Toyota has just pulled the covers of the second iteration of its FT-86 Concept car at the Geneva Motor Show and claims that it is now almost identical to the upcoming production version. Toyota also took the time to release new images and a couple of video clips to get performance car fans excited about the new RWD sports car set to go on sale next year.
The FT-86 II concept comes packing several styling differences over the original concept shown at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show.
In terms of exterior looks, Toyota’s designers restyled the coupe’s profile by adding a new beltline that starts from the front wheel arch with a slightly odd air vent and finishes off on the tip of the rear window. Toyota also also split the front window and removed the blacked out A-pillar finish that was on the original concept. The rear wheel arches are now more pumped out and there are new side rocker panels.
She’s not particularly sexy at the front end with a new bumper with a larger center grille and droopy eyes that drop down into a thin strip of LED daytime running lights.
At the rear the changes continue, with Toyota revamping the FT-86′s rear end with new pushed out tail lamps and a more pronounced air diffuser flanked by large exhaust pipes on either side. Read the rest of this entry »
Now, a decade on, VW is positioned very strongly and is trying out the concept again at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. This time around it’s called the Volkswagen Bulli, and like its 2001 predecessor, is designed to look and function like the brand’s famous Kombi. This Geneva concept is powered by an 84kW electric motor drawing charge from a lithium-ion battery pack. When fully charged, the Bulli has a theoretical range of around 300km before needing recharging. When a top up is required, VW says the Bulli can be fully charged in less than an hour.
Skoda says its VisionD concept is a preview of its future styling direction, maintaining a connection to the carmaker’s current design cues while bringing a more streamlined and modern feel to its vehicles.
Overall, the Forspeed resembles the Smart Crossblade that was made in limited numbers in the early 2000s. Giving the Forspeed its concept car looks are some fancy taillights, no external door handles and since it’s got no roof, there’s a toneau cover that can either cover the entire interior or just the passenger side if drivers get caught in the rain.
In terms of design it’s a radical machine which uses BMW’s “layering” approach that breaks up large surfaces with lines and detailing to give a more organic appearance. The concept features a wide grille, huge air intakes, frameless windscreen, and a transparent area running down the bonnet that symbolises the “driver’s focus on the road ahead and on the concentration of information that is flowing in the opposite direction, towards him.” The concept also has electro- mechanical retracting doors which give a nod to the Z1.
