Toyota has used the occasion of the North American International Auto Show - the Detroit Motor Show - to unveil a radical new concept vehicle, the FTX pick-up. The FTX is not destined for production, but does give pointers towards Toyota's future full-size pick-up truck plans. Developed by Toyota Motor Sales USA and Toyota's Calty design centre in California, the hybrid power FTX demonstrates bold styling with a heavily sculpted body and massive front end.
Far from being just an eye-catching design exercise, the FTX is packed with practical touches. Key features include a double cab arrangement with rear-hinged rear doors that open to 90 degrees for easy access, removable rear seats, a loading ramp that can be extended when the tailgate is opened, and a multi-function unit concealed beneath the rear skid plate that houses an electric generator, air compressor and other system outlets.
In the cab, key instrumentation and a control lever are mounted in an armrest angled towards the driver, creating an integrated work station. Driver and passenger seats have their own suspension system for a smoother ride and the driver's seat is set particularly high with a high steering wheel angle to give a feeling of total command.
The FTX is almost 19 feet long, seven feet wide and six-and-a-half feet tall. It is powered by a hybrid system that combines a large-capacity V8 petrol engine with an electric motor, delivering large amounts of torque while returning fuel economy to match conventional V6 power units.
Pick-up trucks are a key part of the US new vehicle market and the FTX follows on from Toyota's recent launch of the Tundra Double Cab full-size pick-up. Toyota has a strong truck heritage in America, going back to the FJ Land Cruiser of the 1960s and 70s and the hugely successful compact pick-up of the 1980s and 90s. Tundra models are built in the US and production is set to increase in 2006 with the opening of a new Toyota pick-up plant in San Antonio, Texas.
