The Kikai, which was revealed in October 2015 at the Tokyo Motor Show, pays tribute to the beauty of mechanics by taking the machinery normally hidden beneath a vehicle’s bodywork, and revealing it. After the Geneva Motor Show at March 2016, its presence at Le Rendez-Vous Toyota offers a great opportunity to discover these spectacular and unusual details in all their naked glory.

The variety of models shown alongside the Kikai demonstrate how much sport and fun are deeply embedded in Toyota’s identity; in racing, of course, with the World Endurance Championship TS030 in the new TOYOTA GAZOO Racing colours, with Giniel de Villiers’ Hilux that ended up third in the 2016 Dakar, as well as the Yaris R1A and GT86 CS-R3, designed for rallying. There are also the spectacular FT-1 and FT86 Open Concepts.

The AYGO x-wave, with its large canvas roof and cyan blue colour is set together with the small i-ROAD and COMS electric vehicles -participants of Grenoble carpooling system, called Cité Lib by Ha:mo.

Le Rendez-Vous Toyota also offers several interactive activities to its visitors, such as customizing the FT-1 on a touch screen, painting the GT86 with a virtual aerosol, the WEC driving simulator and for children, drawing Toyota sports cars on a backlit trace table.

Located at 79 avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris, Le Rendez-Vous Toyota is open from Sunday to Wednesday, from 10.30 am to 10.00 pm, and from Thursday to Saturday, from 10.30 am to midnight.

For further information please contact:

Martine Mugard+33 1 56 89 29 71martine.mugard@toyota-europe.com

Please visit www.lerendezvoustoyota.com for more Le Rendez-Vous Toyota on Facebook: facebook.fr/lerendezvoustoyota

The latest interpretation of the show-stopping concept coupe features new graphite paintwork in place of the vibrant red featured on the original concept, first seen at this year’s Detroit Motor Show. There is also a new interior treatment, with saddle tan leather elements to give a more sophisticated feel.

The FT-1’s interior designers drew their inspiration from modern superhero films, particularly their use of high-tech performance materials for the character’s costumes, as opposed to the bright tights and garish colours sported by more traditional characters.

To achieve the FT-1’s advanced-looking, intricately detailed interior, Toyota’s CALTY design team in California compared leather thicknesses, grain sizes and textures to find the perfect combination. Raised metal mesh provides ventilation for the seats, while also lending a more textural, bold effect that compliments the cabin’s metal accents. An embossed pattern on the instrument panel leather creates a 3-D, technical look.

Selene Lee, a CALTY designer, said: “From the start of the FT-1 project, we wanted the driver to have a feeling of flow while at the wheel – to be able to focus on the road and nothing else.

“In the colour studio we help create the atmosphere of the vehicle, and our aim was to ensure everything supported the driver through efficient choices. The saddle leather maintains that same ‘in the zone’ driving intention, while bringing in a more premium feeling.”

From September, players of the Playstation^® game Gran Turismo 6 will be able to download three different versions of the FT-1: both red and graphite models will be available, together with the high-performance ‘Vision GT’ edition.

The designers' original intention in designing the FT-1 was to appeal to the die-hard car guys. In the same way, the FT-1 Vision GranTurismo is designed for the die-hard Gran Turismo fans. The designers focused on keeping the FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo authentic for the racetracks of the game to increase their drive enjoyment.

Because the bones and architecture of the FT-1 already lend itself to cooling and down force through "function-sculpting," the vision version only needed to be enhanced as a pure racing car. The designers closely studied racetracks and race cars and applied their research into the styling. The deep sense of rawness is evident in the FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo due to its purely function-driven design aesthetic. The fenders are wider for wider tires for an extreme grip on the track. The enlarged air intakes are for increased cooling and the rear wing is larger for more down force. Canards were added to the front for more down force. The rear diffuser is bigger, holds multiple vertical fins, and is pushed back for cleaner airflow.

The FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo looks and feels the way it performs so the driver can speed through the race tracks with the sensation and thrill of a real race.

FT-1 Vision GT will be available for Gran Turismo 6 users as of September 2014.

The exterior design, with a powerful racecar look emphasizing the beauty of curvilinear form, is aimed to turn heads. The front features a boldly shaped fender and a sharpness suggesting powerful performance. Dynamic air-intakes at the front and exhaust ports and a retractable wing at the rear give physical form to the Toyota FT-1’s optimum aerodynamic performance.

The front engine rear-wheel drive configuration locates the cockpit far rearward within the wheelbase to improve weight distribution and to help create classic sportscar proportions. Meanwhile, cockpit’s wraparound windshield and side glass openings are a distinct nod to the design of the legendary Toyota 2000GT.

The Toyota FT-1's interior design, via an ergonomic cockpit that capitalizes on the vehicle’s low center of gravity, is aimed to enable the driver to focus on and enjoy the driving experience. A delta-shaped display zone surrounds and integrates the driver to provide an exhilarating feeling of connectedness with the vehicle. The driver-focused environment is further enhanced by an F1-inspired steering wheel and a color heads-up display with vital information projected just above the steering wheel, thus keeping the driver’s attention on the road. Furthermore, the A-pillars have been positioned as far back as possible to provide increased cornering visibility.

Traditionally, Toyota’s design decisions have been driven by consensus among a large group of stakeholders. As part of a companywide movement to invigorate Toyota products with energy, passion and waku-doki (Japanese word meaning “a heart-pounding sense of anticipation and excitement”), the design approval process has been streamlined. The new approach aims to produce cars that connect more deeply with customers, generating a more satisfying ownership experience that complements Toyota’s legendary reputation for quality, dependability and reliability.

^*1Press days: 13-14; invitation-only days: 15-16; charity preview day: 17; public admission: 18-26

^*2“FT” stands for “Future Toyota” and the numeral “1” signifies “the ultimate”