TOYOTA is not hiding anything anymore. A mysterious 2-door coupe was photographed testing in Portugal’s Algarve mountain roads in late February 2026 — and Toyota Gazoo Racing has confirmed it is real. This is the WRC27-spec prototype that will replace the GR Yaris on the world rally stage, and every clue points to one name: GR Celica.
The Spy Shots That Started It All
On 26 February 2026, local rally fan and photographer Marcio Pereira captured a heavily camouflaged Toyota prototype running on the mountain roads of Algarve, Portugal. The footage was posted on X and picked up by eWRCresults before rally media outlet DirtFish confirmed the images were authentic — not AI-generated, not a rendering, a real car on a real road.
The body shape immediately stood out. This is no GR Yaris. The prototype wears a compact 2-door coupe silhouette — low roofline, short overhangs, very different proportions to the hot hatch that Toyota has campaigned in WRC since 2022. Camouflage wrapping runs in red, white, and black, obscuring bodywork details but doing nothing to hide the shape.
Marcio Pereira, who captured the footage, noted one critical detail: the engine note was identical to the current GR Yaris Rally2. That means Toyota is carrying over the same 3-cylinder 1.6-litre turbocharged powertrain into this new chassis — but wrapping it in an entirely different car.
Toyota Confirms: Prototype Is Real, Already Past 2,000km
DirtFish approached Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC Technical Director Tom Fowler directly. He did not deny the spy shots. Instead, he confirmed the prototype programme is fully underway:
“At this point, we are already running a prototype test car. The design team is focused on all the feedback from this machine and is working to resolve issues and continue improving it.”
Fowler added that Toyota’s original goal was to have the prototype running on track by 2026 — and that target has been met. The car has already completed multiple test sessions, accumulating over 2,000 kilometres of running. Testing will continue to ramp up as the WRC27 regulations deadline approaches.
WRC27 Rules Are What Make This Possible
The WRC27 technical regulations are the reason Toyota can build a coupe-shaped rally car. Unlike the current Rally1 rules which demanded a production-based hatchback, WRC27 mandates a standardised tubular spaceframe chassis — and from there, manufacturers have freedom to clothe it in any bodywork shape they choose, provided it fits within the stipulated dimensional limits.
Hatchbacks, saloons, coupes, crossovers, and bespoke designs are all permitted. There is no requirement for the car to be “recognisable” as a specific production model. This is the regulatory door Toyota has walked through.
Under WRC27, the powertrain formula follows the Rally2 blueprint: 1.6-litre turbocharged engine with a 32mm air restrictor producing approximately 290 hp, AWD, and a 5-speed sequential gearbox. No hybrid system. Cost ceiling is set at €345,000 per car — a deliberate measure to control manufacturer spending. Toyota’s WRC27 machine will share its drivetrain architecture with the GR Yaris Rally2, but the bodywork can match any existing or upcoming Toyota/Lexus lineup vehicle — or something entirely new.
Toyota is currently the only major WRC manufacturer confirmed to have an advanced WRC27 design undergoing active testing. Their rivals are still in earlier development stages.
GR Celica? The Evidence Is Stacking Up
The obvious candidate is the GR Celica — a nameplate that Toyota executives have been openly hinting at for years. GR Division President Tomoya Takahashi has publicly confirmed a midship (mid-engine) sports car project is in active development. Executive Vice President Yuki Nakajima was even more direct, stating on record: “We will make the Celica.”
The 2023 FT-Se concept — though presented as an electric vehicle — showed proportions and a silhouette that many analysts believe is compatible with an ICE or hybrid powertrain. Toyota has done this before: reveal a concept under an electrified banner, then produce the road car with the powertrain the market actually wants.
Best Car magazine, citing internal sources, reports that the road-going GR Celica carries the internal codename 710D. Specifications doing the rounds include a mid-mounted 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder producing over 400 hp, AWD, a choice of 6-speed manual or 8-speed GR Direct Automatic Transmission, and extensive use of carbon fibre for the roof, bonnet, and decklid to keep weight in check. Best Car’s sources suggest a reveal at the 2027 Tokyo Auto Salon in January, with sales beginning in 2028.
Toyota Has Already Filed the Trademark — In Brazil
Here is the piece of evidence that moves this from rumour to near-certainty: Toyota Motor Corporation has filed the “GR CELICA” trademark with Brazil’s national intellectual property office, the Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial (INPI), under the Ministério da Economia.
Filing details:
- Mark: GR CELICA
- Filing date: 15 January 2025
- Process number: 937665010
- Classification: NCL(12) 12 — Automobiles and their structural components
- Holder: Toyota Motor Corporation
- Legal representative: Daniel & Cia law firm, Brazil
- Status: Awaiting objection period
The fact that this trademark was filed in Brazil — not Japan — is telling. It strongly suggests Toyota intends the GR Celica to be a global product, with South America, North America, and international markets in scope from day one. Combined with earlier reports of a GR MR2 and GR MR-S trademark registered in Australia, Toyota appears to be building a systematic legal IP wall around an entire family of upcoming GR sports cars.
The Celica GT-Four Legacy This Car Needs to Live Up To
The Celica name carries serious rally pedigree. The legendary Celica GT-Four dominated the World Rally Championship between 1990 and 1994, delivering 4 drivers’ world championships and 2 manufacturers’ titles. Carlos Sainz took the drivers’ crown in 1990 and 1992. Didier Auriol added another in 1994. That era defined Toyota’s motorsport identity and established the Celica as one of the greatest rally cars ever built.
A WRC27 GR Celica would not just be a new race car — it would be a statement of intent from Toyota that the era of the blank-cheque, flagship sports coupe is back.
