The unveiling of the much-anticipated Toyota FT86 sports car will be just one of new world premieres for the Japanese giant at next month’s Tokyo Motor Show.
Car Showroom will be in Tokyo for the unveilings and we’ll also be amongst the first media to drive the Toyota FT86 so stay tuned. The Toyota FT86 is a joint development with Subaru (the BRZ).
Much Australian interest will also be centered on the Prius C compact city car which is slated for local launch in the first quarter of next year. The Yaris-size Prius C is a five-seater powered by a 1.5-litre petrol-hybrid engine and Toyota says its latest lightweight hybrid system is even more compact and mounted low for improved chassis dynamics and interior space.
The Prius C enters the Japanese domestic market late next month where it will be called ‘Aqua’.
Toyota will also take the wraps off its latest fuel-cell vehicle – the FCV-R. The nicely-styled four-seater mounts its fuel cell unit underneath for optimized passenger and cargo space and the high-pressure 70MPa tank affords a range between refills of more than 700kms.
Turning to electric vehicles, Toyota’s Tokyo Motor Show star will be the FT-EV III. This compact four-seater is a pointer to a future ‘city’ car being developed by Toyota for launch next year and delivering a range between battery re-charges of 105kms.
A zero emissions car like the Toyota FT-EVIII makes perfect sense for the crowded major cities in Japan.
Also look for something unusual in the Toyota Fun-Vii concept. Toyota hasn’t released details but says it “heralds a future where people, cars and society are linked”.
