Early one morning in the hills north of Tarragona, Toyota Gazoo Racing took its Celica WRC27 prototype out for a test near Rojals, with 2019 world champion Ott Tänak at the wheel. The car’s official name has not been announced, but the test points to Toyota’s interest in bringing the Celica name back to the World Rally Championship.
This was more than a routine shakedown. Toyota is preparing for major changes to the rally rules in 2027, and the team chose these Catalan roads for a reason: they have hosted some of RallyRACC’s most famous moments, while their rough terrain suits testing a new car’s limits. Motorsport publications have tracked Toyota’s tests in the region and identified Tänak as the test driver. As Autosport and Motorsport.com have noted, Toyota has yet to reveal the car’s official name or publish images.
The Celica WRC27 is not based on a road car. It uses a tubular spaceframe chassis, following the Rally1 format but with simpler, Rally2-style mechanics. The WRC27 regulations set a cost cap of approximately €345,000 per car and require a chassis with a more standardized architecture. Under the hood is a 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, a tuned version of the motor used in the GR Yaris and GR Corolla. The same engine powers Dallara 326 cars in Eurocup3 and Eurofórmula Open, prepared by TOM’S. A standardized safety cage, now required for all WRC27 entries, dictates the car’s shape. Autosport’s review of the new WRC structure says the class will replace Rally1. Toyota’s project is the most advanced among the major manufacturers so far.
Regulations shape the prototype, but Toyota’s plans for the Celica go further. The company wants to launch a new Celica for global markets in 2028, following the same approach used for the GR Yaris and GR86. Toyota has also applied that approach to the GR Supra. The GR MR2 is on a similar path and has already been spotted testing at Fuji Speedway. Both the Celica and MR2 are expected to use a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine with about 400 horsepower. The project has been in the works for years. For the MR2, the engine first appeared in the GR Yaris M Concept, which ran in the Super Taikyu series as a test bed for Japanese brands. Industry sources say Toyota has not confirmed the Celica’s return to the road in 2028, so that remains speculation.
Toyota’s engineers are also working on hydrogen combustion, a field where few rivals match the company’s commitment. The new G20E engine is built for high performance. If Toyota adds hybrid technology, it will likely be MHEV or HEV, with electric power assisting the combustion engine. The setup is closer to supercars than regular hybrids, and recalls the old Celica GT-Four, which took Carlos Sainz and Luis Moya to world titles in 1990 and 1992.
Toyota Media Site has confirmed that the Sardinia round will be the GR Yaris Rally1’s farewell WRC event before new technical rules take effect in 2027. The road-going Celica will not have to follow the WRC27’s strict cockpit rules. Rally cars will be silhouette racers, competing alongside Rally2 and Rally2 kit cars under a new rulebook that is still developing. The production Celica, whether it is called GR Celica or Celica Sport, is expected to resemble the MR2 in size and style as Toyota shifts its design language.
The 2027 WRC rules remain unsettled, and only a few prototypes have taken to the road. Alongside Toyota, Project Rally One has tested a car with a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 engine and Porsche Macan headlights. RMC Motorsport is building its own WRC27 in León, backed by the Real Federación Española de Automovilismo. The emerging rivalry recalls the early Hypercar days in endurance racing. Each WRC27 must have at least 10 units for customer teams, meaning Spanish teams could run the new Toyota alongside Rally2 cars from Skoda and M-Sport, whose Ford Fiesta has now retired. Lancia is another option: its Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale has replaced the Citroën C3 Rally2. Hyundai Motorsport’s next move remains unclear; there is no confirmed successor to the i20 N Rally1.
Spain’s performance car market is changing quickly. New hybrid and electric models are targeting local buyers with longer range and more technology, while competition heats up across all segments, as reported earlier.
Toyota’s decision to test the Celica WRC27 in Spain reflects both engineering priorities and the name’s brand power. The company is betting that a new Celica, rooted in rallying but designed for today’s drivers, can win over fans and appeal in the changing car market. Toyota wants to lead the race.
