Bojan Vrbnjak
Sometimes they are concept cars or studies intended to present future production models. In other cases, automakers want it simple to test the public's taste or predict the technology of the future. Either way, we love it wild and crazy concepts – like these five Toyota's concepts that never made it to the fair, let alone mass production.
Toyota he calls these five concept cars “hidden gems". They were designed in the car manufacturer's research center CALTY Design Research in California and hid them behind closed doors. Now them Toyota presents to the world (at least in digital form).
Toyota Future High Performance Concept
In 1989, Toyota commissioned this streamlined, highly aerodynamic design future super sports car. It had fully enclosed front wheel arches and engine, which was possible at the touch of a button pull out from the body and cool it while driving. (no joke!) Of course, nothing as radical as this was ever sent into production.
An unnamed electric vehicle concept
Company CALTY it is still before the idea of a vehicle Prius designed this charming compact car on electric drive with an unusual layout with two doors. Its unique inclined shape and flat surfaces provided excellent aerodynamics, and extremely thin tires reduced rolling resistance.
Toyota X86D Concept
Inspired by the model Scion FR-S (now Toyota GR86) is CALTY designed a four-door version of the then new sports car Shooting Brake with four-wheel drive. It even had the same four-cylinder engine and cockpit, focused on the driver. Unfortunately Toyota it didn't provide any pictures of the interior and decided not to build a production version. A concept study X86D, which was developed in 2012, essentially turned the stylish coupe into four-door shooting brake. What stands out is the uniquely designed rear, which gives it a hot-rod appearance from the profile and from behind.
Scion NYC Concept
Scion NYC Concept from the summer 2012 was designed as affordable city car. Appearance? Well yes. Or? Maybe it reminds you of someone a cartoon? Although the hood seems low, it is passenger space very high. Two vertically protruding headlight they are surprising and create an impression crabs. In the NYC Concept, front-seat passengers leaned against a bolster in a unique semi-sitting/standing position as it were leaning against a wall or fence, so they weren't actually sitting, but standing almost upright with their hips pressed against the support. That's how they were able to achieve same eye level as pedestrians, which should improve eye contact in near the crowd on the sidewalks. In addition, the compact rear seats could be folded to provide enough space for transporting sports equipment or bicycles.
Toyota Baby Lunar Cruiser
OK, we are actually this vehicle already seen once. However, the concept has its own charm. Baby Lunar Cruiserby Toyota presented years 2023, is inspired by the larger model Lunar cruiser and is designed as an all-terrain vehicle from of the second world for 2030. Baby Lunar Cruiser, designed (nomen est omen!) for exploration missions on the surface of the Moon, has motors in wheels and airless tires, and steering, throttle and braking are handled by joystick. It even has artificial intelligence that can recognize dangerous terrain before the driver sees it.
