Toyota Corolla Furia Concept Appears at NAIAS

The 45th anniversary of the sale of  the Toyota Corolla in the U.S occurs in 2013.

Toyota revealed the Corolla Furia Concept at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit today. This somewhat exaggerated concept hints at the styling cues can expect to see on the next-generation Corolla compact lineup. The concept represents an exterior styling study by Toyota designers, and it builds on the brand’s product development priority to develop more “dramatic, expressively designed vehicles.”

The Furia is said to be designed around a theme of “Iconic Dynamism,” which uses pure and simple surface elements to create a recognizable appearance appealing to more youthful consumers. Furia, it’s said, has a more “provocative, dynamic interpretation of a compact sedan that displays a more stable, athletic stance with 19-inch allow wheels pushed to the vehicle’s corners with short overhangs to help emphasize its long wheelbase.” The design also includes a swept windshield, with a sloped roofline and pronounced fender flares.

Over the decades, Toyota has sold 40 million Corollas worldwide, making it the best-selling nameplate on earth. In the U.S., 2013 marks the 45th anniversary of Corolla where more than nine million vehicles have been sold since 1968.

“That’s more than the total individual population in 40 of the 50 states, with over four-and-a-half million still on the road today,” quipped Bill Fay, Toyota Division Group VP at the press preview. Toyota Division has sold 24 million passenger cars since 1968 and about 38 percent of those have been Corollas.

The current Corolla – introduced in 2008 – was the second best-selling car for Toyota during 2012. Corolla was also number two in the compact segment, behind the Civic. The compact segment has grown significantly with many all-new entries.  Last year, there were 2.1 million compacts sold in the U.S., and Corolla accounted for 300,000, a 13.5% share.