Revealed: Toyota's Olympic stars

The world's biggest car-maker has big plans to maximise its multi-billion-dollar sponsorship of the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan, including the release of no less than eight new vehicles to promote its vision of future mobility.

Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda first revealed his strategy to overhaul the global image of Japanese cars in terms of both design and technology in the lead-up to the 2020 Olympics at the 2013 Tokyo motor show, where he unveiled the rather conservative looking but practical 'Japan Taxi Concept'.

“Thousands of foreign guests will visit Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics just over six years away. We want to show them a new futuristic cityscape featuring a new style of taxi and mobility," he said at the time.”

That ambitious statement found footing in March this year when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Toyota as Top Partner for the 2020 Olympics, marking the first time a car company was named as an official sponsor for the Olympics.

It's understood the announcement followed fierce debate inside Toyota’s headquarters, given the 10-year sponsorship deal was rumoured to amount to more than $2 billion over the decade.

With the backing of enough board members, however, Toyoda was able to push through both the deal and his desire to introduce as much of the company’s advanced technology as possible by the time the Olympics come around.

Unlike the proposed Zaha Hadid-designed Olympic stadium that was recently cancelled due to intense public opposition to its exorbitant $2.5 billion pricetag, Toyota will build its car for the Olympics.

In fact, according to Japan’s Best Car magazine, Toyota will build no fewer than eight new vehicles that encapsulate its new interpretation of future mobility for the country, and the world.

Significantly, at least some of the ground-breaking new models will be exported to markets including Australia.

Including the proposed Japan Taxi Concept and the already launched Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell sedan, which will come in for a major facelift by 2018, Toyota will launch a total of 10 new models in time for the Olympics in mid-2020. And all of them will be used for Olympic business, says Best Car.

As we've reported, Toyota will reveal a new-generation Prius hybrid at the 2015 Tokyo show in October, ahead of its arrival here in the first quarter of next year. A replacement for the plug-in hybrid version not sold here will follow by the end of next year.

But one of the most prestigious cars used to ferry around athletes and VIPs between venues will be the Lexus LS FCV (fuel-cell vehicle). which is expected to land in showrooms by late 2017.  

Rumoured to feature extensive use of weight-saving materials including aluminium, hydrogen-powered Lexus limousine is expected to incorporate an upgraded version of the Mirai’s powertrain.

Best Car's sources say Toyota will extend its luxury fuel cell line-up to include a Crown FCV with the same powertrain. Designed specifically for domestic Toyota dealers, it's expected in Japanese showrooms by 2019.

Toyota will have other surprises for visiting heads of state and VIPs: an all-new version of its domestic-only supreme limousine, the Century.

Expected to make a 2017 debut, this extremely traditional saloon will get a 5.0-litre V8 petrol-electric powertrain, and Best Cars says Toyota will prepare up to 60 of the super-limos to deliver presidents and prime ministers to their official events.

By 2019, Toyota will also launch revised versions of its hugely successful Japan-only Noah and Voxy hybrid people-movers seating up to seven athletes. Just in time for the Olympics, an all-new Alphard hybrid minivan will also land in showrooms.

Rounding off its Olympic mobility fleet will be Toyota's two-passenger i-Road three-wheeler for Olympic venue security and quick in-venue transport, while the Segway-style Winglet will provide quick, convenient personal transport at the Games.

Images: Best Car