Toyota has unveiled a sports car for the future, announcing the new FT-1 Concept on Monday at the Detroit Auto Show.
Hinting at an upcoming model as well as design cues for future Toyota cars, the FT-1 or "Future Toyota" could fill the empty sports car section in the Japanese carmaker's lineup, according to the Los Angeles Times.
"The FT-1 is a dream project for a designer and car enthusiasts like myself," Alex Shen, Calty's chief designer, said in a previously released statement as quoted by the L.A. Times. "It is an aggressive, track-focused sports car concept with a presence that has been amplified for shock and awe."
The new concept comes from Toyota's California-based Calty Design Research arm and "looks nearly ready for production" with a design that balances classic sports car proportions and modern touches.
While Toyota hasn't announced any engine specifics yet, the automaker has said that the car will have the traditional front-engine, rear-wheel drive typical to sports cars. It will feature "a high-technology, high-performance internal combustion engine," according to Toyota.
The company hopes to add some excitement to its lineup in the near future, counteracting a "reputation for respectable yet not exactly thrilling vehicles," said the L.A. Times.
Toyota disregarded some of its typical procedures for the new FT-1 Concept, throwing out its usual slow process when it comes to approving designs.
"This new approach aims to produce cars that connect more deeply with customers, generating a more satisfying ownership experience," Toyota said.
The FT-1 Concept will be virtually available on Tuesday as a download for PlayStation's "Gran Turismo 6," the company announced on Monday.
"Thanks to the amazing capability of the Gran Turismo game engine, gamers can enjoy a very real simulation piloting the ultra-high performance FT-1 on the tracks it was designed to master," Kevin Hunter, President of Calty Design Research, the group responsible for the FT-1 design, said in a Toyota press release.
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