News about the revival of models, which can bring a stingy tear to the eyes of even the most brutal petrolheads, has been appearing with enviable regularity lately. The experts in used cars from the Indy Auto Man Indianapolis dealership have selected five of the most interesting of the upcoming comebacks and collected all the information that is already available about these models.
BMW 6 Series
It would seem that just recently, BMW renamed the 6 Series coupes and convertibles into the 8 Series, and the “six” became a huge liftback based on the “seven”, which was once the 5 Series GT. Check this post about BMW history of names!
Information about the revival of the 6 Series got online thanks to BMW suppliers. They say the model will return to service in 2026 on a new platform supporting internal combustion engines, hybrids, and fully electric power plants.
Moreover, the 6 Series can replace several models in the BMW lineup. Quite expectedly, the “eight”, and, along with it, the 4 Series.
Toyota Celica
Yes, Toyota is going to revive the Celica! According to unconfirmed but very encouraging information, they want to bring the model back to life in 2025 at the Tokyo Motor Show. And no batteries: the sports car can get a two-liter internal combustion engine of the new series, which Toyota is developing together with Mazda and Subaru, as well as all-wheel drive from the GR Yaris. Rumor has it that the engine output will be around 400 horsepower.
In the Toyota lineup, the new product will be one step above the GR86. Now, Supra occupies that position, but it may retire in 2026, along with the platform-sharing BMW Z4. And successors for neither the Japanese nor the German two-door have been confirmed yet.
The Celica model appeared in the Toyota lineup back in the 1970s. In the 1990s, the Japanese automaker competed in the World Rally Championship with Celica. It is with this car that one of the loudest scandals is associated – the Japanese secretly violated the technical regulations, but it was eventually revealed. As for the last Celica, it rolled off the assembly line in 2006 and was front-wheel drive.
Honda Prelude
Honda hasn’t gotten to the S2000 yet, but the 21st-century Prelude is already rushing to the assembly line. In 2023, the Japanese automaker showed a pre-production prototype of the model, which will change its status to “serial” by 2025.
The automaker has not said anything about the coupe’s powertrain yet, but insiders suggest that the model will receive a hybrid powertrain e:HEV. In it, a two-liter engine works to charge the battery, and it, in turn, powers the electric motors. The Prelude might receive the most mighty version of the system: it produces 207 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque.
If all goes according to plan, the Prelude will return almost a quarter of a century after its predecessor left Honda’s lineup: the coupe ceased production in 2001.
Nissan Silvia
There is almost no information about what the revived Silvia will be like. However, Nissan’s top management openly says there is a place for it in the lineup. The only thing left is to come up with an economic justification for this project.
Back in 2022, that is, exactly 20 years after the end of production of the coupe in the S15 body, it was assumed that the Silvia could return to life as an electric coupe with a retro design. However, the Nissan Z turned out ICE, rear-wheel drive, and received a manual transmission, leaving hope that the battery would only power the starter and radio.
The possible positioning of the model is much more interesting. Rumor has it that it could occupy the place between the Z and the GT-R, the second-oldest sports car in the brand’s lineup. According to another version, the Silvia will be a direct competitor to the Toyota GR86 – that is, it will still be more affordable than the “Z”.
Smart Roadster
The Roadster can hardly be considered as iconic as, say, the Celica or Silvia. And it was produced for only three years – from 2002 to 2005 when the Smart brand still belonged to Mercedes-Benz. The two-door was equipped with a three-cylinder engine with a volume of only 0.7 liters. Nevertheless, both then and now, it is one of the most affordable options to get a stylish body type and rear-wheel drive.
The successor to the Roadster is 99 percent likely to be electric. However, the project has not yet been given the green light by the company’s management, which now belongs to the Chinese concern Geely. Although, the design of the two-door has already been developed! According to the head of the European office of Smart, Dirk Adelmann, it was drawn back in 2020.