Duttyman
05-23-2007, 11:03 PM
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/studio_img_03_prev01mod.jpg" height="333" width="498" />
How can I say this? I think we may have a winner here..<!--more-->
On a tip from StreetSeen founder, Tekknikal, I was able to dig up this precious piece of news. Frankly, Toyota has been busy developing well for lack of better words, a possible successor for the Supra. "We feel there's a hole in our lineup," says Kevin Hunter, the vice president of Calty Design Research. "Toyota hasn't had a sports car since the Supra was dropped in 1997. We need some emotional punch in our lineup, a halo product."
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/fixedstudio_img_01_prev02.jpg" height="377" width="503" />
In this case the emotion takes the form of the Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept with a 3.5-liter V6 engine delivering 400hp worth of thrust. The FT-HS as it is conceptualized is about the size of the Lexus SC 430. Using the SC430 as a baseline, we can derive that the FT-HS is roughly 170.3 inches from tip to tail with a wheelbase of 104.3 inches. It's width will be 73.2 inches and a height of50.8 inches. Like the SC 430, the front track is narrowly wider at 63 inches, while the rear track measures 61.2 inches.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/studio_img_02_prev02.jpg" height="385" width="518" />
The car is also expected to be a 2+2 configuration with room for backseaters.Toyota's designers are also playing with the notion of a unique retractable roof, which will slide and then lie down inside the car covering the backseat, making the car a two-seater.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/toyota-ft-hs_naias---15.jpg" height="344" width="518" />
According to Toyota designers,"The interior is all about the driver." To that end, the interior is edgy and functionally designed around the driver's needs.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/int_img_04-clean.jpg" height="316" width="519" />
It is worth mentioning that because the car is a hybrid, there is a battery in the picture-a huge one in fact. This means that trunk space will be at a premium. Luckily,the HSC's long wheelbase should help balance the weight of the sizable battery pack maybe even approaching a perfect 50-percent front/50-percent rear as a result.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/toyota-ft-hs_naias---17.jpg" height="355" width="537" />
So is this the Supra successor? We simply cannot make that call yet. However with a price target of the mid 30s and the specs mentioned here, it is certainly going to attract a following.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/meter.jpg" height="380" width="253" />
How can I say this? I think we may have a winner here..<!--more-->
On a tip from StreetSeen founder, Tekknikal, I was able to dig up this precious piece of news. Frankly, Toyota has been busy developing well for lack of better words, a possible successor for the Supra. "We feel there's a hole in our lineup," says Kevin Hunter, the vice president of Calty Design Research. "Toyota hasn't had a sports car since the Supra was dropped in 1997. We need some emotional punch in our lineup, a halo product."
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/fixedstudio_img_01_prev02.jpg" height="377" width="503" />
In this case the emotion takes the form of the Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept with a 3.5-liter V6 engine delivering 400hp worth of thrust. The FT-HS as it is conceptualized is about the size of the Lexus SC 430. Using the SC430 as a baseline, we can derive that the FT-HS is roughly 170.3 inches from tip to tail with a wheelbase of 104.3 inches. It's width will be 73.2 inches and a height of50.8 inches. Like the SC 430, the front track is narrowly wider at 63 inches, while the rear track measures 61.2 inches.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/studio_img_02_prev02.jpg" height="385" width="518" />
The car is also expected to be a 2+2 configuration with room for backseaters.Toyota's designers are also playing with the notion of a unique retractable roof, which will slide and then lie down inside the car covering the backseat, making the car a two-seater.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/toyota-ft-hs_naias---15.jpg" height="344" width="518" />
According to Toyota designers,"The interior is all about the driver." To that end, the interior is edgy and functionally designed around the driver's needs.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/int_img_04-clean.jpg" height="316" width="519" />
It is worth mentioning that because the car is a hybrid, there is a battery in the picture-a huge one in fact. This means that trunk space will be at a premium. Luckily,the HSC's long wheelbase should help balance the weight of the sizable battery pack maybe even approaching a perfect 50-percent front/50-percent rear as a result.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/toyota-ft-hs_naias---17.jpg" height="355" width="537" />
So is this the Supra successor? We simply cannot make that call yet. However with a price target of the mid 30s and the specs mentioned here, it is certainly going to attract a following.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/meter.jpg" height="380" width="253" />