Tag Archives: Toyota

NEW CARS

Toyota FT-Me: Britain’s Smallest Revolution

Toyota’s latest project is proof that the future of British motoring might just fit in your garden shed. Meet the FT-Me, a pint-sized electric runabout that’s inching its way from concept to production reality — and yes, it could be built right here in Derbyshire.

Thanks to a £15 million investment from the UK government, Toyota’s quirky little urban EV has been given the green light for a deeper feasibility study. The plan? To turn the adorable FT-Me Concept into something you could actually buy (and possibly park inside your living room).

Microlino, meet the Sensei

Toyota is pitching the FT-Me as a rival to the Citroën Ami and Microlino, which means it’ll fall under the same L6e quadricycle regulations — a fancy way of saying “don’t expect Nürburgring lap times.” Power will be limited to a humble 8bhp, with a top speed of just 28mph.

That might sound glacial, but this isn’t about speed. It’s about smart, sustainable, low-impact mobility for the cities of tomorrow — the kind of thing you’d use to nip from your flat to the farmer’s market without leaving a carbon footprint the size of Yorkshire.

Built in Burnaston, born for the city

If all goes to plan, production will take place at Toyota’s Burnaston plant — the same site that’s been turning out Corollas for decades. The project will see Toyota team up with a trio of very British collaborators:

  • Elm, the maker of the Evolv electric delivery van (the FT-Me will borrow some of its tech),
  • Savcor, who’ll provide a solar-panelled roof capable of recovering up to 19 miles of range per day, and
  • the University of Derby, which will study how drivers actually use this titchy EV in the real world.

Toyota’s UK boss Dariusz Mikolajczak calls it “a cutting-edge battery-electric vehicle that addresses the growing demand for sustainable urban mobility.” Translation: this could be your next city car, provided your city has more coffee shops than motorways.

A £30 million leap into the small lane

This whole endeavour is backed by the Drive35 programme — a £2.5 billion pot designed to help Britain’s car industry go zero-emission. One string attached: manufacturers have to match at least 50% of the funding. In Toyota’s case, that means it’s likely putting up most of the £30.3 million total investment itself.

Not bad for a machine roughly the size of a dishwasher.

So what’s it really about?

Toyota’s been talking about the “mobility ecosystem” for years — a sprawling vision of cars, scooters, and pods that all connect, communicate, and coexist. The FT-Me is a small but significant jigsaw piece in that puzzle, a symbol of the brand’s willingness to explore every corner of future transport — even the teeny-tiny ones.

And while an 8bhp microcar might not set your pulse racing, there’s something undeniably cool about the idea of one of the world’s biggest carmakers betting big on something so small. It’s daring, it’s daft, and it might just redefine what we mean by “British-built.”

Source: Autocar

NEW CARS

The Century Coupe: Japan’s Crown Jewel Goes Rogue

The 2025 Japan Mobility Show is shaping up to be less of an auto expo and more of a fever dream for people who like their cars slightly unhinged. Lexus is already flirting with absurdity by turning the stately LS into a luxury minivan, but it’s another Toyota offshoot that’s properly stealing the spotlight. Step aside, chauffeurs — the Century has gone rogue.

Yes, that Century — Japan’s most aristocratic set of wheels, the one that’s spent decades wafting prime ministers and emperors around in monastic silence. Traditionally, it’s been Toyota’s ultimate expression of restraint and craftsmanship: a stately sedan powered by a whispering V12, later by a hybrid V8, and most recently, reincarnated as a cushy SUV. Now, however, the brand has decided to throw its silk gloves out the window and build… a coupe.

And what a coupe it is. Think less “Gran Turismo” and more “rolling art installation.” Teaser shots reveal a long, tall shape that’s unmistakably Century yet oddly futuristic — complete with sliding doors, no B-pillars, and what appears to be a central driving position. Yes, Toyota might have gone full McLaren F1 on its most conservative nameplate. The steering “wheel” is rectangular, because of course it is, and the rear glass is gone entirely — a design quirk straight out of the Polestar playbook.

