Fast and striking don’t cut it in the world of sports cars anymore. “Clean” is the new buzzword, so Toyota has unveiled the FT-HS hybrid sports concept at the Detroit Show.
By Gareth Dean
Today’s drivers are no longer satisfied with cars that can go very fast… They want their performance cars to crack a nod towards safety, ecology and social responsibility – or so say the designers of Toyota’s FT-HS hybrid sports concept. Owners of exotic European metal may dissolve into fits of laughter at such a statement, but they should also note that this particular hybrid concept delivers a projected four-second zero-to-100 km/h time.
Toyota hopes to dispatch the environmentally-friendly-but-dull image of most hybrid vehicles with its latest concept; The FT-HS sports concept is a two-plus-two rear-wheel drive sports car with a powerful hybrid powerplant shoehorned into its nose. The 3,5-litre V6, mated with an advanced sports hybrid system, pushes out 298 kW… and that’s before the Japanese modding crowd lay their hands on it!
The taut, angular styling of the FT-HS sports some neat features such as the carbonfibre-Kevlar roof that retracts (along with the rear windscreen) to stow in the rear seat space. Along with the innovative folding top, the FT-HS also has sculpted “aero” corners to promote smooth airflow, a floating C-pillar and a scalloped channel on the bonnet allowing a glimpse of the hybrid powerplant.
The energy-efficient LED brake lights span the entire rear of the car and integrate a speed-activated wing that aids stability at high speeds. Further rear aerodynamics also present themselves in the shape of a carbonfibre diffuser with an integrated exhaust.
The lightweight, high-tech nature of the exterior works its way inside with concept to the driver-focused interior. Exposed carbonfibre and titanium space-frame architecture gives the cabin an almost skeletal look while the hub-less steering wheel with paddle shift function also lends a Spartan, but purposeful, air. A “delta wing” driver’s pod houses the majority of useful functions and features touch-tracing controls that are easily useable at high speeds.
In spite of the concept’s taut appearance and front-engine/rear-wheel-drive platform, Toyota has thus far denied that the FT-HS is a prototype for future incarnations that darling of the modding fraternity; the Supra.
Click one of the options below to to download a wallpaper of the Toyota FT-HS hybrid sports concept:
