Per festeggiare i 50 anni del centro stile californiano noto come CALTY Toyota ha deciso di rilasciare dei concept da loro realizzati ma che poi non hanno mai visto la luce, fino ad oggi.
One of the earliest concepts was a small 4×4 based on the FJ40 Land Cruiser. It reached the stage of a 1/5 scale model, which was presented to executives, including then-president Eiji Toyoda (far right)
In 1975, CALTY designers dreamed up a travel trailer.
The Toyota MX-1 Concept was a mid-engine supercar with scissor doors and a large jet figher-like canopy. The MX-1 actually reached a full-scale model, which was presented to execs including Eiji Toyoda. It was intended to be a halo sports car but, sadly, never reached production.
The followup to the MX-1 was the 1983 Toyota MX-2, being shown now to the public for the first time. Once again, CALTY designers reached the full-scale model stage. The MX-2 was built entirely in-house by CALTY and featured an FRP body and gullwing doors for both the cabin and the engine cover. Inside, a steering wheel mounted on a swingarm could switch from left- to right-hand-drive in an instant. Its aerodynamics were described as “close to a pure race car”.
One of the most “out there” ideas was the 1980s “future high-performance concept”. Another full-scale model, the wild design features a single-seat monoposto configuration with completely enclosed front wheels. There aren’t many details about this car.
It also worked on some designs that didn’t make the final cut, 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.
Last (for now) but not least is the Scion NYC concept that CALTY conjured up in 2012. The frog-like city car was designed for urban density, with a tall greenhouse in which the driver stood almost upright.