VIDEO: Mysterious Toyota WRC Racer Sighting May Preview Celica Return

We’ve known for some time that the Toyota Celica is coming back – perhaps even in WRC racer form – but is that what we’re looking at here?

Toyota has been in the midst of a sports car renaissance for the past few years, reviving the Supra while also adding exciting rides like the GR86, GR Yaris, and GR Corolla to its lineup. However, as we reported last March, that isn’t the end of this story, either – rather, Toyota is also reportedly on the cusp of bringing back the MR2 and Celica, another pair of blasts from the recent past. Now, we’re getting our first look at what may very well be the new Celica, via a mysterious World Rally Championship (WRC) racer.

A series of photos and videos recently surfaced online showing off this Toyota racer, which was spotted testing in Portugal clad in camouflage. It’s clearly a coupe, but with the camo and dust flying around, other details are harder to discern – what we do know is that it doesn’t really look like anything in the current Toyota stable, though it is riding a bit higher than one might expect a sports car to.

What we do know is that Toyota and Project Rally One are the only two constructors that have committed to developing racers for the forthcoming 2027 WRC season, which will be ripe with regulatory changes. Those rides in the Rally1 division will share more in common with the Rally2 class in an effort to cut costs and complexity, and we’ve already seen the old hybrid system tossed out as a result of these ongoing updates.

Whether or not we’re looking at the new Toyota Celica or something else entirely remains to be seen, but we do know that a Toyota-produced anime series called Grip previously hinted at the potential return of Celica and MR2, after which Toyota executive vice president Yuki Nakajima confirmed that the Celica was part of the automaker’s future plans. Another report confirmed this last year, too, hinting that we’ll see both models debut in 2026.

Premières images de la Toyota WRC27 en essais au Portugal #WRC

Photos : Marcio Pereira pic.twitter.com/JLDMR9ejMn

— Rallye Sport (@RallyeSport) February 26, 2026

The GR Yaris M concept could serve as the basis for the MR2, specifically, given its mid-engine layout, but Gazoo Racing chief engineer Naohiko Saito recently stated that all-wheel-drive could also be on the table for such a machine as well, as well as the Celica, though it would rely on a more traditional front-engine layout, however.

🚗 Toyota WRC27?
🎥 Márcio Pereira pic.twitter.com/xkKNzQhM8a

— eWRC-results (@eWRCresults) February 26, 2026

In terms of powertrains, the tea leaves have point to the new G20E 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that’s reportedly capable of churning out 400 horsepower in standard guise, or as much as 600 horsepower in high-performance sports car applications. In either case, the new Celica has long been rumored to be the subject of a future WRC racer, regardless.

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.