CHICAGO, Feb. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- With the
Midwest in the grip of one of the coldest winters on record, Toyota
is looking to bring some "sizzle" to the city of Chicago.
Toyota will be busy making news at the Chicago Auto Show this
February, due in part to two press conferences and the presence of
the FT-1, the most talked-about concept car on the planet.
The Chicago Auto Show kicks off at 8
a.m. on Thursday, February 6
with Toyota Senior Vice President of Automotive Operations
Bob Carter delivering the keynote
address at the Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA)
breakfast. Celebrating 23 years at Toyota, Carter regularly
attends the Chicago Auto Show.
Toyota will be hosting its first news conference of the day at
9:30 a.m. at the Toyota Drive Center
area in South Hall. Toyota will debut the new TRD Pro Series for
the Tundra, Tacoma and 4Runner in an area reminiscent of an
adventurous desert landscape. Spanning 30,000 square feet,
the course's dynamic obstacles include a 14-foot-tall hill, a water
crossing, a giant see-saw and various frame twisters, side tilts
and suspension-focused challenges.
This ride and drive area will be open to the press during Media
Days, as well as for show attendees during Public Days. In
conjunction with this indoor activity, Toyota has partnered with
three esteemed charities in the company's "Drive for A Cause"
campaign. For those show attendees who fully participate in the
indoor ride and drive, they will have the opportunity to choose
from one of the three charities – American Red Cross, AMVETS and
FFA – and Toyota will make a contribution to that organization on
their behalf.
Toyota will make a motorsports announcement at its second press
conference on February 6 at
2 p.m. in the Toyota exhibit.
This year, the 45,000-square-foot Toyota exhibit features more
than 50 vehicles, among them the FT-1 sports car concept, which had
a rousing debut at the North American International Auto
Show. Developed by Toyota's Calty Design Studio, the FT-1 has
gotten pulses racing and tongues wagging ever since its unveiling
in Detroit.
"The FT-1 will be front and center in Chicago," said Don
Johnson, Auto Show Engagement Manager at Toyota Motor Sales,
U.S.A., Inc. "It's been a while
since Toyota had a concept that stirred the imagination like
FT-1. This is a dream car for enthusiasts
everywhere."
Fans of the FT-1 can drive the vehicle virtually, courtesy of a
pair of driving simulators.
Another unique concept vehicle coming to Chicago this year is the Toyota FV2, a future
mobility car operated by the driver shifting his or her body to
intuitively move the vehicle in any direction. By using intelligent
transport system technology to connect with other vehicles in the
area and traffic infrastructure, the Toyota FV2 helps enable safe
driving by providing a wide variety of safety information,
including advance warning about vehicles in blind spots at
intersections.
The futuristic iROAD concept car is also coming to the Windy
City. The iROAD, a three-wheeler with motorcycle-like
maneuverability, is ideally suited for short-distance urban travel
and was designed to be a new way to enjoy mobility.
The exhibit will also feature Toyota's entire lineup of
award-winning cars and trucks, among them recently-revised 2014
editions of the Corolla, RAV4, Tundra, 4Runner and
Highlander. The Highlander is the focus of a Toyota
television advertisement around the Super Bowl, co-starring the
Muppets. To commemorate this partnership, there will be a
Muppets-wrapped Highlander in the exhibit, along with the chance to
play three iPad games featuring these iconic characters interacting
with this popular SUV.
Toyota's prowess in hybrid technology will be featured with all
four members of the Prius "family" on display, as well as hybrid
versions of the Avalon, Camry and Highlander. A charging
station for the environmentally-lauded Prius Plug-In can also be
found in the exhibit.
Motorsports fans will be thrilled by the "Toyota Racing Zone,"
an area that pays homage to the manufacturer's involvement and
success in NASCAR. A Matt Kenseth #20 Sprint Cup Camry is
among the highlights in the zone, along with a Toyota/NHRA Funny
Car. Show goers will also enjoy participating in the paper
airplane toss at the Tundra/Endeavour space shuttle display, with
prizes awarded for successfully landing a plane in the bed of the
truck.
About Toyota
Toyota, the world's top automaker and
creator of the Prius, is committed to building vehicles for the way
people live through our Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands. Over the
past 50 years, we've built more than 25 million cars and trucks in
North America, where we operate 14
manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ nearly
40,000 people (more than 37,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North
American dealerships sold more than 2.23 million cars and trucks in
2013 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the
past 20 years are still on the road today.
Toyota partners with philanthropic organizations across the
country, with a focus on education, safety and the environment. As
part of this commitment, we share the company's extensive know-how
garnered from building great cars and trucks to help community
organizations and other nonprofits expand their ability to do good.
(NYSE: TM) For more information about Toyota, visit
www.toyotanewsroom.com.
SOURCE Toyota