Toyota unveiled the FT-1, a concept sports car that harkens back to the Supra it made in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.
The reveal came a year after General Motors
drew rave reviews for the seventh generation of the Chevrolet Corvette, which won 2014 North American Car of the Year, and could tap into a renaissance of high-performance sports cars at the U.S. economy finally gains traction.
Although the Supra isn’t being revived in name — as was rumored among auto enthusiasts — the Japanese automaker is reviving the Supra in spirit.
Calling the grand coupe the Toyota FT-1, the automaker said the vehicle — designed by Americans in Toyota’s Calty Design Research studios — stands for “Future Toyota.”
Calty President Kevin Hunter called the FT-1 “the ultimate, world-class sports car,” saying it signaled a pivot in strategy away from “consensus”-driven design.
The concept version could portend the arrival of a production model that would inject a dose of fresh energy into Toyota’s staid design image — a stated goal of President Akio Toyoda.
The company did not say whether it would build the concept, but it did announce that enthusiasts can drive the car virtually. It will be available as a downloadable vehicle for PlayStation3’s Gran Turismo 6 real driving simulator on Tuesday. The car, the company said, was created digitally to demonstrate what a production FT-1 could achieve.
Alex Shen, a chief designer who also was on hand for the announcement, pointed out some of the design features: wind-swept curves, deep intakes, sling-shot cockpit, steering wheel controls — and a glass window in the hood to show off the car’s engineering.
The car also has a pointy nose, an allusion, perhaps to a Formula One car.It
■ Full coverage: Visit Freep.com/autoshow for more stories, photo galleries and videos
■ Related: Chevy Corvette, Silverado named North American Car and Truck of the Year
“This is a symbol of Toyota’s design future,” Hunter said. “This is the kind of project we dream of working on.”
Toyota’s press conference at the North American International Auto Show channeled the same energy embodied in the Supra about 15 years after Toyota stopped producing it.
As journalists awaited the press conference, a giant box was hanging from the ceiling.
When the event began, the box dropped slowly to the floor — and several people in “Star Wars” storm trooper outfits rushed onto the stage to “open” the box.
They immediately encountered a hiccup. The box wouldn’t open right away. A technical assistant rushed to the stage and helped pry the box open.
The FT-1 concept emerged from its shell, sporting a dramatic rear spoiler and sweeping drop-off from windshield to hood.
“The goal is simple but profound: develop a future generation of products that connect on an emotional level,” Hunter said.
Toyota plans to introduce eight completely new or updated models this year and expects to sell 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S., or about 100,000 more than it sold in 2013.
Via Detroit Free Press
Connect with us
