Celica to return in 2009 Options

[BloodyStupidDave...]

Further rumours that the Celica may rise from the ashes...

Automotive News is this week reporting that Toyota are going to bring back the Celica in 2009, pretty much re-itterating rumours from the start of the year (hybrid, 4WD option).

Channel 4 News expands upon these by guessing at what such a car might look like:
http://www.channel4.com/4car/news/news-sto...p?news_id=16733

In particular, several pundits thing that if there is a new Celica, it will be available in RWD and 4WD options, no FWD.

Speculation is that there will be a grand tourer version, a coupe version and a roadster version all based on the same chassis (and probably essentially the same chassis as another Toyta/Lexus model - IS-F?).

As a reminder, there have been a few concepts recently that could end up as the basis for a Celica.

FT-HS


LF-A


LW-S


Possible MR2 (spyshot)

[yarik83]

I think their main challenge of brinding a celica back to life is cost vs sell factor. For years they have been lowering celica potential to fit dot regulations. As a result celica grew from a car to a car with issues. People refused to pay so much money for a car with low horsepower. If you notice majority of the 7th gen celicas on the road are 2001-2003 and have traded hands at least once. Mitsubishi decided to bring back the eclipse. Successfull design, nice horsepower.. low sales. Think of how many late model eclipses are on the road in comparison to any other car of that class. Not that many. Car manufacturers are now struggling with sales because entire tuner market went for rear wheel drive due to drifting and rather than buying new vehicles many get a beat up nissan and or a honda and hook it up. There is significant gap between our generation interests and older generation interests. Your mom/dad would not be interested in car tuning in same ways we are. Your older brother may be interested in a 35 grand car with rims and tint and thats about it. Our generation likes cool stuff that fits within frames of fast and the furious series. As a result bringing back celica would be a mistake.

It is very unlikely that if released it will be priced affordably and hence our generation will still not be able to afford it withut financing. And hence it will not sell well as people car was designed for (aka 18 ish) dont have 22-29 grand lying around.

If I had to draw out a possible celica model I would look at competitor models such as integra, civic, eclipse etc. They all "kind of" resemble each other.


This post has been edited by yarik83: Dec 2, 2007 - 11:51 PM