From Motor Trend-
" Toyota will end North American import of it's Celica when the next generation sport coupe luanches for the model year 2005 or 2006. The Celica has been a toyota fixture since the 1972 model year and quickly became known as a kind of Japanese Mustang. But fickle coupe sales in the US, and the death of Honda's Prelude, obviously helped Toyota make the decision."

I actually predicted this here a while ago and everyone said I was full of it. It honestly makes me sad though. The Celica was one of the last few original sporty Japanese cars left ever since the original Rx, Z, Supra, Prelude and 3000gt were all killed off. A sad sad day....

 

I guess they are selling all the left over engines to Lotus :chuckles:

 

Take this news with a grain of salt. This is the same magazine that 2 months ago published an article stating Scion's 3rd vehicle would be called the xC (wrong) and would come in 4-dr. and 5-dr. wagon variants (both wrong).

 

Good job to those who predicted this here...I know at least two did.

I know that Toyota wanted the Celica to move to Scion, but they couldn't because it would tie Toyota and Scion too close together in people's minds if they switched the nameplate IMO. I think that Toyota, being the GM of Japan, no longer feels that segment of car is worth the R&D money and therefore will put their chips on larger, more luxurious coupes (Solara) and smaller, cheaper ones (Scion xT or whatever it is).

 

For me, the Celica died in 1993 when the All-Trac was killed off. The 2003 re-design was what truly killed it lol

 

I think rumours of the Celica's demise are greatly exaggerated. I still think there's room in Toyota for it. If there is a replacement for the Celica, I doubt the tC is it.

 

i see the tC taking over the celica's job... why not?

 

The current Celica was a nice option when it was competing against the Integra. But once the RSX came out that was it. If people want a good driver's car in the segment they have an RSX, if they want a good poser's car they have an Eclipse. The Celica is caught somewhere in between.

 

the celica has always been "girly" IMO. but ive always thought that about the rsx and eclipse as well so... i dunno.

 

this is dissapointing news, if it is true. i thought the current celica was a pretty good car, in terms of performance. i think the rsx moved too far into heavy, plush, luxury car style. the celica was more of a lightweight hyper personality car.