The FT-1 concept from Toyota gets a new look with a graphite exterior and a saddle interior.
The buzz for a new Toyota Supra just went up a couple of decibels today as the automaker revealed a new version of its ballyhooed FT-1 concept car in California with a graphite exterior and saddle-colored interior.
The original FT-1 debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last January in a bold red with a black leather interior. Officials were adamant that it was merely a design exercise. In fact, it didn’t even have a working engine in it. The show car borrowed a Ferrari trick, mounting a powertrain under a transparent panel.
However, the appearance of a second edition, developed by Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, California, after the company teased fans by allowing a computerized version to appear in racing video game Gran Turismo 6, is only going to whet the appetites of Supra fans even more.
“From the start of the FT-1 project, we wanted the driver to have a feeling of flow while at the wheel – to be able to focus on the road and nothing else,” said Sellene Lee, the Calty creative designer who proposed both color concepts.
A second version of Toyota's FT-1 concept will show up on Gran Turismo 6 in September.
“In the color studio we help create the atmosphere of the vehicle, and our aim was to ensure everything supported the driver through efficient choices. The saddle leather maintains that same ‘in the zone’ driving intention, while bringing in a more premium feeling.”
The car draws from Toyota’s sports coupe heritage dating back to the 2000GT, Celica, Supra, MR2 and most recently Scion FR-S. Aside from the fact that Toyota’s been without a real sports car for more than a decade, there are other “clues” that Supra fans might draw upon when wishing for the Japanese maker to pull the trigger on the FT-1.
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The biggest may be the fact that development folks talk about the FT-1 in real terms, discussing how a driver may feel behind the wheel.
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“When drivers sit in FT-1, they can feel the difference in materials, textures and color choices that resulted from the team’s work,” according to the press release.
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However, until Toyota makes an announcement, FT-1 aficionados will have to get their fix another way: Gran Tursimo 6. The game will have two iterations of the FT-1 starting in September.
Like the red FT-1 introduced in January, the graphite FT-1 concept roars onto the Gran Turismo 6 racetrack as a downloadable vehicle for a limited time. Additionally, in celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Gran Turismo series, Calty has also designed an ultra high-performance race version of the FT-1 that inside the game is called the FT-1 “Vision GT.” This high-powered version interprets what a full-race FT-1 might achieve on the track.