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Toyota Seriously Studying Small A-BAT Truck
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Toyota Motor Corp. is studying whether there is room for a small truck that would fit underneath the existing Tacoma pickup truck. And in doing so, it’s putting the spotlight on a debate now raging among the industry's designers and product planners.
Don Esmond, Toyota senior vice president, confirmed for TheCarConnection.com that the Japanese automaker is evaluating whether there is room for a smaller truck in its model line.
"We are looking at it," he said.
The new "A-BAT" concept truck displayed at both the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and at the Chicago Auto Show could serve as the model for a new smaller truck, Esmond said.
"It's a pure concept vehicle," said Esmond, adding the Toyota will be looking carefully at the consumer reaction to the vehicle throughout the auto show season. Esmond also noted Toyota's FJ Cruiser started out as a pure concept vehicle and the favorable reaction of auto show crowds helped Toyota decide to put the vehicle into production.
"I think everyone is trying to come out with products the customer doesn't know they want yet," Esmond said.
Toyota isn't the only manufacturer looking at small pickup trucks. Jim Gillette, an analyst with CSM Worldwide in Northville, Mich., noted one of the overriding trends in the car business today is that vehicle segments are getting smaller and smaller. Thus, companies ranging from Suzuki to General Motors have been looking at the small truck segment as a possible new segment or sub-segment.
"Everybody is looking for white space," said an executive with one Japanese automaker who asked not to be identified. In that kind of an environment, the small pickup truck is bound to get attention, the executive said. "I think it would have to be pretty funky-looking to work," he said.
In addition, one reason trucks like the Tacoma and the Nissan Frontier have grown in and succeeded with customers over they years is that they are quite capable for hauling snowmobiles and motorcycles, he added. "The number of people who tow in this segment is huge," he added. Giving up towing capacity could quickly limit sales.
“Everybody asks, 'Why don't you build a simple stripped-down pickup truck like they used to make.' But I'm not sure anybody would buy it," said one GM official, acknowledging there have been discussion about the feasibility of GM bringing small pickup trucks back.
Nevertheless GM has designated its design center at GM do Brazil as a center of expertise for small trucks in its new global product development system, raising the possibility GM also is moving ahead with a truck that would fit underneath the Colorado and Canyon, which company officials insist aren't going to disappear any time soon.
Ford has postponed the death of the Ranger for a least a year and Jim Farley, the company's new group executive for marketing and communication, seems determined to try a rebuild Ranger's sales even though the truck's basic design dates back more than two decades.
Meanwhile, the A-BAT is an example of why other automakers fear Toyota.
The Toyota concept hybrid truck, which offers improved fuel economy and lower emissions, comes with a distinctive un-truck-like profile that has already reminded a lot of observers of Chevrolet's old El Caminos from the 1970s.
The A-BAT isn't exactly an old-school-style truck. It is built on unibody like a car for improved handling and a smoother ride. It also features wireless Internet, a portable battery pack stowed in the center console and a solar panels on top of instrument panel which captures sunlight and converts it to energy used to charge up the navigation system.
The four-passenger A-BAT also features a relatively short, four-foot bed and a bed extender to handle the ubiquitous six-foot long sheet of plywood beyond the tailgate as well as a translucent roof panel, which slides open to allow for tall cargo inside the cab.-- Joseph Szczesny
You missed GM's Denali XT concept from Chicago? Shame on you -- here's your chance to make up for it
Responses (30 total)
By Daniel | Posted: Jun 21st 2008, 03:46:53 PM
Todays tacoma looks like the old tundra. It is not big
enough to do big jobs but not small enough to be a daily driver. Ive met several owners of the current tacoma that gripe about gas mileage. It serves neither purpose. Too weak and bad on gas.
The old tacoma was alot better on gas mileage which is what
made them so popular and at the same time were incredibly
durable. That is what guys like, an economical tonka trunk,
that can drive a couple hours out to the lake, beach, lease,gym, not get stuck in the sand or mud and not drain your finances doing it.
Compact Trucks are awesome. If toyota could design a 4x4 hybrid that would get 35-40 miles in the city for the work
week and still kick some ass on the ranch during play time,
Toyota wouldn't be able to keep up with the demand. Look at
the success they are having with the Hybrid Camry.
