Does Toyota Need Another Cheap Sports Car?

By Toyota’s own admission, it no longer wants to be associated with building boring cars and its current design language is a reflection of that.

However, the firm’s range continues to be predominantly made up of vehicles that sell in high numbers and are a reflection of what regular consumers demand, not what car enthusiasts desire. The all-new Supra is set to play a role in solving this issue but is there anything else Toyota could do? Perhaps launch a new sports car even smaller than the 86?

Artist Nobuhiko Honda has designed just that with what he dubs the Toyota Public Sports Concept. The car has been designed for the autonomous motoring era and features a floor-mounted battery pack as well as an electric motor powering the rear wheels.

This packaging allows the front and rear overhangs to be reduced significantly. Further helping to immerse the driver in the experience is a glass canopy and a low seating position right in the center of the car.

The design of the concept doesn’t mimic any current Toyota models and is quite retro with simple headlights and taillights and no fussy or unnecessary design elements. Overall, it is a rather satisfying prospect, albeit unlikely to ever see the light of day.