Three world premieres for Toyota – plus an EV
Japanese car-maker unveils an all-electric city car, as well as two new hybrids. But the close-to-reality, rear-drive FT-86 Concept II sports coupe is the rear attention-grabberGeneva International Motor Show
Although Toyota is presenting a swag of attractions at this year's Geneva international motor show - three models making their premiere, as well as a new all-electric town car – the one destined to attract most attention is the rear-drive sports coupe dubbed FT-86 Concept II.
Based on the FT-86 concept developed in conjunction with Subaru and first seen at the 2009 Tokyo motor show (it appeared in tarted-up FT-86G form at last year's Sydney International Motor Show), the sports coupe is said to be "the clearest indication yet of the final design for Toyota's next sports car."
Toyota's press release provides few details of the latest iteration, but the 2009 FT-86 was powered by a 2.0-litre turbo four and was notable not just for the return to rear-wheel drive, but also for its gob-smacking looks. The more rorty FT-86G version seen at the Sydney show featured 19-inch wheels, Recaro seats, a remoulded front end with a larger air intake, an exposed intercooler, a vented bonnet, a large carbon-fibre wing, a revised diffuser and oversized twin exhausts. The engine was also "specially tuned" to deliver a significant performance upgrade.
The FT-86 is coming, but as yet we don't know when . . .
The EV prototype also on the Toyota stand at Geneva is intended to show the Japanese company actually does look beyond hybrids.
Based on the iQ city car sold in Japan and the UK, the EV is a tiny, all-electric four-seater. Using Toyota's "readily adaptable" Hybrid Synergy Drive technology, it employs a lithium-ion battery pack and claims a range, according to the Japanese C08 test cycle, of up to 105km.
Toyota says "it will undergo testing on European roads this year, with a potential introduction to that market through a leasing program in 2012."
Toyota also has plans to sell the EV in the USA with a Scion nametag, and is "investigating its viability" in other markets.
The Prius+ is a seven-seater developed from the existing Prius hatchback to extend the hybrid's appeal across a wider demographic – while the hybrid Yaris HSD Concept is intended to "bring full hybrid technology to the compact segment."
Clearly Toyota is continuing to amortise its hybrid development costs across an ever-broader market, topped at present by the hybrid Lexus 600hL and most recently added to by the Prius-size Lexus CT 200h five-door hatch.
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