Toyota will be providing Chicagoans with a glimpse of the future at this year’s Chicago Auto Show, courtesy of the Prius “family,” a number of environmentally-conscious concept vehicles and a pair of interactive safety displays.
Toyota’s 45,070-square-foot exhibit will be a blend of new products bound for dealerships and concept vehicles that could pave the way for new vehicles and promising technologies. Among the headliners at the exhibit is a pair of vehicles that debuted at the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). They include the NS4, an advanced plug-in hybrid concept vehicle, and the Prius c hybrid. The Prius c, which will achieve 53 mpg in the city, will go on sale this spring. It is the fourth member of the Prius “family” of hybrid vehicles, which includes the contemporary Prius, Prius v and soon-to-be-released Prius Plug-In Hybrid. All four vehicles will be on display in a special “Prius Family Zone” in the exhibit.
Along with the NS4, another concept vehicle will be featured in the “Technology Zone” of Toyota’s exhibit. The FCV-R is a fuel cell sedan concept with the “R” standing for Reality and Revolution. It bowed at the Tokyo Motor Show last November. The Technology Zone also includes a cut-away vehicle and 3D cockpit display. Both displays convey future safety and convenience technologies presently being studied by Toyota for potential use in the next decade.
“This year’s exhibit points toward our future as an automaker,” said Ruslan Polinovsky, Auto Show Engagement Manager at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “Chicagoans will not only see a bevy of present day cars and trucks but futuristic concept vehicles that show our environmental stewardship and technological leadership.”
Toyota’s renowned Star Safety System will also be on display in the exhibit. Toyota’s standard safety equipment can be experienced interactively via a driving Safety Simulator.
Among the more than 50 cars, trucks and SUVs on display in the exhibit will be the 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser, making its North American debut. The legendary Land Cruiser just celebrated its 60th anniversary of its original launch in Japan, and it has remained a constant in Toyota’s U.S. model lineup for more than 50 years.
Also appearing in Chicago is the RAV4 EV demonstration vehicle, an all-electric SUV. The vehicle is a collaborative project of Toyota and Tesla, with a production version scheduled to go on sale later this year.
For all of the vehicles on display, traditional window stickers have been replaced by iPads mounted near each vehicle for pricing and options exploration. Two on-site kiosks will demonstrate the features of Toyota’s new Entune multimedia system, now available on many 2012 models.
There are a few specialty vehicles available in the display, including: a Camry pace car for the 2012 Daytona 500, a Kyle Busch #18 Interstate Batteries stock car, and a Prius Project Concept Bike – engineered and constructed with Prius’ innovative qualities in mind.
The exhibit was designed and constructed by Michigan-based George P. Johnson.
