Toyota is planning to make a major splash at the Tokyo motor show when it kicks off on November 20th, with a whole host of new models making their highly-anticipated debuts, under the banner of Fun to Drive Again.
According to the firm, the line-up embodies the work being done to make a positive contribution to society by building the best cars it can and pushing the boundaries beyond what drivers expect from their cars.
So, what does the Japanese manufacturer have in store at its home show?
Toyota FV2
The headline maker at the motor show will be the FV2 concept, which has been created to showcase the very essence of the fun-to-drive philosophy and illustrate the advancement of driving technology.
According to Toyota, the model has both a physical and emotional connection with motorists.
Physically the lack of a steering wheel is a major talking point, as it has been replaced by technology that enables drivers to move the vehicle forward, backwards, left and right by moving their body and shifting their weight.
It also offers an intelligent transport system that can connect with other vehicles on the road and highway infrastructure to capture safety information, to provide advance warning of any dangers to the person in the driving site.
When it comes to the emotional connection, Toyota believes the relationship a driver has with their car will continue to develop over time, as a voice and image recognition feature can determine the driver’s mood. A driving history database can suggest specific destinations and detailed advice can be given on driving style.
Toyota FCV Concept
The FCV Concept will also be making its debut in Tokyo and will be the first outing of the fuel cell vehicle Toyota is planning to launch around 2015 as a pioneer in the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell means the car has a range of at least 300 miles on a full tank and a refuelling time of around three minutes, which is around the same amount of time that a driver of petrol and diesel vehicles would take to fill their tanks.
The front end features pronounced air intakes, while Toyota’s desired air-to-water theme is captured in the flowing liquid profile of the doors, a wave motif on the filler cap and a rear-end treatment inspired by the stern of a catamaran.
Voxy and Noah concepts
New concept models of the Voxy and Noah will be making their debuts in Tokyo, with production versions of these set to hit the production market in early 2014. The vehicles are well established in the MPV market, but the new models will be an update, as the firm continue to push the boundaries.
JPN Taxi Concept
Toyota’s new JPN Taxi concept will be in place to wow fans in Tokyo later this month, with the model focusing on Japanese-style hospitality while livening up the streets. It has been designed with passengers in mind, as it features large, electric doors and a low, flat floor.
Power comes from a new LPG hybrid system, with excellent environmental performance that is tailored to suit typical taxi driving patterns of a taxi.
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