Toyota Concepts
Published Oct 11, 2006
0 Ratings
What Are They?
Toyota Concepts
What's Special About Them?
bB
Carrying the badge of the home-market car that spawned our Scion xB, the bB concept takes the notion of an expressive personal car for youthful drivers to an extreme. Toyota characterizes it as a "music player disguised as a car." A powerful nine-speaker audio system coordinates with lighting effects that pulse and change to the beat of the music, creating a clublike atmosphere inside. There are "speed" and "relaxation" modes to suit the mood of the moment. And when listening is more important than driving, there is a special "chill-out mode" that drops the front seats several inches and reclines them into a position for private, personal enjoyment of your tunes.
Outside, the bB tweaks familiar xB lines with deep lower fascias front and back, joined together by bulbous wheel flares and lower rocker extensions. The face is forceful, while the exaggerated contours have the effect of softening and rounding the flat, right-angle styling of the xB. A catchy idea, good beat, easy to dance to, but don't look for a production equivalent.
FSC
Treading the ambiguous ground between minivan and sedan, the FSC concept looks for a new balance of elegance and utility. The lines are pleasing enough, with accentuated wheel arches like a performance sedan carrying a long glass area that shouts "minivan." Indeed, the design seems to separate along the beltline, such that different variations of roofline and cabin length could be accommodated on the same lower body.
The interior is airy and open, with a "seamless space" theme in its detailing. Individual bucket seats provide comfortable accommodations for four adults, while a flexible "third zone" in back offers three distinct modes. With a two-place bench seat, it's called "Minivan Mode." With that seatback flipped down, "Wagon Mode" provides an open, flat cargo area in back. Or slide the seatback forward to seal off the rear trunk, and you have "Sedan Mode." This could be an answer to one of those proverbial unasked questions, but the engineering is clever. And the car does manage to make a minivan profile look handsome.
Fine-X
Big thinking lies behind the Fine-X concept, summed up in what Toyota calls its "Zeronize and Maximize vision." That is, Zeronize (reduce or eliminate) negative factors, such as environmental impact, while Maximizing comfort, convenience and other qualities motorists look for. The Fine-X pursues this goal in creative ways.
Its advanced fuel-cell power plant generates motive force with minimal emissions. And many interior materials are sourced from plants, including a plasticlike material called polylactic acid (PLA), derived from sugar cane. The theory is that plant-sourced materials are "carbon-neutral" over their lifespan, the carbon-dioxide greenhouse gas emitted in their eventual burning being offset by what they absorb during photosynthesis while growing.
On the "Maximize" side, the Fine-X offers great comfort and convenience in its full-length gullwing doors and driver seat that pivots 90 degrees into a welcoming position. All four wheels steer to extreme angles, and have compact, individual electric motors within them. This permits Fine-X to make some astonishing maneuvers, including spinning around in little more than its own length and tucking into parking spaces that wouldn't be there otherwise. Don't look for a "Zeronize and Maximize" vehicle at your Toyota dealer any time soon, but the Fine-X shows some creative thinking.
What's Edmunds' Take?
It's OK by us to have concept cars that are more concept than car. That seems to be the case with Toyota's Tokyo show crop for 2005. They don't show us proposals that are seriously in the production pipeline, but they do display some clever ideas and fresh thinking. — Kevin Smith
Toyota Concepts
What's Special About Them?
bB
Carrying the badge of the home-market car that spawned our Scion xB, the bB concept takes the notion of an expressive personal car for youthful drivers to an extreme. Toyota characterizes it as a "music player disguised as a car." A powerful nine-speaker audio system coordinates with lighting effects that pulse and change to the beat of the music, creating a clublike atmosphere inside. There are "speed" and "relaxation" modes to suit the mood of the moment. And when listening is more important than driving, there is a special "chill-out mode" that drops the front seats several inches and reclines them into a position for private, personal enjoyment of your tunes.
Outside, the bB tweaks familiar xB lines with deep lower fascias front and back, joined together by bulbous wheel flares and lower rocker extensions. The face is forceful, while the exaggerated contours have the effect of softening and rounding the flat, right-angle styling of the xB. A catchy idea, good beat, easy to dance to, but don't look for a production equivalent.
FSC
Treading the ambiguous ground between minivan and sedan, the FSC concept looks for a new balance of elegance and utility. The lines are pleasing enough, with accentuated wheel arches like a performance sedan carrying a long glass area that shouts "minivan." Indeed, the design seems to separate along the beltline, such that different variations of roofline and cabin length could be accommodated on the same lower body.
The interior is airy and open, with a "seamless space" theme in its detailing. Individual bucket seats provide comfortable accommodations for four adults, while a flexible "third zone" in back offers three distinct modes. With a two-place bench seat, it's called "Minivan Mode." With that seatback flipped down, "Wagon Mode" provides an open, flat cargo area in back. Or slide the seatback forward to seal off the rear trunk, and you have "Sedan Mode." This could be an answer to one of those proverbial unasked questions, but the engineering is clever. And the car does manage to make a minivan profile look handsome.
Fine-X
Big thinking lies behind the Fine-X concept, summed up in what Toyota calls its "Zeronize and Maximize vision." That is, Zeronize (reduce or eliminate) negative factors, such as environmental impact, while Maximizing comfort, convenience and other qualities motorists look for. The Fine-X pursues this goal in creative ways.
Its advanced fuel-cell power plant generates motive force with minimal emissions. And many interior materials are sourced from plants, including a plasticlike material called polylactic acid (PLA), derived from sugar cane. The theory is that plant-sourced materials are "carbon-neutral" over their lifespan, the carbon-dioxide greenhouse gas emitted in their eventual burning being offset by what they absorb during photosynthesis while growing.
On the "Maximize" side, the Fine-X offers great comfort and convenience in its full-length gullwing doors and driver seat that pivots 90 degrees into a welcoming position. All four wheels steer to extreme angles, and have compact, individual electric motors within them. This permits Fine-X to make some astonishing maneuvers, including spinning around in little more than its own length and tucking into parking spaces that wouldn't be there otherwise. Don't look for a "Zeronize and Maximize" vehicle at your Toyota dealer any time soon, but the Fine-X shows some creative thinking.
What's Edmunds' Take?
It's OK by us to have concept cars that are more concept than car. That seems to be the case with Toyota's Tokyo show crop for 2005. They don't show us proposals that are seriously in the production pipeline, but they do display some clever ideas and fresh thinking. — Kevin Smith