Selected Toyota concept cars and trucks

What’s the point of concept cars?

Sometimes, it’s to test future styling or features on customers and dealers, without letting them know which ones you’re serious about. Sometimes, it’s to see if customers like a future car, in which case the “concept” is more of a prototype. And, sometimes, it’s just a way to get publicity.

Shall we start?

Coming out of Calty, Toyota’s California studio, the Toyota F3R tried to provide maximum space with a minivan-like shape and youth-friendly styling and features.

The Toyota A-BAT was to “provide modern versatility, roominess, and style in a compact pickup architecture.” In short, it was a hybrid compact pickup with Ridgeline cues.

The hot FT-HS made hybrid cool; it did 0-60 in around four seconds, using a 3.5-liter V6 with a gasoline-plus-electric 400 horsepower.

The 2005 Toyota FT-SX, meanwhile, aimed at combining the space and ride height of an SUV with the characteristics of a sedan, to attract younger buyers. The exterior was designed by Ian Cartabiano, who had also designed the 2005 Avalon, albeit without the Ford-style razor-blade grille.

The e•com was about the opposite, a battery-powered car mainly for small communities, with most of its powertrain from the RAV4 EV. It produced just 25 horsepower, with 57 pound-feet, and had a 62 mph top speed, electronically limited.

Toyota’s Fine-T fuel cell hybrid, also called the Fine-X (when shown in Tokyo), made ingress and egress surprisingly easy with their unique door; the car also had four-wheel steering to get in and out of tight spaces.

The 2015 Lexus LF-A was the second concept in its line, with a 500-horsepower V10 engine, rear wheel drive, and mid-engine design, intended to explore interest in a Lexus supercar.

The Scion iQ, which is very closely based on the Toyota iQ concept, was launched in 2008 as a Toyota and 2009 as a Scion, with modifications from a California shop.

Finally, we have the Scion Haku Coupe concept, an experimental design launched in 2008.