The rejuvenation of Toyota can be witnessed “in the metal” at the Geneva motor show, with a display of future showroom and concept models. Geneva marks the world debut of the Toyota FT-Bh concept, which showcases a “total vehicle” approach to reducing emissions in an affordable city car. The ultra-lightweight, full hybrid city car study is designed to achieve low emissions within an economically viable production framework. The team that produced FT-Bh purposely avoided expensive materials and complex manufacturing processes, instead working only with those that are already commonplace in the auto industry. Toyota’s stand will also feature the new 86 sports coupe, which rekindles the pure passion and excitement of sports car driving at an affordable price. The 86 is due on sale in Australia this winter. Toyota’s NS4 and FCV-R concepts will also be shown in Geneva. NS4 is a next-generation plug-in hybrid vehicle designed to address customer demand for added value from hybrid motoring, together with advanced design and a more involving drive. FCV-R represents Toyota’s next step towards mass production of hydrogen-powered vehicles, paving the way for the launch of a fuel-cell vehicle by 2015. Another featured vehicle is the Toyota diji concept, first shown at last year’s Tokyo motor show as the Fun-Vii. The vehicle is all about personalisation: the entire body, inside and out, serves as a display, with the driver being able to change colour and content at will. The process of displaying images or information is as simple as downloading an app. The car can also link to nearby vehicles and infrastructure to create an even more connected driving experience. Finally, also making its world premiere in Geneva is the Yaris Hybrid, which will be sold only in the European market. See the original post... |