If there’s one thing Toyota can’t lay claim to – minor a few exceptions such as the Celica, it’s that its vehicle have an emotion-inspiring design. In fact, one could say that, almost its entire line up leans towards the conservative side.
But now, the company’s new global head of design, Akihiro ‘Dezi’ Nagaya, plans to change all that and adopt CEO Akio Toyoda’s call for a “more emotional approach” when it comes to styling.
“Toyota has been criticized for being quiet and non-offensive, of having too friendly an image while lacking emotion,” says Nagaya who has designed the 1st- and 3rd-generation Lexus LS, the 2nd-generation GS, and, more recently, the 2nd-generation Toyota Prius.
The 50-year old designer is not afraid to make another bold statement: “We are going to be more dynamic, more masculine, sportier, with a more obvious design theme and a face to represent the company and the brand”, he said.
The FT-86 RWD coupe is going to be the first example of the company’s design shift. Does that mean that he is going to scare conventional Toyota buyers away? After all, people who buy Toyota’s cars like the best-selling Camry aren’t exactly doing it for its styling.
“The Camry has a wide selection range with customers who don’t want something too aggressive”, says Nagaya. “But it has the responsibility of being the highlight of the line-up.”
So what Nagaya is basically saying is that he has to please both traditional buyers and bring in new ones who will appreciate the cars’ styling. We certainly don’t envy his task…
Scroll down to see what Nagaya had to say about the designs of the revamped for the 2012 model year Toyota Avensis and Prius hybrid, as well as the FT-86 II Concept, all of which were shown in Frankfurt earlier this month.
Story source: Toyota & Automotive News
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