First "Supra", now Toyota renews "Celica" trademark

[Gecko]

Toyota's renewed interest in performance and sports cars may bring yet another gift to enthusiasts: a new Toyota Celica. The Japanese automaker filed last month to protect the "Celica" name in its roster of trademarks, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The move to trademark the Celica name comes amid a fiery time for Toyota performance cars. The brand offers the nimble, rear-wheel-drive 86 coupe and a new Toyota Supra is one of the industry's worst-kept secrets. Toyota has made comments in the past about its reborn "three brothers" sports car lineup. That original lineup was the Celica, MR2, and the Supra. Rumors have persisted that a new MR2 is on the horizon, but no solid information has been discovered on its potential return—unlike plenty of leaks surrounding the fifth-generation Supra.

Car and Driver speculates a reborn Celica will follow in the footsteps of later iterations of the sports car. Should that be the case, a new Celica would emerge as a sporty front-wheel-drive coupe. Toyota has a suitable platform ready for such a car as well with its Toyota New Global Architecture. The platform underpins the Camry, C-HR, and the Prius. The real question is what engine would power a reborn Celica.

We always take trademark renewals with a grain of salt, however. Automakers regularly move to protect important names associated with a brand and this could be mere paperwork.

But, if Toyota is serious about performance, a new Celica would likely be a much-appreciated addition to the 86 and upcoming Supra.

Source: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1112746_with-return-of-supra-will-new-toyota-celica-come-next

Interesting that Toyota decided to renew the Celica name. My sense personally is that the 2nd gen 86 could be renamed Celica vs. there being another sports car model. In an SUV-crazed market, it makes little sense to have something RWD and another comparable model thats FWD.

It would be pretty crazy to see both the Supra and Celica names back at Toyota dealerships in the modern day.

 

[mmcartalk]

Interesting that Toyota decided to renew the Celica name. My sense personally is that the 2nd gen 86 could be renamed Celica vs. there being another sports car model. In an SUV-crazed market, it makes little sense to have something RWD and another comparable model thats FWD.

I'm with you.....my strong guess is that it would either be a re-named 86 or something close to it, though the Boxer-4 Subaru engine takes some of the purity out of it.

I once owned what I thought was the best-looking Celica of all time...the blue (Iris) 1994-1999 version with the four large round headlamps. I thought the basic look was gorgeous, though the Corolla engines admittedly made it underpowered....the 105 HP on my ST version was like a slug. Its smaller 2000 successor (the image you posted), IMO, not only lost some of the build/material quality, but IMO looked like a Hot Wheels car from Toys-R-Us LOL.

 

[supra93]

Some have speculated that a production S-FR could be called the Celica.

 

[maiaramdan]

S-FR is so small to be called Celica
Celica name fit best for the current position of 86

 

[Gecko]

S-FR is so small to be called Celica
Celica name fit best for the current position of 86

Agreed. I think 2nd gen 86 will be called "Celica."

 

[supra93]

TheDrive said the S-FR maybe dead and we may be getting a new MR-2 instead!

http://www.thedrive.com/sheetmetal/14622/toyotas-gazoo-racing-will-develop-a-new-sports-car-platform

 

[Gecko]

I know for a fact that Toyota has been toying with the idea of an electric/hybrid MR2-type of car for more than a decade.

MR2 - Celica - Supra would be a perfect lineup in my opinion.

 

[Tragic Bronson]

S-FR is so small to be called Celica
Celica name fit best for the current position of 86

Agreed. I think 2nd gen 86 will be called "Celica."

+3

As much as the 86 resonates with the 'tuner' crowd, 'Hachi Roku' means little to the car buying public here in the States when the Celica name already has legacy. Yeah, 86 means a lot to those in Japan and anyone following drifting and tofu delivery, but the Celica name carries more weight. FR-S and 86 haven't been seeing much sales success either.

Once the next 86/BRZ is out, that is the name it should get.

 

[supra93]

I know for a fact that Toyota has been toying with the idea of an electric/hybrid MR2-type of car for more than a decade.

MR2 - Celica - Supra would be a perfect lineup in my opinion.

I second that

 

[mmcartalk]

Some have speculated that a production S-FR could be called the Celica.

I could do without the trunk-wing and the tuna-sucking grille, but the rest of it looks pretty good.

 

[Joaquin Ruhi]

Agreed with everyone here, plus I'll add some thoughts of my own. Some whispered rumors suggest that a production version of S-FR, if it ever happens, could sit on a stretched 2+2 version of the current ND Mazda MX-5 Miata platform. If this is the case, it would be front-mid-engined and, as such, could justifiably wear the MR2 badge. The "M", after all, stands for midship or mid-engine, but that doesn't specify whether that's front mid-engine or rear mid-engine.

Alas, as of this writing, Toyota hasn't renewed the MR2 trademark.