From the front, it looks imperious. The vast grille — still wearing the golden phoenix badge like a royal crest — isn’t fully closed, which hints there may still be a combustion engine somewhere in there. Vents on the bonnet seem to support that theory, suggesting this might not be purely electric after all. The dual-layer LED lighting gives off Genesis vibes, while the stance is unusually upright for a coupe — as if someone tried to crossbreed a grand tourer with a luxury monolith.

Toyota describes it as a “one of one”, so this might be a bespoke commission for someone with a garage full of rarities and a phone number that starts with “+81.” Or it could be a concept car — a design manifesto showing how far the Century brand can stretch. Either way, it’s a strong signal: Toyota wants the world to notice the Century name.

Until recently, the Century was a Japan-only affair, quietly existing in a parallel universe where chauffeurs wore white gloves and V12s purred in perfect harmony. But with the launch of the SUV and now this coupe, the brand’s ambitions are clearly expanding. Toyota has already hinted that the Century family will go global — and if this is the new design direction, Rolls-Royce and Bentley might want to pay attention.

The Century Coupe will make its full debut at the end of the month at the Japan Mobility Show, where it’ll share floor space with a new Corolla concept (because Toyota never forgets its everyman roots). But make no mistake — this is the headline act.

From chauffeur’s car to showstopper, the Century’s transformation might just be the boldest thing Toyota’s done in years. And if this is what “Japanese luxury” looks like in 2025, the rest of the world better start taking notes.

Source: Toyota

CONCEPT CARS

Toyota Corolla Concept: The World’s Most Sensible Car Just Got a Bit Reckless

While we were busy refreshing our browsers for the long-awaited Lexus LFR supercar reveal, Toyota decided to pull a fast one. No mid-engined V10 symphony from Lexus yet, but Japan’s biggest carmaker still managed to drop a few megatons of surprise during its much-hyped livestream. Alongside a six-wheeled Lexus LS minivan (yes, really) and a Century coupe riding high on SUV stilts, Toyota quietly rolled out something far more significant: the new Corolla.

Yes, that Corolla — the world’s best-selling car, the automotive equivalent of sensible shoes. Only now, it seems those shoes are wearing carbon-fibre soles.

Toyota calls it a concept, but don’t let that fool you. The presence of perfectly normal side mirrors — not the usual camera-based gimmicks of far-future prototypes — suggests this thing is dangerously close to production. And then there’s the kicker: a charging port (or perhaps fuel cap) tucked into the front fender. That little flap whispers one word: electric.

Could it be a plug-in hybrid? Possibly, but that’s what the Prius is for — the Corolla doesn’t do niche; it does mainstream domination. So, an EV Corolla seems almost inevitable. Still, the idea of a Corolla lineup without a good old petrol engine feels about as likely as a tofu-only McDonald’s menu. Toyota, after all, is famously skeptical of going all-in on electric power, and it’s unlikely to toss away a nameplate that’s sold more than 50 million units worldwide.

So perhaps the future Corolla will come in pairs: one electric, one combustive, both wearing the same sharp suit. A bit like the new Lexus ES, where you can’t tell if it’s sipping petrol or electrons just by looking at it.

Speaking of looks — this thing’s a stunner. Gone is the safe, middle-of-the-road styling of the current model. In its place: pixelated DRLs that wouldn’t look out of place on a cyberpunk concept, a tidy ducktail spoiler, and a beltline that plunges dramatically toward the A-pillars. The proportions scream “dedicated EV platform” — short hood, long cabin, all the right hints. But just to keep us guessing, Toyota’s been teasing a new ultra-compact four-cylinder engine that could fit under there too. Internal combustion isn’t dead yet; it’s just getting sneakier.

Whatever’s powering it, this new Corolla concept marks a major design reboot for the world’s most famous car. After decades of quiet competence, Toyota’s golden child is finally embracing its rebellious side.

We’ll get the full story at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, which kicks off October 29th. Until then, we’re left wondering: is this the dawn of the electric Corolla — or just Toyota reminding us that the sensible choice can still turn heads?

Source: Toyota