The Toyota bB (Black Box), known to us North Americans as the Scion xB, was a remarkable success. Who would have thought that this ultimately
anti-styled subcompact box on wheels would have been a hit? Nevertheless, Toyota has been experimenting with its replacement, first previewed earlier in 2005 with the Scion t2B concept. The bB concept summates their latest efforts. The bB still sticks to its roots, based off Toyota's Yaris subcompact with very basic, very boxy styling. Unlike the Scion concept, the bB features four regular opening doors, and thinner pillars for better visibility.
As with the t2B and the Scion xB DJ concepts, Toyota's boxiest vehicle is associated with popular trends and the nightlife. The most shocking thing about this car, aside from the fact that its exterior now features curves, is its vivid yellow-green pearl paint scheme, with bright blue LED and neon under-lighting. Inside, an
extraordinary 9-speaker ICE stereo system provides the beats, managed by an intelligent DSP stereo program. Adding to the way-cool factor of this stereo system on wheels are the exterior lights, which pulsate to the beat of the music, and oversized chrome-plated wheels.
It's almost a tradition for every Japanese carmaker to produce a token 'wacky' vehicle for the Tokyo motor show. For Toyota, this is the i-Swing Concept. To be honest, we're not quite sure whether to qualify this as a car or not - it's more wearable personal transportation than anything. This is the third personal transportation device Toyota has created, following the i-foot and i-unit concepts. The i-Swing can operate in two or three-wheeled mode, depending on the desired speed and location, and is controlled through two joysticks, pedals and sensors which detect the rider's weight, like a set of skis. Should Toyota commit to this market, Segway will have some serious competition on its hands.
The final vehicle on the list is the RAV-4 Concept. Despite the fact that Toyota has already announced and confirmed the second-generation compact SUV for production at its Frankfurt debut last month, Toyota will show up at Tokyo with a concept variant. As far as we can tell from the photos, the purpose of the concept is to act as a teaser, with few actual mechanical or visual changes made. For more information on these concepts, stay tuned in the weeks to come.
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| It's almost a tradition for every Japanese carmaker to produce a token 'wacky' vehicle for the Tokyo motor show. (Photo: Toyota) |
As with the t2B and the Scion xB DJ concepts, Toyota's boxiest vehicle is associated with popular trends and the nightlife. The most shocking thing about this car, aside from the fact that its exterior now features curves, is its vivid yellow-green pearl paint scheme, with bright blue LED and neon under-lighting. Inside, an
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| The i-Swing can operate in two or three-wheeled mode, depending on the desired speed and location. (Photo: Toyota) |
It's almost a tradition for every Japanese carmaker to produce a token 'wacky' vehicle for the Tokyo motor show. For Toyota, this is the i-Swing Concept. To be honest, we're not quite sure whether to qualify this as a car or not - it's more wearable personal transportation than anything. This is the third personal transportation device Toyota has created, following the i-foot and i-unit concepts. The i-Swing can operate in two or three-wheeled mode, depending on the desired speed and location, and is controlled through two joysticks, pedals and sensors which detect the rider's weight, like a set of skis. Should Toyota commit to this market, Segway will have some serious competition on its hands.
The final vehicle on the list is the RAV-4 Concept. Despite the fact that Toyota has already announced and confirmed the second-generation compact SUV for production at its Frankfurt debut last month, Toyota will show up at Tokyo with a concept variant. As far as we can tell from the photos, the purpose of the concept is to act as a teaser, with few actual mechanical or visual changes made. For more information on these concepts, stay tuned in the weeks to come.
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