Is Toyota FT-AC Concept in L.A. a Future RAV4?
CARS.COM
Looks like: A RAV4 got really into Crossfit
Defining characteristics: Roof and bike racks for “outdoor enthusiasts”; plastic cladding galore
Ridiculous features: Removable infrared camera system mounted to the side mirrors for recording driving and other outdoor adventures
Chance of being mass-produced: Low, but it’s a decent idea of where the RAV4’s design might be heading
Toyota used the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show as a venue to debut another FT SUV concept, the FT-AC. Following in the footsteps of the FT-4X, the FT-AC — Future Toyota Adventure Concept, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing — comes packed with features for those who want to leave the beaten path but don’t necessarily want to do it within their vehicle.
Related: More 2017 L.A. Auto Show Coverage
Those features include:
- A safari-style roof rack and retractable bike rack
- Removable foglights that could be used to light up a campsite or mounted to a bike
- Infrared cameras mounted to the side mirrors for recording trail drives
Like the foglights, the cameras are also removable, enabling recording of more than just driving footage. The FT-AC includes a Wi-Fi hot spot to upload camera footage directly to the cloud, where it can be accessed and even edited using a mobile device. The camera system can even use the foglights as a flash during low-light situations.
The rest of the FT-AC is pretty standard can-definitely-go-off-road-we-swear concept fare: beefy all-terrain tires, big wheel arches covered in plastic cladding, front and rear skid plates, recovery hooks and an aggressive nose. Everything works together well, and the FT-AC actually wouldn’t look out of place in dealerships today.
Toyota hasn’t provided any images of the FT-AC’s interior and we didn’t get a chance to see inside ourselves, so you’ll have to use your imagination. That speaks to the FT-AC’s purpose as more of a design study than an actual concept on its way to production — but if this is what future RAV4s could look like, it isn’t a bad direction.
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