Red Toyota FT-1 Concept at Various Auto Shows & Events

[<TC OFF>]

If the LF-LC made it into production, the FT-1 should too.

Agreed, if they're still showing the FT-1 Concept at this stage, it has to still be heading to production.

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[Villa Jonny]

Just found this article too.
http://www.autoblog.com/2016/01/18/bmw-z4-toyota-supra-spy-photos/

 

[bballr35]

The silver one was in Vegas not too long ago.

http://www.supramkv.com/threads/new-photos-of-toyota-ft-1-posing-with-past-supras.212/#post-2833

Ah I missed that as I'm sure a lot of people did. Anyway now that Z5 prototypes have been spotted hopefully we'll see something soon from the Toyota side. Personally I'd be surprised to see a prototype before a true Supra concept since they started with the FT-1 it only seems like the natural next step.

 

[Supraman]

^ same here. Though that look pretty small compared to the last Supra. Hopefully the Toyota version is a bit bigger and wider than this.

 

[Supra93]

Ah I missed that as I'm sure a lot of people did. Anyway now that Z5 prototypes have been spotted hopefully we'll see something soon from the Toyota side. Personally I'd be surprised to see a prototype before a true Supra concept since they started with the FT-1 it only seems like the natural next step.

Yeah my bad, I had posted it in the Pics/Vids section. I can't wait to see Toyota's test mules driving around. If it follows the same path as the Lexus LC, we may not see another concept.

 

[Wally World]

Yeah my bad, I had posted it in the Pics/Vids section. I can't wait to see Toyota's test mules driving around. If it follows the same path as the Lexus LC, we may not see another concept.

I'm fine with that as long as the Supra stays virtually the same as the FT-1, just like the LC stayed true to its concept model.

I'd rather have that happen than see a second FT-1 Concept that ends up being less attractive and less exciting.

 

[FRS-Man]

I'm fine with that as long as the Supra stays virtually the same as the FT-1, just like the LC stayed true to its concept model.

I'd rather have that happen than see a second FT-1 Concept that ends up being less attractive and less exciting.

So true. The FR-S concepts (FT86) went through many different looks and the second one had me worried so I'd rather just rest safe knowing that the FT-1 is what the MKV Supra will be based on.

 

[Sabreson]

It's a shame but I don't think the next Supra will be that similar to the FT-1. Besides the obvious that it is not called a Supra concept even if everyone assumes it basically is, the real issue is this was a work of love by designers with very little regard to practicalities and engineering concerns. They even said it themselves:

Typically, when designing a concept car, Toyota engineers give Calty a vehicle's dimensions, along with instructions on packaging and the "hard points" where chassis and body structure should meet. But in this case the studio did its own proportioning work for the wheelbase, width and overhangs, Shen said.

Andrew MacLachlan, the FT-1's concept planner, noted that while Calty was given a clean slate, the team also knew that Fukuichi and Toyota's top executives in Japan had to approve the work. Calty enlisted Toyota Racing Development engineers to ensure that the car's aerodynamics were legit.

Added Shen: "This was to be a design-focused vehicle, not engineering-based. This was what designers' ideal proportions of what a sports car should be."

http://www.autonews.com/article/201...raced-the-clock-to-create-the-ft-1-sports-car

 

[Supra93]

It's a shame but I don't think the next Supra will be that similar to the FT-1. Besides the obvious that it is not called a Supra concept even if everyone assumes it basically is, the real issue is this was a work of love by designers with very little regard to practicalities and engineering concerns. They even said it themselves:

Actually during early stages the design team kept referring to it as "Supra". But in the end they chose to debut it as FT-1. Either way, whether it wears the Supra nameplate or not it will be a successor to the Supra. It is also worth noting that Toyota has display the FT-1 along side past Supra models three times.

The LF-LC was a pure design exercise with no intent for production. It was also design by the same studio. Look how close the LC500 looks when compared to the LF-LC concept.

Personally, I have faith that Toyota will say faithful to the concept. Especially with Akio Toyoda calling to shots.

 

[Sabreson]

I had not realized that thanks for posting. Let's hope the design studio and engineering team agree on most things with respect to the FT1's design. I think we all agree it should look as close as possible.

Do you have pics or a link to where Toyota had displayed the FT1 along the past Supra 3 times?

 

[Supra93]

I had not realized that thanks for posting. Let's hope the design studio and engineering team agree on most things with respect to the FT1's design. I think we all agree it should look as close as possible.

Do you have pics or a link to where Toyota had displayed the FT1 along the past Supra 3 times?

X2, with the LC Akio said the designers and engineers worked hand in hand.

