When you see a Toyota Prius, you instantly recognize the fact that the car is a hybrid right? Sure, because they all are. What about the Camry Hybrid? Unless you know just where to look for the unique badging, you wouldn't know a hybrid model from the standard model. Toyota would like to change that by making all of their hybrids share a unique design theme.

According to Toyota's chief designer, Wahei Hirai, "People like to buy it because they like to advertise 'I am interested in the environment.' So currently the Camry doesn't appeal very much. They prefer Prius because, while they are driving in town, people can understand that the driver has more social awareness."

The design theme that Toyota plans to use is known internally as "free-form geometrics", which "gives some feeling of ceramics," according to Hirai. If that makes as little sense to you as it does me, start thinking of concepts like the iQ subcompact and the FT-HS sports car and you'll have an idea of what is on their styling minds.

[Source: Automotive News (sub. required)]

Click image for photo gallery

The June '07 print edition of Automobile casually drops a bit of a bombshell in page 30. They report that Toyota has given the FT-HS hybrid sports car the green light for production. You should remember the FT-HS concept from this year's Detroit Auto Show, where it was one of the most significant unveilings. The Calty-designed production version will make its debut in 2009. Essentially a successor to the Supra, the two-seater will leverage the automaker's Hybrid Synergy Drive and a to-be-determined gasoline engine (the concept utilized a 3.5-liter V6). Power and pricing are still a mystery, but the concept sported 400 horses and was designed to sell at a mid-level dollar amounts. If those numbers (or similar ones) carry through to production, you won't hear any complaints from us. If you've been waiting for a hybrid sports car, it looks as if Toyota's getting ready to give you exactly that.



Related:

• Detroit Auto Show: Toyota unwraps FT-HS hybrid sports car

[Source: Automobile, June 2007]

Click on above image to view photo gallery

The new, huge photo gallery that accompanies this story almost matches the experience of seeing this exotic hybrid 2-seater in person. The FT-HS boasts attention-grabbing, slipstream styling that also has enough edges to make a geometry professor go blind thinking of the possibilities. Toyota officials talked about "enhancing the essential sports car fundamentals" when the vehicle was introduced Sunday night at the Detroit Auto Show. Yet this car goes beyond the basics with a revolutionary gas-electric drivetrain that appeals to a different type of enthusiast.

"The FT-HS concept targets an emerging buyer, a buyer who grew up eco-conscious, who perceives technology as a necessity, not a luxury," said Kevin Hunter, leader of the North American Calty design studio.

According to Hunter, the FT-HS profile exhibits perfect imbalance with its fluid surfaces and hard edges. The lighting is inspired by aerospace applications.

"The result of these elements is an overall theme we refer to as subtractive mass, a minimalist style that is not only lightweight but looks lightweight as well," added Hunter.

Rather cool features of the FT-HS include scalloped channel on the hood to expose the hybrid engine and an open-top roof that provides open-air driving. The cockpit is another gem with a hubless steering-wheel system and paddle shifters.

Power-wise, the front-engine, rear-drive sports car works with a 3.5-liter V6 engine and an advanced hybrid system that pumps out 400 total horsepower. Zero-to-sixty times are in the 4-second-flat range.

Best news of all, this car isn't designed to break the bank. Officials say it could be an "attainable exotic."

Click on the images above or below to see a high-resolution (1,280 pixel wide) image gallery of the FT-HS. You may download the images for your personal use.



See this related story for Toyota's full press release:

• AutoblogGreen Photo Gallery: Toyota FT-HS hybrid concept

All right, ladies and gentlemen, step right up. Tonight on the AutoblogGreen showroom we'd like to introduce you to our latest (maybe greatest) feature: photo galleries. We'll have high-resolution images up soon for the big news car of the day, the Chevy Volt, and until then – and to kind of test out the system – here are some pictures of the Toyota FT-HS. You've read about this hybrid sports car concept vehicle that will be officially unveiled at the NAIAS this week already, but how about some images to go along with those words.

Just so you know, all AutoblogGreen galleries will feature high-resolution images that are 1,280 pixels wide (unless we can't get images that large). Click on the images above or below to visit the gallery, and remember that the images are downloadable for your personal use. Can you say desktop wallpaper?

Also, click through the link to read Toyota's latest press release regarding the FT-HS.



[Source: Toyota]