Toyota NS4 Plug-in Hybrid Sedan Concept Signals New Styling Direction [Updated / Videos]

Toyota was one of the few brands that managed to keep one of its Detroit Auto Show debuts under covers until the grand opening and today, the Japanese manufacturer officially revealed the NS4, a sleek looking plug-in hybrid concept.

Like many other conceptual studies shown in Detroit, the NS4's role is to preview the future in the areas of styling and technology.

Toyota says that the NS4 concept signals a new styling direction for the brand "aimed at making an emotional connection with consumers". And truth to be said, the NS4 looks far more interesting than any other Toyota sedan – but then again, it's a concept, so it's supposed to look great.

Read more »

Toyota Video Teases New NS4 Plug-in Hybrid Concept Car – Is it a Coupe?

In addition to a very closely cropped teaser photo, Toyota has now published a new video on the NS4, a plug-in hybrid concept car that will be fully revealed at next week's 2012 North American International Motor Show in Detroit.

While mystery continues to shroud the details on the NS4, the new promotional clip gives us a sneak peek on some of the car's styling and tech elements such as instrument panel and center console.

We also get a quick glimpse of a few sketches that appear to be showing a coupe or perhaps a sporty looking four-or five-door fastback, but we can't be sure. Follow the break to watch the video for yourself.

Read more »

Toyota NS4 Plug-in Hybrid Concept Heads to Detroit Motor Show

This is our first look at the brand new Toyota NS4 Concept car that will make its world premiere at the 2012 North American International Auto Show, which takes place in Detroit from January 9 to 22.

Toyota is being as secretive about the NS4 as its premium Lexus sibling is about its own prototype that will be shown in Motor Town, with the only piece of information we get about the vehicle is that it will be "an advanced plug-in hybrid concept".

Read more »

Toyota Aqua Hybrid Spiffily Modded by Kana Auto Works

While in the business of producing and developing cars for Toyota for more than half a century, Kana Auto Works has generally stayed under the radar.

However, at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Japanese company came out of its shell introducing several bespoke models.

Aside from the Toyota Century-based FS Hybrid concept that we showed you earlier today, Kana Auto Works also displayed two prototypes of the newly presented Toyota Aqua hybrid, which will be marketed under the Prius C brand name outside of Japan.

Read more »

It's a Car, It's a Smart Phone, No, It's the Toyota Fun-Vii Concept [Updated Gallery]

Crazy concept cars are something of a staple of the bi-annual Tokyo Motor Show, which takes place this year at the Tokyo Big Sight in Koto Ward from November 30 to December 11.

And while the star of Toyota's booth is no doubt, the new 86 coupe (formerly known as the FT-86), Japan's top-brand has plenty more in store for us including the Fun Vii concept study.

Read more »

Kanto Auto Works' FS Hybrid Concept is the Rolls Royce of Toyota Models

Tucked away in a corner of the Tokyo Motor Show is this conceptual proposal for a luxurious full-size sedan named the FS Hybrid by Japanese firm Kanto Auto Works [KAW], which happens to be a long time partner of Toyota.

KAW has several plants throughout Japan as well as in Thailand and Brazil. It has built several Toyota models while also helping the Japanese company in the engineering field with projects like the MR2-based GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II that was also on display in Tokyo.

Read more »

Toyota's MR2 Based GRMN SPORTS HYBRID Concept II gets its Motorshow Debut

Visitors at this week's 2011 Tokyo Motor Show will have the chance to see Toyota's MR2 roadster-based GRMN SPORTS HYBRID Concept II in the flesh.

Developed by Toyota and its motorsports partner Gazoo Racing, the prototype made its debut at this year’s 24-hour endurance race at the Nürburgring in Germany.

For those of you wondering, "GRMN" is an acronym for “Gazoo Racing tuned by the Meister of the Nürburgring,” the latter being a nickname for Toyota’s late test driver Hiromu Naruse who died in an accident last summer while driving a prototype of the Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition.

The GRMN SPORTS HYBRID Concept II is a development of last year's racing prototype that was based on production MR-2. The second iteration of Toyota's hybrid sports car features a brand new body while also improving upon the first concept on the powertrain front.

Read more »

New Toyota FCV-R Fuel-Cell Concept Heading for Production in 2015 [Updated]

Toyota's conceptual products at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show are a bit more than crowd pleasers as both the FT-EV III mini and the FCV-R study pictured here, are slated to enter production.

The FCV-R is a next-generation fuel-cell concept model fueled by hydrogen that Toyota says is planned for launch in 2015.

According to the Japanese automaker, the fuel-cell unit is located beneath the specially designed body thus saving space with the concept being able to accommodate up to four passengers and their luggage.

The next generation fuel cell stack consists of a 70 MPa high-pressure hydrogen tank, which said to provide a driving range of approximately 700 km or about 435 miles.

Read more »

Toyota and Yamaha to Jointly Display Concept Bikes at the Tokyo Motor Show

It's a very little-known fact, but one of, if not the most famous Toyota sports cars of all time, the late 1960s 2000 GT, was designed and manufactured in collaboration with Yamaha, which is mostly recognized as a maker of motorcycles, marine engines and pianos.

The two Japanese companies are now combining forces once again with a joint display of two concept models at this week's 2011 Tokyo Motor Show to highlight their new collaboration in the development of communications-linked next-generation vehicles.

Read more »

Toyota Turns the iQ Into the Pure-Electric FT-EV III Concept for the Tokyo Show

While on the forefront of hybrid technology, Toyota is also looking into electric vehicles with plans to introduce a new range of battery-powered models within the next year including the RAV4 EV.

