Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept
Car
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The Toyota FT-HS Hybrid
Sports Concept car is being hailed as the next Supra in
the auto manufacturer's lineup.
Suitable for treehuggers
with a need for speed, the Toyota FT-HS can flat out haul
with 0 - 60 mph acceleration coming in at around 4 seconds.
Can anyone say, "supra
car"?
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Though not hailed as a supercar and not as exotically priced
as a Lamborghini or Maserati, the Toyota FT-HS concept, if it
ever hits the showroom floors, will be offered in the mid $30,000s.
This combination of eco and emotion combines a 292hp DOHC 3.5-liter
V6 (based on the Lexus GS 450h) with a 650V electric motor to
deliver a total of over 400 hp.
Toyota
FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept |
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The Toyota FT-HS Sports Concept was designed by Calty Design
Research in Newport Beach, California, who took an entire year
of drafts to come up with the aggressive eco design. One of
the unique features of the Toyota FT-HS includes a carbon-fibre
Kevlar retractable roof that pulls into the backseat area and
turns this 2+2 four seater into a 2-seat convertible with the
touch of a button.
Another unique feature of the Toyota FT-HS is the steering
wheel has an outer ring that moves around an inner ring for
smoother handling and side-to-side movement of the vehicle.
The Toyota FT-HS measures about the same size of a Corvette
and much of the car's extra space is taken up by engine, fuel
tank, electric motor and battery pack.
The engine of the Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept is visible
through the top of the car's hood to emphasis its hybrid nature
and power. The vehicle also features aero-corners, which aid
wind flow around the car and give the Toyota FT-HS its distinct
look
One of the main points of Toyota coming out with the FT-HS
sports car is that hybrid cars don't have to be wimpy. Combining
the power from an internal combustion engine and an electric
motor can also serve to compound the horsepower and speed of
the vehicle.
While sports cars have not typically been an environmentalist's
dream, the Toyota FT-HS shows that even though sports cars will
always be a marketing inevitability, hybrid technology can add
an eco-friendly element to this class of vehicle and help mainstream
all hybrids as the standard vehicle of the future.
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