It is a tradition, that of Toyota off-road vehicles, which has lasted since 1951, when the iconic FJ40 appeared on the scene challenging Jeep and Land Rover and giving life to a long series of heirs. Today, after a succession of 11.3 million units, it is the turn of the Land Cruiser 250 (it is called Prado, in some parts of the world), which also marks a global collaboration: between the designers in Japan, who have brought to completion the project, and the Californian studio Calty, where the exteriors of this powerful SUV took their first steps on the computer screen of chief designer Jin Kim.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Back to the origins<\/strong><\/span> 120 designers in the USA<\/strong><\/span> Capture the essence of its predecessors<\/strong><\/span>![\"Toyota](\"https:\/\/autodesignmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/2024022902_ToyotaLandCruiser250.jpg\")
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\n\u201cWith the 250 \u2013 explains Kevin Hunter \u2013 we tried to return to our roots, to the purity of an ultra-robust, long-lasting and reliable, linear and boxy off-road vehicle. However, don’t think that ours was a retro design. Many confuse retro with the influence of the past: well, our SUV, by introducing iconic stylistic features, has given that influence to a modern car.\u201d <\/span>Hunter is the president of Calty, a company founded in 1973 \u2013 last year it celebrated 50 years of existence \u2013 first with a small studio in El Segundo and then in an increasingly larger headquarters in Newport Beach (the name comes from California, Toyota and Yachioda Sangyo, a company that controlled 20 percent until 1999). <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\nTwenty years ago, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a second studio was opened that deals solely with the design of cars destined for the North American market, while in Newport Beach the work essentially focuses on advanced design, therefore on ideas for the world market. Today, explains Hunter, Toyota’s two American centres – each covering an area of almost 8 thousand square meters – have a total of 120 employees including designers, digital and clay modellers, fabricators.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n<\/span>\u201cThe brief wanted by Toyota design manager Simon Humphries \u2013 recalls Kim, with Calty since 2001 and now in the team of vice president of advanced design Ian Cartabiano \u2013 was to go back to our legendary tradition, to capture the essence of the predecessors: indestructible, reliable as if your life depended on it, capable of expressing trust. But all this performed in a contemporary key. It wasn’t supposed to be a fun toy, but a serious car.\u201d Adds Hunter: \u201cThis return to basics has generated a lot of interest. We were inspired not only by the FJ40, but also by its successors. Considering how important visibility is in off-roading, we lowered the beltline and moved the A-pillars back in search of functionality.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>