We have to admit it; Japanese auto giant Toyota managed really well to keep the new FT-1 coupe concept a secret until its world debut, which happened today at the NAIAS 2014.
The new Toyota FT-1 Sports Coupe Concept is the brainchild of Calty Design Research in California, who came up with this front-engine, rear-wheel drive study for the PlayStation Gran Turismo game. The ‘FT’ in the name stands for “Future Toyota” and numerical part stands for ‘ultimate’.
To be honest, we won’t be too surprised if the new Toyota FT-1 Sports Coupe previews the highly anticipated Supra replacement. It may be noted that while Toyota did say that the latest concept is merely a design study, it also said that the study builds upon “a rich sports coupe heritage dating back to the 2000GT, Celica, Supra, MR2 and most recently Scion FR-S.
“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, Calty’s Studio Chief Designer. “It is an aggressive, track-focused sports car concept with a presence that has been amplified for shock and awe“
If nothing else, it is pretty much for sure that various design cues from the latest Toyota concept will filter down to several future Toyota products. These models could very well include the next Supra, if at all it sees the light of the day.
Toyota has informed us that the new FT-1 sports coupe is a rolling concept with no powertrain. However, it added that it has envisioned the FT-1 to be powered by “a high-technology, high performance internal combustion engine“.
You will be able to drive the Toyota FT-1 Sports Coupe concept in Gran Turismo 6.
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