While it’s a bit of a stretch to say minivans are making a comeback, manufacturers have noticed that the segment remains strong. Toyota decided to make a minivan for younger people who can only picture a mom behind the wheel of one and a soccer ball in the back. The F3R, jointly developed by Calty Design Research Inc., Toyota’s California design studio, and the company’s California-based Advanced Product Strategy group, has a personality split between that of a motoring vehicle and a relaxing lounge.
The interior features three rows of stadium seats that, combined with an upwardly sloping roof, offers the same amount of headroom for every row. Each row, however, can be configured in different ways while the vehicle is in “lounge” mode, creating a more communal space for occupants to watch movies or play games on the F3R’s two track-mounted flat panel video screens. The interior features a wrap-around backrest that creates a continuous couch from the dash panel along the passenger’s side of the van and around the back. Regardless of what Toyota was going for with this interior concept, the fact you can configure the van’s inner sanctum to look like a booth at Denny’s is a little strange.
The F3R’s exterior takes the xB’s boxy skin and goes one step further, adding a dose of fashion to the flat-sided look. The press release continuously refers to the concept’s “wedge” shape, although that’s one husky wedge.
The only mention of a drivetrain for the F3R is that it has Toyota’s Synergy Drive.
While it’s a bit of a stretch to say minivans are making a comeback, manufacturers have noticed that the segment remains strong. Toyota decided to make a minivan for younger people who can only picture a mom behind the wheel of one and a soccer ball in the back. The F3R, jointly developed by Calty Design Research Inc., Toyota’s California design studio, and the company’s California-based Advanced Product Strategy group, has a personality split between that of a motoring vehicle and a relaxing lounge.
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06-22-2006, 02:51 PM
