What is it?
Toyota RSC concept
What's special about it?
It looks like Darth Vader's helmet. The industrial/mechanical styling cues of Toyota's latest concept, the RSC (Rugged Sports Coupe), seem inspired by sci-fi movie props. While the RSC is a hot looking ride, we wish it were original. Eschewing organic (smooth, curvaceous styling like eroded rock or melted ice), the RSC takes on the same machined, sharp-edged, high-tech motif that was so prevalent in the concept cars unveiled at last month's North American International Auto Show in Detroit, including the Infiniti FX45, BMW X Coupe, Mitsubishi RPM 7000, GMC Terracross, Nissan alpha T, Volvo Adventure, Jeep Willys and Audi Steppenwolf. Like the Mitsubishi RPM 7000 concept, the RSC is inspired by rally cars. Rallying might not be a big deal in the U.S., but as with soccer, the rest of the world can't get enough. Justifiably, Toyota is proud of its record at the World Rally Championships and built this concept with its rally cars in mind. The result, Toyota claims, is an affordable, street-ready sports coupe/sport-utility crossover that will appeal to "young first-time car buyers." The rally car inspiration includes a stripped-down bare metal cabin, an instrument panel with plain gauges, including a GPS monitor, surrounded by a large metal face plate, five-point seatbelts over carbon-fiber-backed racing seats, a high-mounted sequential shifter and an integrated tool tray in the cargo area. The rugged look should appeal to youthful North American car buyers, if they can distinguish it from the competition.
Why should you care?
In Detroit, we wondered if the current neo-industrial mechanical design craze revealed a conspiracy by the world's automotive designers to make every car look like it belongs in the movie The Matrix. The RSC does little to allay our suspicions. This is not to suggest we don't like the styling. We do, but it's just getting a little freaky. -- Neil Dunlop
Toyota RSC concept
What's special about it?
It looks like Darth Vader's helmet. The industrial/mechanical styling cues of Toyota's latest concept, the RSC (Rugged Sports Coupe), seem inspired by sci-fi movie props. While the RSC is a hot looking ride, we wish it were original. Eschewing organic (smooth, curvaceous styling like eroded rock or melted ice), the RSC takes on the same machined, sharp-edged, high-tech motif that was so prevalent in the concept cars unveiled at last month's North American International Auto Show in Detroit, including the Infiniti FX45, BMW X Coupe, Mitsubishi RPM 7000, GMC Terracross, Nissan alpha T, Volvo Adventure, Jeep Willys and Audi Steppenwolf. Like the Mitsubishi RPM 7000 concept, the RSC is inspired by rally cars. Rallying might not be a big deal in the U.S., but as with soccer, the rest of the world can't get enough. Justifiably, Toyota is proud of its record at the World Rally Championships and built this concept with its rally cars in mind. The result, Toyota claims, is an affordable, street-ready sports coupe/sport-utility crossover that will appeal to "young first-time car buyers." The rally car inspiration includes a stripped-down bare metal cabin, an instrument panel with plain gauges, including a GPS monitor, surrounded by a large metal face plate, five-point seatbelts over carbon-fiber-backed racing seats, a high-mounted sequential shifter and an integrated tool tray in the cargo area. The rugged look should appeal to youthful North American car buyers, if they can distinguish it from the competition.
Why should you care?
In Detroit, we wondered if the current neo-industrial mechanical design craze revealed a conspiracy by the world's automotive designers to make every car look like it belongs in the movie The Matrix. The RSC does little to allay our suspicions. This is not to suggest we don't like the styling. We do, but it's just getting a little freaky. -- Neil Dunlop
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