The Toyota FT-4X has been given a proper unveiling this week at the New York motor show, dubbed by the Japanese brand as a four-wheel-drive toolbox.
Standing for ‘Future Toyota 4WD Crossover’, the FT-4X reincarnates the spirit of the company’s iconic FJ LandCruisers and other off-roaders with a more modern twist.
Around the exterior the baby 4X4 features an “X theme” design, from the shapes of the front grille and bumper to the design of the 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in custom Goodyear 225/55 all-season tyres.
Designed by Toyota’s Calty Design Research Studio in California, the FT-4X is claimed to represent the values of simplicity, capability, durability, and the company’s lineage.
Kevin Hunter, president of the Calty facility, said the FT-4X demonstrates that designers invest deep thought into the emotional connection with cars.
“The FT-4X is not simply a concept where style meets function; it is a thoughtful, charming and engaging experience that adds real pleasure and convenience to the journey,” he said.
“We focused on how a crossover vehicle can add fun and value to casual adventures both in and out of the city, thinking about how someone would use it, and what they would love to do with it.”
Underpinning the FT-4X is the Toyota New Global Architecture, which also forms the basis of the recently-launched C-HR and the current Prius hybrid.
As detailed earlier this week with leaked photos of the rugged concept, the FT-4X has numerous cool features like the ‘Multi-Hatch’ tailgate, which can be opened as a horizontal two-door split, or upwards like a conventional tailgate, along with a sleeping bag that doubles as a centre armrest made by camping company The North Face.
There are also USB outlets in the rear-door armrests, along with a removable multimedia system which is part boom box and part in-dash stereo unit.
It’s still unknown what is under the bonnet of the FT-4X, though Toyota says it could “potentially employ” a small-displacement four-cylinder engine – the 1.2-litre turbo from the C-HR, perhaps – combined with its mechanical 4×4 system with selectable low-range gearing.
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