2007 Toyota FT-HS Concept

2007 Toyota FT-HS Concept car picture

Toyota insiders recognize that, to go up against established sports cars, their entry needs a compelling differentiating quality. "We want to do something original," says Hunter. "We asked ourselves, 'What can we do that no one else can do?' The answer was a hybrid." The FT-HS is a hybrid sports car--the name stands for Future Toyota Hybrid Sports. Its powertrain marries a 3.5-liter V-6 with a new-generation hybrid system to provide a combined output of some 400 hp driving the rear wheels. The transmission would be an evolution of Toyota's current planetary CVT with discrete ratios selected via paddles.