What is it?
FJ Cruiser Soft Top
What's special about it?
Toyota is playing the retro game better than virtually any other manufacturer with the FJ Cruiser. Striking a perfect balance of retro looks and modern design, the FJ has been a huge hit for the company since it went on sale in March of this year. And it looks as if there's still plenty of room to cash in on the idea by adding the option of open-air off-roading to the long list of features people love about the FJ.
The Soft Top concept is executed using a custom canvas roof that can be opened toward the front or rear of the vehicle. Further evidence of the concept's production likelihood is the rear window, which is sourced from a Tundra double cab and is immediately behind the rear seats. Wraparound rear-quarter windows are new. A small bed and new tailgate make up the Soft Top's open cargo area.
Added power in the form of a 4.7-liter V8 supercharged by TRD is under the hood. TRD calipers sourced from Stoptech and a single-exit TRD exhaust were also added.
The concept Cruiser is lifted about 3 inches using an Old Man Emu lift kit and rides on 33-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Claw tires wrapped around 18-inch American Racing wheels.
Other off-road specific details include ARB bumpers, a 5-pound Max Air CO2 canister from The Source, an integrated tool kit and metal jerry can, and a Warn winch.
"The FJ has a heritage of open-air off-roading and we've had this concept production-engineered," said Mark Amstock, Toyota's national product marketing manager for SUVs. We'd wager that means the FJ Cruiser Soft Top is at least being considered for production. According to Amstock, even the orange paint is inspired by the original FJ40.
What's Edmunds' take?
It's unlikely the FJ will ever be available with a supercharged V8, but the rest of the concept seems like a legitimate possibility given the factory parts used in the conversion. — Josh Jacquot
FJ Cruiser Soft Top
What's special about it?
Toyota is playing the retro game better than virtually any other manufacturer with the FJ Cruiser. Striking a perfect balance of retro looks and modern design, the FJ has been a huge hit for the company since it went on sale in March of this year. And it looks as if there's still plenty of room to cash in on the idea by adding the option of open-air off-roading to the long list of features people love about the FJ.
The Soft Top concept is executed using a custom canvas roof that can be opened toward the front or rear of the vehicle. Further evidence of the concept's production likelihood is the rear window, which is sourced from a Tundra double cab and is immediately behind the rear seats. Wraparound rear-quarter windows are new. A small bed and new tailgate make up the Soft Top's open cargo area.
Added power in the form of a 4.7-liter V8 supercharged by TRD is under the hood. TRD calipers sourced from Stoptech and a single-exit TRD exhaust were also added.
The concept Cruiser is lifted about 3 inches using an Old Man Emu lift kit and rides on 33-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Claw tires wrapped around 18-inch American Racing wheels.
Other off-road specific details include ARB bumpers, a 5-pound Max Air CO2 canister from The Source, an integrated tool kit and metal jerry can, and a Warn winch.
"The FJ has a heritage of open-air off-roading and we've had this concept production-engineered," said Mark Amstock, Toyota's national product marketing manager for SUVs. We'd wager that means the FJ Cruiser Soft Top is at least being considered for production. According to Amstock, even the orange paint is inspired by the original FJ40.
What's Edmunds' take?
It's unlikely the FJ will ever be available with a supercharged V8, but the rest of the concept seems like a legitimate possibility given the factory parts used in the conversion. — Josh Jacquot
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