Click for more CALTY.
CALTY Design Research, the American base of Toyota’s global design network (NYSE:TM), marked five decades of creation today by revealing the Toyota Baby Lunar Cruiser. The BLC concept has so-called adaptive technology and heritage design cues from the original FJ40 Land Cruiser, CALTY said in a Newport Beach, CA.
“California was a youthful, vibrant epicenter of fresh ideas, a cool car culture, and the glamorous movie industry that inspired CALTY to create innovative designs and establish new trends,” said Kevin Hunter, president of CALTY Design Research.
The Toyota Baby Lunar Cruiser has in-wheel electric motors and is controlled by dual joysticks. Toyota notes that the BLC’s compact footprint and airless tires give it unparalleled maneuverability. It also has protruding glass canopy and a panoramic, augmented reality dashboard display.
Claimed heritage cues include a “TOYOTA” script grille up front, complete with a full array of cameras and lidar/radar sensors, and a split tailgate configuration in back. BLC draws inspiration from the real Lunar Cruiser being developed by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Toyota.
Established in 1973 in El Segundo, California, CALTY was the idea of Dr. Shoichiro Toyoda and Eiji Toyoda. The new studio was deliberately kept quiet, allowing it to develop a unique identity and in theory provide fresh, creative inspiration to Toyota’s global design headquarters in Japan.
When CALTY decided to expand and relocate, it moved down the coast to Newport Beach in 1978, which was also the home of Road&Track magazine, another California original, and where I once was an editor. That same year, CALTY’s first production car design, the second-generation Celica, became a global success.
During the 1990s, CALTY had a major role in designing Toyota’s production vehicles for the North American market. Notable designs include the 1995 Tacoma, the 1997 Prius and the 2000 Avalon.
It also worked on designs that didn’t make production, notably the fourth generation Supra, or A80 as it was known internally. CALTY’s intent was to take the Supra in the direction of a “pure sports car,” rather than continue with the previous models’ Grand Touring character. They gave it a long hood and a linear bulge so the engine bay could accommodate a large inline-6 engine. The fourth generation Supra was introduced in 1993.
With the growth of production car development in North America, CALTY established a design studio in Ann Arbor, MI in 2004 which revolutionized local production design efforts, resulting in the creation of North American-specific models such as the Tundra, Tacoma, Avalon and Sienna.
“As we continue our journey from the automotive era into the mobility era, there is one thing I feel I can say for sure,” says Simon Humphries, Toyota Motor Corporation Chief Branding Officer and Head of Design. “CALTY will be there at the forefront.”
CALTY today is made up of a group of exterior and interior designers, CMF (Color, Material, Finish) designers, clay modelers, digital sculptors, visualization specialists, paint specialists, CAD/CAM specialists, a research/planning group, a PR/Multimedia team and administrative group.
As the automotive industry shifts toward an electrified future CALTY will continue with vehicles such as the 2021 Lexus Electrified Sport concept. “CALTY’s most recent production designs, the highly anticipated 2024 Land Cruiser and the 2024 Tacoma, showcase their commitment to moving forward and embracing new technology while still remaining authentic to the brand’s heritage DNA,” said CALTY.
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CALTY Design Reveals Toyota Baby Lunar Cruiser
Click for more CALTY.
CALTY Design Research, the American base of Toyota’s global design network (NYSE:TM), marked five decades of creation today by revealing the Toyota Baby Lunar Cruiser. The BLC concept has so-called adaptive technology and heritage design cues from the original FJ40 Land Cruiser, CALTY said in a Newport Beach, CA.
“California was a youthful, vibrant epicenter of fresh ideas, a cool car culture, and the glamorous movie industry that inspired CALTY to create innovative designs and establish new trends,” said Kevin Hunter, president of CALTY Design Research.
The Toyota Baby Lunar Cruiser has in-wheel electric motors and is controlled by dual joysticks. Toyota notes that the BLC’s compact footprint and airless tires give it unparalleled maneuverability. It also has protruding glass canopy and a panoramic, augmented reality dashboard display.
Claimed heritage cues include a “TOYOTA” script grille up front, complete with a full array of cameras and lidar/radar sensors, and a split tailgate configuration in back. BLC draws inspiration from the real Lunar Cruiser being developed by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Toyota.
Established in 1973 in El Segundo, California, CALTY was the idea of Dr. Shoichiro Toyoda and Eiji Toyoda. The new studio was deliberately kept quiet, allowing it to develop a unique identity and in theory provide fresh, creative inspiration to Toyota’s global design headquarters in Japan.
When CALTY decided to expand and relocate, it moved down the coast to Newport Beach in 1978, which was also the home of Road&Track magazine, another California original, and where I once was an editor. That same year, CALTY’s first production car design, the second-generation Celica, became a global success.
During the 1990s, CALTY had a major role in designing Toyota’s production vehicles for the North American market. Notable designs include the 1995 Tacoma, the 1997 Prius and the 2000 Avalon.
It also worked on designs that didn’t make production, notably the fourth generation Supra, or A80 as it was known internally. CALTY’s intent was to take the Supra in the direction of a “pure sports car,” rather than continue with the previous models’ Grand Touring character. They gave it a long hood and a linear bulge so the engine bay could accommodate a large inline-6 engine. The fourth generation Supra was introduced in 1993.
With the growth of production car development in North America, CALTY established a design studio in Ann Arbor, MI in 2004 which revolutionized local production design efforts, resulting in the creation of North American-specific models such as the Tundra, Tacoma, Avalon and Sienna.
“As we continue our journey from the automotive era into the mobility era, there is one thing I feel I can say for sure,” says Simon Humphries, Toyota Motor Corporation Chief Branding Officer and Head of Design. “CALTY will be there at the forefront.”
CALTY today is made up of a group of exterior and interior designers, CMF (Color, Material, Finish) designers, clay modelers, digital sculptors, visualization specialists, paint specialists, CAD/CAM specialists, a research/planning group, a PR/Multimedia team and administrative group.
As the automotive industry shifts toward an electrified future CALTY will continue with vehicles such as the 2021 Lexus Electrified Sport concept. “CALTY’s most recent production designs, the highly anticipated 2024 Land Cruiser and the 2024 Tacoma, showcase their commitment to moving forward and embracing new technology while still remaining authentic to the brand’s heritage DNA,” said CALTY.
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