08/03/2026

theSunday Special XV ON SUNDAY MAR 8, 2026

Eyes wide open Is this the Toyota GR Celica in rally-guise?

THE World Rally Championship (WRC) has revamped its regulations for 2027 in a bid to lower costs and encourage more participation. However, Toyota is the only manufacturer to publicly commit for now and is already testing in Portugal but their new camou flaged machine looks nothing like the Toyota GR Yaris used previ ously. Is this our first look at the all new Toyota GR Celica? That Toyota will be reviving the legendary nameplate is not news but we have yet to see any indica tion of its design, until now that is – when Toyota whipped out its new WRC challenger in testing. The images and videos by Marcio Pereira on social media show an unidentified coupe barreling through the gravel. With the dust and low resolution, it is difficult to

For now though, we will have to make do with what we see in the images above. All will be revealed however by the end of the year prior to the 2027 Rally Monte Carlo. This does remind us though of the time Toyota paid homage to the fire-breathing WRC Celica’s from the 90s with the GR86 Rally Legacy Concept. It fused a GR86 exterior with the complete drivetrain from a GR Corolla, to tease what the new Celica could be. The G16E-GTS 1.6 litre engine, GR-Four all-wheel drive and six-speed manual were made to fit into the coupe. Finished in the iconic Castrol liv ery over the Halo White body, it was a fitting tribute to that era but it looks like we are close to bringing back the good times again and cus tom rally fog lamps again.

larger turbo even with no hybrid assistance. However, the compact version in the Celica would likely make in the region of the high 200PS. Given that the new WRC regulations have ditched the complex and expensive hybrid systems, the G20E’s develop ment looks to be spot on. If this is indeed the Celica, that would mean Toyota will carry an extensive portfolio of performance models over the coming years. We expect the GR Yaris and GR Corolla to return, followed by the third generation GR86 with a turbo charged engine and a new non BMW Supra. Add in the Celica and MR2, and you have a dream team of sports cars. Last but certainly not the least by a considerable margin is the Toyota GR GT halo car.

make out the model but one thing is for sure, that is no GR Yaris. At first glance, it appears as a high-riding coupe crossover in the mould of the C-HR. Look a little closer and you will notice the obvi ous coupe shape but with taller shoulders. It is unlikely to be the new GR86 given that rallying requires all-wheel drive. Logically, this must be the new Celica. Toyota has been working on the Celica and MR2, developing a new 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine known internally as the G20E for the latter while a more compact version is slated to run the Celica. The engine is suitable for use in performance cars and even heavy-duty applications. Engineers are said to be aiming for 395PS in the G20E but are confi dent that 600PS is attainable with a

Conflict in the middle east and the price of fuel

places them above that. There are always great deals to be had if you spend some time talking to dealers. Plug-in hybrids are all the rage these days and pose a perfect solution for those still sceptical about making the full electric transition. The Chery Tiggo 7 and Proton e.MAS 7 have such models and though they are priced upwards of RM100,000, they are still great cars. But ultimately, the best way to save some ringgit is still to use public trans portation. If the last mile (your home to the station) is a problem, then consider a scooter. You can have one for less than RM4,000 these days. They are great at dicing through traffic as well.

a new, more economical machine, there are ways to reduce fuel bills, such as not accelerating more than you need to, lifting off the accel erator pedal and coasting as much as you can before get ting on the brakes, and so on. There is countless of material written on ways to drive more economically.

crude oil has already soared by more than 6% and reports from around the world are painting a grim picture. Price of fuel at the pump is expected to follow suit as well, and if the violence in Iran does not end soon, expect the price of most things to hike up, not to mention possible infla tion as well.

SADLY, the biggest topic of the week involves the unnecessary loss of life in the Middle East. Wars are never a good thing but unfortunately it is the reality that we have to live in. And while we may be thousands of kilometres away, we may just feel the effects of what’s happening in Iran. Iran controls the Straits of Hormuz, where 20% of the world’s oil traffic has to flow through. All is well when vessels can sail through without a problem, but the straits have now been closed due to the conflict in Iran, and that can just mean one thing, a raise in the price of oil. Yes, we Malaysians are bound to face the consequences as well. At the time of writing, the price of

WRITTEN BY KESHY DHILLON

For those who can afford to splurge some now for long term gains, new electric cars such as the Proton e.MAS 5, BYD Atto 2 and even the Leapmotor B10 may be great solutions. They are all priced at below RM100,000 though official pricing

To deal with this, we might be able to reduce unnecessary spending, but transportation is a necessary. And with our public transport not being able to reach every corner of the country, we may have no choice but to adapt. For those that are unable to spend on