Back in October 2016, we reported that Toyota had filed an application to trademark the “FT-4X” name, which had led to speculation that the Japanese automaker was working on a replacement for the FJ Cruiser.
And now Toyota has revealed a teaser image – essentially a close-up of the Goodyear 225/55 R18 rubber wrapped around chunky, two-tone alloys – of what it calls the FT-4X Concept, adding that the new model will make its debut at the New York International Auto Show in April.
The one-line press release (entitled “Four Wheeling. Scene Stealing”) contains no further information about the new concept, although that original report suggests that the “FT” in its designation stands for “Future Toyota”, mirroring a naming system the brand has used previously (the FT-86 Concept, for instance, eventually became the production Toyota 86).
Naturally, the “4X” part of the moniker suggests four-wheel drive.
In May last year, there were reports that production of the FJ Cruiser would come to a close before the end of 2016, although Toyota South Africa Motors told us then that it planned to continue selling the retro-styled SUV “for the foreseeable future”.
In February 2017, the local arm of the Japanese automaker sold eight units of the FJ Cruiser.