The Celica has been sold in many different versions since it was launched. It started life as a rear wheel drive car, and then the Supra was launched as part of the Celica line and lastly a front wheel drive model that was sold under the Celica name. The car has been missing from the market for some time now, but not that long ago rumors about an all-new 2017 Toyota Celica started to surface. There are currently very few details about this upcoming model. However, it seems that the front wheel drive design, lightweight chassis and naturally aspirated engine could all be carried over to this all new car. What else Japanese car maker could offer here? Read on and find out.
Price and Comparisons
Some inside information suggested that the car would be marketed as a cheaper version of the Supra. This would certainly make sense, but it wouldn’t matter all that much considering that the two would be nothing alike. Toyota currently has the model 86 in the $25,000 range. This is a rear wheel drive sports coupe with a decent amount of power to have fun. It seems that the rumored Celica would cost less than $20,000 while offering a similar amount of power but everything would be packed in a different body. The major difference between the two would be the front wheel drive chassis and the size. The Celica is in fact expected to be slightly larger than its corporate sibling.
2017 Toyota Celica Design
This would certainly open an entirely new market position for Toyota, but they would have to make something quite special to be successful. As it seems, the upcoming 2017 Toyota Celica is expected to offer a rather striking design which is needed if they want to be interesting on the very strong market. Rumors are suggesting that the car will not only borrow from the original models but also from the latest generation. This means that the car would be quite wide, low and quite long as well. Regarding shape, the teardrop design of the latest model would make perfect sense, but so far it seems that the design is still a work in progress. We are sure that we will see similarities with few already available cars in Toyota’s lineup but also the unique looks to clearly position it on the market.
Powertrain
This one and similar cars were previously abandoned by the buyers because they could buy cheaper hot-hatchbacks with more power. However, more recently people realized that power is not everything. Cars need to be well balanced to be successful, and the upcoming Celica is aiming to be just that. A lightweight all aluminum 2.0-liter inline four engine is expected to be used under its hood. This might be the same BMW unit as in the upcoming Supra. However, here, thanks to variable valve timing, a very efficient design and a lot of upgrades, it should make more than 240 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque.
All of this will come from a naturally aspirated mill which is insane. Rumors say that this engine will rev as high as 9,000 rpm, and it should easily be able to compete with a turbocharged engine of the same power. There are few concerns regarding reliability and amount of torque that it would offer, but if we take a look at Toyota’s other engines, then these shouldn’t be a problem. A manual is usually preferred in this type of car. However, to appeal to a much wider market, an automatic is going to be used at some point. Those hardcore fans that want full control over the car might opt for manual version but we think that automatic with manual shifting might be faster and interesting for a larger number of buyers.
Conclusion
We are still waiting for some official details about the rumored 2017 Toyota Celica. The fact that they chose not to comment on the car makes us think that it is going to be built. Unlike the Supra, which is expected to be a two seats model, the Celica is going to offer four fully-fledged seats. This should allow it to be used as a true family car, and the rather sporty character will make more than a few people happy. We only hope that the design inside the cabin will not disappoint like with the older model.
