Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sport Car and Lexus FT-HS Hybrid Concept ~ blackcarracing

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is one of the world’s leading auto manufacturers, offering a full range of models. Global sales of its Toyota and Lexus brands, combined with those of Daihatsu and Hino, totaled 8.81 million units from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006. Besides its own 12 plants and a number of manufacturing subsidiaries and affiliates in Japan, Toyota has 52 manufacturing companies in 27 countries and regions, which produce Lexusand Toyota-brand vehicles and components. As of March 2006, Toyota employs approximately 285,900 people worldwide (on a consolidated basis), and markets vehicles in more than 170 countries. Toyota’s automotive business, including sales finance, accounts for more than 90% of the company’s total sales, which came to a consolidated ¥21.03 trillion in the fiscal year to March 2006. Its diversified operations include telecommunications and prefabricated housing.

Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sport Car

At the North American International Auto Show held in Detroit from January 7 to 21, 2007, Toyota unveiled the all-new 2007 Tundra CrewMax full-size pickup, available with a 5.7-liter V8 engine. Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Sales executive vice president said, “The all-new Tundra is a historical launch for Toyota, because we are significantly increasing our production potential and presence in the
full-size pickup truck category.” Toyota also showed the Toyota FT-HS hybrid sports concept and Lexus FT-HS hybrid, a 3.5 liter V6 hybrid electric front-engine, rear-drive design with projected zero-to-60 acceleration in the four-second range and eco-friendly ultra-low emissions and fuel efficiency. Lexus unveiled the IS-F high-performance luxury sedan and the LF-A supercar concept. The 2008 IS-F will deliver more than 400 horsepower from a 5.0-liter V8 engine. It will arrive at Lexus dealerships in early 2008. The LF-A is equipped with a V10 engine that produces more than 500 horsepower.

2011-2012 Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sport Car

New from Toyota at the Detroit Auto Show was the Toyoata FT-HS hybrid sports concept. The car was a joint undertaking of Calty, Toyota’s North American-based research and design center in Newport Beach, CA and the company’s California-based Advanced Product Strategy Group. The two-plus-two Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sport Car is a front-engine, rear-drive sports car with a projected zero-to-60 acceleration in the four-sec ond range using a 3.5 liter V6 coupled with an electric motor for a target power output of approximately 400-horsepower. The 2011-2012 Toyota FT-HS is a hybrid sports car concept introduced at the 2007 North American International Auto Show. Calty Design Research designed the concept and suggests that it could fill the place of the Toyota Supra. FT-HS stands for Future Toyota Hybrid Sport.

2011-2012 Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sport Car

The goal of the rear wheel drive hybrid powertrain is to produce 400 hp (300 kW) and achieve 0-60 mph in around 4 seconds. This is accomplished by combining a 3.5 L V6 and an electric motor in a manner similar to the Lexus GS450h. Unlike the GS (and virtually all other current hybrids), a production version of the Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sport Car would make use of a capacitor system designed specifically for quick charging and increased performance. Since the debut of this concept, Toyota has exhibited such technology in the Supra HV-R race car.

2011-2012 Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Interior

The 2012 Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sport features a unique retractable roof similar to a targa top. The rear seats would be folded down when the roof is retracted however. In spite of the Toyota FT-HS being only a concept vehicle, Toyota's desired starting price for such a vehicle is stated to be in the mid $30,000 range. Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sport Car in August 2008 article from Automotive News indicated that a production version was no longer being considered. However, a January 2009 article from Edmunds Inside Line states that "the V6 Supra replacement is still in the pipeline and is set for an early 2011 debut".