What every family needs; the Toyota U2 concept car!
Toyota’s research found a fast-growing market for small SUVs with greater usefulness, yet with a smaller vehicle footprint. And this is what they are trying to achieve with the new Toyota Urban Utility concept car; U2.
With “do-it-yourself” enjoying a big revival in American cities, where a new kind of entrepreneur is taking a can-do approach to urban regeneration, Toyota’s Calty design studio has researched the movement by speaking to people attending the hugely popular Maker Faires across the country and has used their views to help create the U2 concept.
The U2 has an open architecture and is made from robust materials that reflect a no-nonsense urban style. It has practicality built-in, with a roll-back roof and a tailgate that can be folded down to create a ramp. A rail system makes it easy for owners to customise the interior just the way they want it.
Kevin Hunter, Calty President, said: “Toyota saw an opportunity for a new approach to an urban vehicle, based on the increasing re-urbanisation of our cities, and on urban drivers’ desire for flexibility, fun and manoeuvrability.
The Calty team conceived U2 as a flexible, functional gadget, drawing their inspiration from modern entrepreneurship and Americans’ traditional love of adventure and outdoor pursuits that involve plenty of gear and equipment. It needed to be easily adaptable for individual on-the-go needs, witnessed in details such as a retractable utility bar that can do anything from hold a desk to provide hooks for shopping bags. The side windows flip up, so it’s easy to reach in from the roadside.
Other highlights include:
Folding, removable front passenger seat
Fold-up rear seats
New shift design with an intuitive switch for park, drive and reverse
New colour and trim material choices
City streets call for a vehicle that can deal with bumper-to-traffic, potholes and tight turns. Toyota’s U2 concept tackles these demands with a highly durable underbody and bodywork that’s tough as a hand tool and which comes with customisable side panels. The look is modern and characterful, too, evident in details such as the slightly chunky proportions and circular door handles.
Exterior highlights include:
Retracting roof panels
Opening rear glass that slides into the tailgate
Drop-down tailgate that forms a load ramp
Replaceable protective ridges on the tailgate
Appropriately, U2 makes its public debut at the World Maker Faire which is currently being held in New York.