SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The
do-it-yourself movement is transforming cities with
invention-focused Maker Faire events, growing entrepreneurship, and
a new Toyota concept to fit these trends. Inspired by a growing
innovative spirit in urban areas, Toyota revealed today the Urban
Utility concept vehicle – or U2 – at a private panel
discussion hosted by Make: magazine in San Francisco. Vehicle elements reflect the
lifestyle and needs of an entrepreneurial, urban driver discovered
through interviews with Maker Faire participants and internal
Toyota market research.
Developed by Toyota's Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, California, the Toyota
U2 concept features a new open architecture and
purposeful materials that redefine urban utility. Designers
included the ability to roll back the roof, fold down the tailgate
into a ramp and customize the interior on a versatile rail system.
The concept car will make its first public appearance at World
Maker Faire in New York City on
Sept. 20 and 21.
"Toyota saw an opportunity for a new approach to an urban
vehicle based on increasing re-urbanization of our cities and urban
drivers' desire for flexibility, fun and maneuverability," said
Kevin Hunter, president of Calty,
Toyota's North American design studio. "Calty keeps a number of
projects concealed while exploring ideas and products. Revealing a
project like the U2 gives people a window into the
constant innovation that happens inside Toyota and our Calty
studios and one possible future for urban mobility."
Bringing the concept to a Maker community event allowed Toyota
to gain feedback from a key audience.
"As more products are developed expressly to appeal to Makers
and their deep appreciation of design esthetic combined with open
architecture and practical utility, we expect to see more trusted
brands like Toyota take an unconventional approach to not only
product development but their marketing and launch strategies,"
said Sherry Huss, VP and co-founder
of Maker Faire. "Leveraging the growing Maker movement and Makers'
broad sphere of influence can impact the success of consumer brands
and future products."
Customizable Interior
Among the U.S. trends that influenced the Calty design team were
a growth in entrepreneurship and Americans' love of adventure,
especially outdoor activities involving gear and equipment. Drawing
on these insights, the Toyota U2 concept is a flexible,
functional gadget that owners can customize according to
individual, on-the-go needs. The retractable utility bar can serve
unique uses, such as holding a desk or grocery bag hooks. Side
windows flip up for easy access from roadside.
Other key interior highlights include:
- Versatile utility rail system configurable to hold everything
from baskets to bike stands
- Ability to fold and remove the front passenger seat
- Fold-up rear seating
- Unique shifter design with intuitive switch for parking, drive
and reverse mode
- Choice among a selection of colors and materials to fit
needs
Toyota research showed the fast-growing small SUV segment points
to a desire for greater utility but a smaller vehicle footprint.
The Toyota U2 concept is the size of a compact car with
the functionality of a compact truck and the spaciousness of a
cargo van. It satisfies other key urban driver priorities including
good fuel economy, maneuverability in city environments and easy
loading and unloading.
An Exterior for the City
City streets call for a vehicle that can handle bumper-to-bumper
traffic, potholes and tight corners. The Toyota U2
concept has an extremely durable underbody and tool-like exterior
with a customizable side panel. The iconic, modern design remains
playful, with details such as circular door handles and a slightly
chunky proportion. The box-like design at the rear emphasizes the
storage capabilities.
Highlights of the exterior include:
- Roof panels that retract open
- Rear glass that can slide into the tailgate
- Tailgate that folds down into a ramp
- Protective, replaceable ridges on tailgate
After its public reveal in New
York, the Toyota U2 concept will return to the
Calty studio in California. For
more information about Toyota innovation, visit
http://www.toyota.com/usa/operations/design-research-development.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), 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 and directly employ more than 40,000 people.
Our 1,800 North American dealerships sold more than 2.5 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.
For more information about Toyota, visit
www.toyotanewsroom.com.
About Maker Media
Maker Media is a global platform for connecting makers with each
other, with products and services, and with our partners. Through
media, events and ecommerce, Maker Media serves a growing community
of makers who bring a DIY mindset to technology. Whether as
hobbyists or professionals, makers are creative, resourceful and
curious, developing projects that demonstrate how they can interact
with the world around them. The launch of Make: magazine in 2005,
followed by Maker Faire in 2006, jumpstarted a worldwide Maker
Movement, which is transforming innovation, culture and education.
Located in Sebastopol,
CA, Maker Media is the publisher of Make: magazine and
the producer of Maker Faire. It also develops "getting started"
kits and books that are sold in its Maker Shed store as well
as in retail channels. The Make: brand caters to a universe of more
than 25 million makers collectively across its Make: magazine,
makezine.com, Maker Faires, and Maker Shed properties.
Media website: http://www.toyotanewsroom.com
Public website: http://www.toyota.com
Media
Contact:
Sona Iliffe-Moon
310-294-7195
sona_iliffe-moon@toyota.com
Joo Lee
949-759-6351
joo_lee@calty.toyota.com
Rebecca
Lee
Golin for
Toyota
213-438-8827
rlee@golin.com
SOURCE Toyota