Is The NS4 Concept Toyota’s New Direction?
Toyota introduced their NS4 Design Concept at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. It begs the question – is this what Toyota will look like in coming years?
NS4 features attracted much attention to the Japanese auto maker’s booth in Detroit this year. Narrow lights peek out from just about every angle, with its sloping nose and transparent “special glass” roof, driver and passengers will receive an almost panoramic view of their surroundings.
Powered by electricity (Toyota is aiming for a plug-in hybrid version of NS4, with 475cc air cooled flat-twin motor), “NS4 demonstrates Toyota’s take on the human connection to the car with technology that considers both emotional and rational relationships, person-to-car and car-to-society.”
But with all these distractions to maintain or replace, and all that glass to clean and protect during collision, is something like NS4 realistic for the future of Toyota design?
As with most concepts, a final product will look similar, but lose much of the added shiny objects (we’re guessing a glass roof might stick around on certain trim levels, to compete with luxury auto makers like Audi and Mercedes-Benz). Expect the angles to be tuned down, and much of the lighting to take a hike.
NS4 includes a “suite of driver assist aids, including sub-millimeter wave radar to help the presumably Facebook-distracted driver avoid swerving into other lanes or running into anybody.”
Toyota hopes to bring a car similar to their NS4 Concept to a global market by 2015.
Source: Jalopnik
Leave a Reply