2004 Toyota FTX Concept

Toyota Lets Its Hair Down

So pickup fans, do you like what Toyota is doing with your mode de transportation? The worlds best capitalized automaker is feeling bullish after yet another banner year, with 2003 being its eighth consecutive sales record and with the highest numbers in its 46 years of existence.

So it makes sense its designers are letting their collective hair down and considering replacing their Tundra pickups staid three-piece bodywork for something a little flashier. Whether anything close to this FTX concept shows up in a Toyota dealers showroom anytime soon is anyones guess. But at the very least theyre testing the waters.

Or maybe its more than that. According to Toyota the FTX concept "was designed to provide a hint to the direction in size, and styling of Toyotas next big-truck platform."

Why not? After all, the Tundra is a great truck that often gets forgotten by mainstream pickup buyers just because it doesnt really stand out. Nissans Titan, much to do with its bold styling, is the talk of the construction site. Being that the pickup vertical is toughest for imports to overcome, word of mouth on the street can only help sales.

"The FTX concept was developed to make a bold statement about Toyotas future full-size pickup truck plans," stated Toyotas chief operating officer Jim Press during the trucks debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week. "It is a statement that promises the brute-power to match its bold styling and its simple proportions. And its a statement we mean to back up."

OK, they are serious. The truck was developed by the TMS Advanced Product Strategy Group and Calty, Toyotas North American-based research and design center situated down in Newport Beach, California. The mandate was to explore the possibility of incorporating Toyota pickup truck DNA with Land Cruiser heritage, melding the two into the next generation of full-size pickup.

"Toyota has a strong heritage of building trucks that are rugged, yet playful," commented Kevin Hunter, Calty vice president. "This image is especially strong in the U.S., thanks to the FJ Land Cruiser in the 60s and 70s and the phenomenally successful Toyota compact pickup in the 80s and 90s. Our goal with the FTX was to capture the spirit and soul of this legacy and reassert Toyotas truck brand image with a full-size pickup aimed at the very core of the segment."

And what about the design itself? I find it interesting how past concepts can influence the design language of current styling, no matter what automaker initially came up with the original idea. Its like a breakthrough song with innovative new sounds that literally shapes the next-generation of music for years to come. As it seems Volkswagen was first to show the basic shape for this future pickup styling trend at the Detroit show in 2000 with its Advanced Activity Concept Pickup (AAC), looking similar to the FTX from the rear especially. Chevy offered its curvy Cheyenne concept at last years Detroit show, albeit not as sporty as Toyotas new FTX. Speaking of sporty, Mitsubishi unveiled its Dodge Dakota-based Sport Truck concept the same day as Toyotas new pickup, a styling exercise thats starting to look familiar.

But thats not necessarily a bad thing. After all, full-size pickups are pretty conventionally styled overall. Sure the Dodge Ram delivers a big rig grille and each model offers styling details characteristic of their respective brand identities, but behind the few inches of plastic and metal out front all is much the same. It is quite possible this new sporty shape could either be where full-size pickups are going on the whole, or possibly, and more likely, a sign of diversification in the category. Maybe the future will offer conventionally designed work trucks, like the Tundra, and alternatively styled sport trucks like this FTX.

I particularly like Toyotas new concept, especially head on. Its grille is intimidating to say the least, a toughness its refined Tundra lacks. Its bold grille with thick chrome surrounding rim looks capable of boring its own tunnel through the face of an opposing mountain. The integrated hood scoop is racy and narrow headlamp clusters menacing. This is not the Toyota Ive become accustomed too.

I like the way the designers created a battering ram effect on the bumpers, visually hooking them in C- and D-patterns around front and rear ends respectively - especially noticeable from profile view. The orange side marker/turn signal lamps mirror each other front to back too, adding to this trucks cohesive design statement.

The C-pillars are thick too (or are they B-pillars being that the FTX incorporates pillarless doors), with a raked angle creating that sporty look. The side glass cants upward as it progresses rearward too, breaking up the boxiness common in pickup cab design. Continuing toward the back, Toyota adds a crease in the sheetmetal to depict bulging rear fenders, adding to the vehicles roughrider image.

The FTX is finished beautifully in the rear, much more refined than any pickup up before it. A silver-gray bumper curves up from way under the overhang, meeting a broad tailgate that curves forward the other way. The taillights are as slender as the headlamps up front, wrapping fully around the entire box to enhance both rear and side visibility.

The FTX is larger than life in person at close to 19-feet long, 7 wide, and 6 and a half tall. It uses conventional body-on-frame architecture too, which is good as such is ideal for towing and hauling heavy loads.

Those loads can be clamped down with hidden universal carabiner-type tie-down hooks integrated into the bed, while those cool looking bumpers include tow hooks. Toyota has added a multi-use compartment that holds an electric generator, air compressor plus power outlets under the rear skid-plate, which is as construction friendly as its solid metal job box that folds out of a hidden compartment inside the bed. Whats more, the designers have stowed a ramp under the tailgate, just like those in a moving truck. How handy is that?

Convenience is what the FTX is all about. Toyota calls the trucks overall configuration "Super-C-Cab," meaning it has the interior capacity of a regular double cab truck but the rear doors open up 90 degrees, "suicide" style. That means its easy to get in and out of no matter what the situation.

According to Calty senior designer Craig Kember its easy to live with on the inside too. "The FTX interior is a work station, a sports locker, or just a luxurious sanctuary from the elements," comment Kember. "Most of all its an interior that prioritizes the needs, and wants of full-size truck buyers."

Like the exterior styling the interior sports a fair bit of machismo, but unlike some tough trucks Toyotas concept offers a fair dose of luxury and high level of state-of-the-art technology. But all said I have to take exception to the massive center console that runs the length of the cockpit. How in the heck am I gonna hold the missus next to me in the front seat in this confounded contraption? In all seriousness though, the floating suspension seat system with its protective cell seating positions looks pretty cool but is hardly the best use of available space.

The big screen TV at dash central would be popular with the kids though, but the driver had best keep eyes focused on the road ahead. This should be easier as Toyota has fixed an unusual but effective hovering multi-functional instrument pod that reaches upward out of the center console on an arm.

Toyota says the seat height and steering wheel angle have been designed for a high driving position, creating "total command and conveying the feel of operating a big rig."

Speaking of big rigs, the FTX boasts quite the powertrain. Being a Toyota no one should be surprised at its hybrid gasoline-electric configuration, but this one seems more about power and torque than merely fuel consumption. Toyota says the large displacement V8 nevertheless delivers "V6 fuel efficiency" and no doubt would be the cleanest V8 on the road if produced.

And what about the prospect of producing something close to this concept truck? Thats a tough one to call. Toyota is looking to one-up its rival Nissan that seems poised for a good run with its brash new Titan, and something like the FTX could do the trick. Toyota will have to check its numbers and make sure the new model will lure in enough new buyers so that it can afford to lose a few faithful, but conservative Tundra owners.

My guess is that Dodge was in a similar predicament when it was weighing the pros and cons of offering what was at that time going to be a radically redesigned Ram pickup a generation ago. The gamble paid off major dividends for Dodge, and likely something a little more over-the-top than the Tundra would do the same for Toyota. Well just have to wait and see just how far forward the powers that be in Japan are willing to take their full-size pickup. Lets hope theyre ready to let their hair down a little.