Toyota’s bright red FT-1 sports car concept drew the excitable eye of everyone who attended the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit where it debuted. We haven’t forgotten about the red and racy concept, and neither has Toyota, which just released a reimagined version with an upscale vibe more ready for a leisurely cruise down a coastal highway than carving corners on a racetrack.
The pull-me-over red exterior is replaced with a graphite re-skin, and I think does a better job showing off the FT-1’s curves. New interior touches are equally as minimalistic and work to great effect with saddle leather highlights and new textures providing a more Lexus-like experience than Toyota. Toyota’s design team took inspiration for the interior from modern, high-tech superhero costumes and high-end leather bags.
Like the original FT-1, you’ll only be able to drive this version virtually in Sony PlayStation 3’s “Gran Turismo 6”; no plans of production have been announced despite the FT-1 looking more road-worthy than ever in its latest configuration.
Managing Editor Joe Bruzek’s 22 years of automotive experience doesn’t count the lifelong obsession that started as a kid admiring his dad’s 1964 Chevrolet Corvette — and continues to this day. Joe’s been an automotive journalist with Cars.com for 16 years, writing shopper-focused car reviews, news and research content. As Managing Editor, one of his favorite areas of focus is helping shoppers understand electric cars and how to determine whether going electric is right for them. In his free time, Joe maintains a love-hate relationship with his 1998 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that he wishes would fix itself.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-bruzek-2699b41b/