TOYOTA FT HS CONCEPT

The FT HS Concept car was first shown at the 2007 Detroit show, and was instantly labelled the spiritual successor to the fantastic Toyota Supra. The FT HS is a hybrid super car, using a 3.5 litre V6 engine mated to an electric motor to give 400 horsepower and great fuel economy.

With the positive response it received, it was initially scheduled to reach showrooms on 2009 but due to the recession impacting heavily on more expensive luxury and sports cars, it has apparently been put on hold for a temporary period. We could see an updated production version on display at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show.

Styling from this car may also heavily influence the strongly rumoured ‘Toyobaru’ sports coupe that is a joint development between Toyota and Subaru that may replace the much loved Celica model, and give a little life to the currently rather dull Toyota production model range, with less adventurous models like the Toyota Auris.

TOYOTA FT EV CONCEPT

The FT EV concept, shown at the Detroit 2009 car show, is based closely on the European market Toyota iQ production car, but with a fully electric drivetrain that is rechargeable from the mains. According to Toyota, a production version of this car could be in the market as soon as 2010 but it won’t simply be an electric iQ, so expect some sheet metal changes and obviously the loss of all those over the top gold stickers.

Expect it also to be a cheaper version of the car according to the chief engineer Hiroki Nakajima: “We wanted to position the iQ as premium,” he said, “but not so the BEV.” The Electric car should use a version of the iQ Platform, but be slightly shorter and lighter, and is more likely to be purely a 2 seater in the mould of the Smart car rather than the extra seating that the iQ gives. Keep an eye out for a FT EV 2 concept in the future which should be closer to the eventual production car.

TOYOTA 1/X CONCEPT

Pronounced “1/Xth” and shown at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, this concept was designed to showcase Toyota lightweight construction technology, with the car using carbon fibre reinforced plastic as the main material for its monocoque body making it incredibly light at around 420 kgs, less than half the weight of a conventional small car,such as the current Toyota Yaris.

Its engine, which is a 500cc Hybrid unit that can also be plugged in to recharge, with the petrol motor used purely for recharging the batteries on the move. The lightness of the car means that it gives better than twice the fuel economy of the equivalent Prius hybrid. The 1/X will never make production, but some of the clever technology used in its construction definitely will.

TOYOTA F3R CONCEPT

The F3R is a concept designed to attract a younger audience back to the Minivan segment which is traditionally bought by growing families and it does this by throwing away the traditional 3 row design and creating a much more flexible space that is much more stylish than the typical minivan.

Toyota Explains: “Younger people are hanging out in their cars. When they do that, the car becomes an entertainment area. The F3R expands on that concept. It’s a sophisticated extension of the home.” The concept features nightclub style lighting along with seats that can be moved into a variety of positions meaning that younger people can take all their friends out together. It’s a novel concept, but the extra cost of a minivan would likely be prohibitive for a younger person, meaning the idea will not make production, but it may have an infuence on current models in the range, like the Toyota Auris.

TOYOTA A-BAT CONCEPT

The A-BAT is a compact sized pick-up design, designed to be both stylish and practical. It was first shown at the 2008 Detroit show, and Toyota UK described it as follows “This concept is the next evolution of the compact truck,” said Hunter. “We were able to create a compact truck that’s utilitarian, has an original profile compared to other pickup trucks, has a ‘small, but tough’ character and is economical to operate. The A-BAT is a fun-to-drive, practical package that reflects Toyota’s environmental sustainability message.”

It certainly is a very different proposition to your average pick up truck, and in the metal is much smaller than the chunky looks would suggest. We love the aggressive and individual styling which is a world away from the usual boxy separate cab and load bed you see on most trucks. The physical size limits the overall practicality, but with a trend for downsizing coming in ,the A-BAT would fit in perfectly if in the unlikely event it makes it to the showroom floor. If not then it may just have an infuence over future designs onf 4×4 models like the current Toyota RAV4.

TOYOTA CS&S CONCEPT

The Toyota CS&S concept car, (standing for Compact Sports and Specialty) was originally shown at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. It’s a 2 seat roadster powered by a 1.5 litre hybrid petrol electric set up taken directly from the Toyota Prius powers the rear wheels and a separate electric motor is connected to the front wheels.
Also unique to this concept is the seating arrangement with removable covers for the rear 2 occasional seats, where the car can be run as a 2 seater or if the rear canopies are removed from behind the front seats, a 2+2 seater. The concept also features a very much blue sky (ie not physically possible to actually put into production) ) that Toyota calls “Toyota Space Touch”, a multi-function information system that allows users to touch a series of floating holographic projections in order to control different functions of the car. The CS&S Concept is far removed both in styling terms and engineering complexity from current models like the Toyota Yaris and was never slated for production.