chapter in the Celica story centers on Toyota’s GR-branded rally car being readied for the 2027 WRC season. It surfaced in Portugal during development testing on proper rally stages, and it did not look like a GR Yaris. The two-door coupe silhouette clearly departs from the familiar hatchback shape, hinting that Toyota may be lining up a return of the Celica name for its next WRC challenger.
The new rally car is said to sit on the GR Yaris Rally2 underpinnings, which means the engine stays up front. As per WRC regulations, it will run a turbo 1.6-liter engine sending power to all four wheels through a standardized five-speed gearbox. We also know it will ride on a spaceframe chassis, using existing Rally2 gear for the steering and braking systems.
Using the available spy shots, we put together a speculative rendering of what a rally-prepped GR Celica could look like. The eventual production version, however, will almost certainly evolve from this early test car. Its final proportions may shift as well, depending on where Toyota ultimately decides to place the engine.