Sure

Cars and Coffee

Vegas

Pebble Beach: FT-1 was inside of the tent, silver MKIV Supra was outside (video).

 

[Sabreson]

Ahh yea I forgot about the Cars and Coffee one. I did see that. The rest are new to me. I'm not sure Toyota itself staged it that way to sit next to the old Supra? If the used to refer to the concept as Supra I wonder why the decision to go with FT-1? Maybe the design was so good they want all of Toyota's vehicles to borrow from it.... or there's a more official concept coming.

 

[Supra93]

Ahh yea I forgot about the Cars and Coffee one. I did see that. The rest are new to me. I'm not sure Toyota itself staged it that way to sit next to the old Supra? If the used to refer to the concept as Supra I wonder why the decision to go with FT-1? Maybe the design was so good they want all of Toyota's vehicles to borrow from it.... or there's a more official concept coming.

I did remember reading something where it kinda states that one of the designers said they chose not to call it "Supra" because they didn't want to place any restrictions and limits on the design team. They also said it was influenced by the 2000GT, MR-2, FT-HS concept, and not just the Supra alone.

When the 46-year-old Shen assembled his team in spring 2012 to start formulating ideas that would evolve into the concept, one car's name kept popping up: Supra.

It's one of the few vehicles in the Toyota lineup that actually has a sporty heritage in the United States. But the last Supra twin-turbocharged sports car was sold here in 2002.

"The perception in Japan was that the Supra was a good sports car," Hunter said. "In Japan, Supra is just another product in a long series of good products. They were unaware of its cult status here.

"But our designers, when we're out socially, when people ask us what we do, the very first question they all seem to ask is, 'When is the next Supra coming?'"

Calty's designers asked themselves how the Supra would have evolved had Toyota kept redesigning it. By 2014, two more generations of the vehicle would have passed through customer hands and another redesign would be arriving this year. What would it look like by now?

Turns out Toyota HQ didn't want Calty to be completely hamstrung by focusing its design on Supra-think. After several rounds of transoceanic meetings, it was decided to not attach the Supra name to the concept. Not only did that ease the pressure of expectations, but it gave the design team more freedom of expression.

They didn't know what to call the concept; it just wouldn't be "Supra." Eventually, the car would be known as FT-1, as in "Future Toyota," with "1" representing "the ultimate."

"The FT-1 concept pays homage to Toyota's entire sports car heritage, including the Celica, Supra and, before that, the iconic 2000GT," Fukuichi said in an e-mail interview. "The FT-1 is meant to be an extension of this historic lineage, but not a replacement or reinvention."

http://www.autonews.com/article/201...raced-the-clock-to-create-the-ft-1-sports-car

 

[Supra93]

When the 46-year-old Shen assembled his team in spring 2012 to start formulating ideas that would evolve into the concept, one car's name kept popping up: Supra.

It's one of the few vehicles in the Toyota lineup that actually has a sporty heritage in the United States. But the last Supra twin-turbocharged sports car was sold here in 2002.

"The perception in Japan was that the Supra was a good sports car," Hunter said. "In Japan, Supra is just another product in a long series of good products. They were unaware of its cult status here.

"But our designers, when we're out socially, when people ask us what we do, the very first question they all seem to ask is, 'When is the next Supra coming?'"

Calty's designers asked themselves how the Supra would have evolved had Toyota kept redesigning it. By 2014, two more generations of the vehicle would have passed through customer hands and another redesign would be arriving this year. What would it look like by now?

Turns out Toyota HQ didn't want Calty to be completely hamstrung by focusing its design on Supra-think. After several rounds of transoceanic meetings, it was decided to not attach the Supra name to the concept. Not only did that ease the pressure of expectations, but it gave the design team more freedom of expression.

They didn't know what to call the concept; it just wouldn't be "Supra." Eventually, the car would be known as FT-1, as in "Future Toyota," with "1" representing "the ultimate."

"The FT-1 concept pays homage to Toyota's entire sports car heritage, including the Celica, Supra and, before that, the iconic 2000GT," Fukuichi said in an e-mail interview. "The FT-1 is meant to be an extension of this historic lineage, but not a replacement or reinvention."

http://www.autonews.com/article/201...raced-the-clock-to-create-the-ft-1-sports-car

 

[El Toro]

Interesting that the Supra doesnt have the same cult status in Japan as in the U.S. Sounds like the Supra name is inevitable for the production car, they just purposely didn't want to use it for the concept in order to let the designers feel free to imagine and design. Good read thanks.

And can't imagine it's been out of production for 14 years already and probably about 15-16 years by the time the Supra MKV is out.

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