Toyota is working hard in recreating its glory days when sports cars were the highlight of their line-up. After introducing the Toyota 86 as the reincarnation of the iconic AE86 to the world, enthusiasts now eagerly awaits the Japanese manufacturer to come out with a successor to the mighty Supra. This wish might not be far from reality as at the recent Detroit Auto Show, Toyota had unveiled the new FT-1 Sports Coupe Concept, which might serve as a big hint of the Supra’s comeback.
Designed by Calty Design Research in USA, the designers were given a simple yet important motive from Toyota boss Akio Toyoda himself before starting work on the car; make it look cool. With experience in working on the 1978 Celica, the Lexus SC400, the Supra and the FT-HS concept, the FT-1 or “Future Toyota-1” is no different.
“Our team was heavily influenced by Toyota’s sports car past, especially Celica and Supra, and we sought to capture some of that history”, said Alex Shen, the Head Designer of Calty Studio. “It is an aggressive, track-focused sports car concept with a presence that has amplified for shock and awe”.
The sports car stance is instantly recognized with its long and low profile, not to forget the low nose which leads to an extended hood. The car looks as if it was being sculpted by wind and speed, mainly because it was one of the goals pursued by the designers.
The power on this concept? For the time being this rolling concept has no real powertrain, but Toyota envisioned the study to be powered by “a high-technology, high performance internal combustion engine”.