At the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, which opens its doors on November 30, the Japanese brand will preview a pure-electric version of the Toyota/Scion/Aston Martin iQ mini with the FT-EV III Concept.

Read more »

Color Me Bronze: Toyota's FT-86 II Concept Hits the Frankfurt Stage with a New Color

Toyota seems ready to knock down the Chevrolet Camaro's record number of motorshow appearances before it finally entered production with its FT-86 sports coupe.

More than three years after Toyota and Subaru announced plans to co-develop a rear-wheel drive coupe, and almost two years after Toyota first showed a concept of the FT-86, the Japanese company is still displaying prototypes of its long-awaited sports car.

Read more »

New Promo Clip of Toyota FT-86 II Concept

Toyota may be polishing up the final production version of its long-time coming FT-86 rear-wheel drive sports coupe, but at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Japanese brand will display the most recent concept version dubbed FT-86 II, which we first saw in Geneva earlier this year. Read more »

Toyota Presents the Successor to Last Year’s MR2 Study with the New GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II

At last year’s Tokyo Auto Salon, Toyota showcased a concept study of an all-wheel drive hybrid sports car (see here) loosely based on the now obsolete MR2 roadster, developed in partnership with Japan’s GAZOO Racing.

Now the time has come for Toyota to unwrap its successor in the form of the GRMN SPORTS HYBRID Concept II that will receive both its public and racing debut at this weekend’s highly anticipated 39th Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race in Germany.

The name “GRMN” stands for GAZOO Racing tuned by Meister of Nürburgring, in honor of the late Hiromu Naruse (1944-2010), the Toyota chief test driver and head of the GAZOO Racing team who died in an accident last summer driving a prototype of the Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition in Germany.

Read more »

Eric Leong’s Radical 2015 Toyota Prius Design Study

As part of last year’s Toyota Design Internship, industrial designer Eric Leong produced this interesting take on the fourth-generation Toyota Prius for the year 2015.

By acknowledging that wind resistance is one of the key factors in improving vehicle economy, Leong’s Prius III hybrid is extremely slippery. Described by the designer as moving, “through [the wind], not into it”, this design study channels air over its surface through a series of vanes.

Read more »

Toyota FT-86 Sports Concept II: New Pictures and Video from Brussels Photo Shoot

We’ve already seen and gone over all the juicy bits of the near-production Toyota FT-86 II sports coupe, but the Japanese automaker’s social media crew went over to the firm’s European headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, for a new photo shoot last week offering us a fresh batch of pictures as well as a behind-the-scenes video.

The second iteration of the FT-86 study made its first public outing at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month. Its main purpose is to preview actual production model that will go on sale in late 2012. The well-received styling of the original concept model evolved gaining new front and rear ends, more pronounced surfaces and a host of other fresh details, with Toyota claiming that the design changes were made for safety regulations as well as for practical reasons.

Read more »

Test Drivers' Suggestions "Blamed" for the Re-Design of the Toyota FT-86 Coupe

Toyota's FT-86 II pre-production concept car displayed at the Geneva Motor Show last week attracted a lot of attention, with many viewing the car's styling as a step back from the FT-86. However, as Toyota explained, these changes were not imposed only by designers, but by the company's test drivers and safety regulations as well.

More precisely, the feedback received from the test drivers after the early development stages had the biggest influence on the look of the FT-86 II. The most important change requested was to move back the A-pillars by around 100 mm at the base, which led to a more vertical windscreen.

Read more »

Toyota FT-86 II Concept in the Flesh and on GT5-like Video Footage

Toyota has published two brand new videos of its FT-86 II concept car that broke cover at this week's 81st Geneva International Motor Show. The first video is a real-life 'walk-around' of the actual concept model while the second clip shows the FT-86 II in some virtual racing action in what appears to be -but is not mentioned-the Gran Turismo 5 game (if we're wrong on this one, let us know in the comments section).

The FT-86 II is the final concept version of Toyota's upcoming rear-wheel drive sports coupe before the production model comes to life next year. For the details on the styling changes over the original study, read our previous article here.

Read more »

Geneva 2011: Toyota FT-86 II Concept Moves One Step Closer to Production [Updated Gallery]

Toyota has revealed photos of the second iteration of its FT-86 Concept car that is said to be very close to the actual production version due to go on sale in 2012. The Geneva Motor Show FT-86 II features several styling differences over the original concept shown at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show.

First off, Toyota's designers restyled the coupe's profile by eliminating the lower swoop line and adding a new beltline that starts from the front wheel arch with a cheesy air vent and finishes off on the tip of the rear window, which itself has grown in size. In addition, Toyota also split the front window and abolished the blacked out A-Column finish, while the rear wheel arches are more pronounced and there are new side rocker panels.

Read more »

Toyota Shows Yaris HSD Concept in Geneva, Production Model to Follow in 2012

Toyota premiered its first superimini hybrid model based on the next-generation Yaris at the Geneva Motor Show today. The Yaris HSD Concept is essentially a teaser version of the production hybrid model that Toyota will launch in Europe in 2012.

In a similar fashion to the Auris HSD before it, the Hybrid Synergy Drive version of the Yaris features some bespoke styling cues that separate it from its conventional sibling. These include the large trapezoidal lower grille, the vertical “aero” corners housed in the front bumper that minimise air turbulence and the rear reflectors in the rear bumper. Other changes include the 18-inch rims, specially designed to aid brake cooling.

Read more »