Toyota pays homage to the Celica legend of old

Toyota pays homage to the Celica legend of old

Rally racing has played a massive role in Toyota's motorsports tale. Decades ago, the Toyota Celica GT-Four dominated the rally world from 1992–1994, and legends such as Carlos Sainz and Juha Kankkunen piloted this oddly styled yet undeniably fast Toyota, sealing its place as an icon in the rally world. In the modern car world, brands have been looking to the past and celebrating past engineering masterpieces, and in return, creating contemporary interpretations of these icons. The Celica was celebrated 20 years ago, but if you look closely at the current Toyota lineup, there is a model with a vaguely similar silhouette, and that is the GR86.

The GR86 is a brilliant little performance car; yes, it's not the most generous in the power department, but it's known for its brilliant chassis and engaging drive. Also, its coupe style certainly touches on the ghost of the Celica. In an effort to pay homage to the Celica GT-Four, Toyota USA has blended the best of what GR has to offer and, as a result, has produced a car that I only wish would reach large-scale production. It's called the GR86 Rally Legacy Concept, and it's the love child of the GR Corolla and, of course, the GR86.

To create a vehicle worthy of celebrating the past, this GR86 features a new power delivery system as well as a familiar yet distinct heart. In fact, it's a bit of a Frankenstein car. The engine is the same 3-cylinder from the GR Yaris and GR Corolla, and the drivetrain is the same AWD system as the GR-Corolla.

Although this may appear to be a simple conversion, it required some additional engineering to integrate these new components. Fortunately, the engine and transmission slotted comfortably under the GR86's bonnet, but the front of the chassis, the subframe, and the engine mounts needed some alterations, particularly thanks to the suspension and new front drivelines.

Now a rally car needs to be strong and take a beating, so the boffins at TGR installed a set of coil-overs to each corner, GR-Corolla hubs, axles, and spindles, and even custom control arms.

Unfortunately, this car won't blow the mind of the spec-focused enthusiast, as the power figures remain identical to the GR-Corolla. Producing 221kW and 370Nm with likely a similar 0-100km/h time of around 5 seconds, it's likely a fun car to drive, but it lacks the character required to be a race car without some further modifications.

With its authentic Celica GT-Four livery, iconic Celica wing, rally-inspired wheels, roll cage, stripped-out interior, Sparco kit, and a selection of rally-inspired touches and racing-focused interior, it certainly looks the part. The mud flaps and custom exhaust are a nice touch too.

It’s a car that encapsulates the meaning of a thrilling car, but it will likely only be created as a one-off. As much as this is a shame, I would love to see a production car like this in the future, whether it’s a wild all-wheel-drive version of the GR86 or even just a turbocharged variation to satisfy the longing for more power. That being said, it's a celebration of Toyota's past and a brief glimpse into what Toyota is capable of, and I fully support it.

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