By Daniel | Posted: Jun 21st 2008, 03:45:45 PM
What happened to the old tacoma concept, compact, indestructible, economical.
Todays tacoma looks like the old tundra. It is not big
enough to do big jobs but not small enough to be a daily driver. Ive met several owners of the current tacoma that gripe about gas mileage. It serves neither purpose. Too weak and bad on gas.
The old tacoma was alot better on gas mileage which is what
made them so popular and at the same time were incredibly
durable. That is what guys like, an economical tonka trunk,
that can drive a couple hours out to the lake, beach, lease,gym, not get stuck in the sand or mud and not drain your finances doing it.
Compact Trucks are awesome. If toyota could design a 4x4 hybrid that would get 35-40 miles in the city for the work
week and still kick some ass on the ranch during play time,
Toyota wouldn't be able to keep up with the demand. Look at
the success they are having with the Hybrid Camry.
By The Luigiian | Posted: Jun 15th 2008, 01:22:53 AM
*facepalm*
With regards to some of the above comments: You cannot have windows that big and retain any visibility. Toyota has to find a way to make the windows bigger or the backseats will feel like sitting in a cave and you won't be able to look back to check blind spots. The headlights and taillights have to be made bigger to illuminate plenty of highway and prevent accidents.
Basically, a cosmetic redesign is not optional (unfortunately for some of you), it's a necessity. I hope Toyota can build something realistic for those of you who like this truck's current styling, but realistically the small windows and lights have to go.
(P.S. I've done a redrawing of the car. EricR and those who like the styling, I'd like your opinion. Do you like the renderings I've got here? Do they still look good to you? If so, I'd like to hear from you. http://luigiianrepublic.wordpress.com/toyota-a-bat/)
By Klamathcoho | Posted: Apr 23rd 2008, 10:55:18 PM
"Why retract from the great exterior proportions of the past? "
Because those exterior proportions have the aerodynamics of a shoe box, and are based on the heavy and inefficient body-on-frame design of old-school pickups. You can't have it both ways... if you want a square nose and tall upright cab, you are going to have crappy gas mileage. If you want high fuel efficiency, you must reduce wind drag, mechanical friction, and weight.
By Trip | Posted: Apr 21st 2008, 06:54:50 AM
@ Eric. I'll explain my point a little more, so perhaps you'll be able to grasp it...Many vehicles today, especially those in the truck and/or SUV segment, are increasingly being designed with a smaller and smaller height ratio between window and body panel space. For example, lets say the height of a particular car door several years ago was 4 feet tall; it might have had vertical proportions of 1.5 feet for the window glass and 2.5 feet for the panel below. I'm arguing that if that door was designed today, the window in it would only be 1 foot high and the panel below would be 3 feet high.
So now you probably say, "so what?" Well, to illustrate that design change to real life examples, reference any of the J7x series land cruisers, land rover defenders or discoverys, or older model domestic or foreign pickups, where window/door proportions make functional sense, to those of the toyota fj cruiser, any of today's pretend hummers, and a majority of modern concept vehicle designs, including the A-BAT, all of whose window proportions are ridiculously small. Get my point now?
I think you made the error of associating Side height (which I now have explained above) and with Stance height, which I referred to as the lift that a vehicle has off of the ground. Those are two completely different things. That being said, there certainly are plenty of great 4x4 utes still being built with low side height and high stance...unfortunately most of these vehicles are not being made in or for the States any more (ie. current Toyota Land Cruisers like the J76/78/79 series come to mind as the best example).
As far as your comment about "un-designing" the car, as much as you might have meant to brush it off, I actually think you begin to understand my point. With the A-BAT exterior, Toyota has practically moved *backwards* from the functionality marks they established with previous off-road models. Why retract from the great exterior proportions of the past? Advancing the car *inside* is where I welcome the bulk of the proposed changes, such as hybrid and/or diesel power plants and the drop-down mid-gate...And we both know you can't get that kind of package in an "old ford," as you stated.
Don't get me wrong: I like the idea behind many internal changes in the A-BAT, but I think the overall design attempt of trying to *look* the utility part misses the mark of something that actually *is*. And side height, now properly explained, is a major detraction.
By rmarjan | Posted: Apr 4th 2008, 03:15:26 PM
I want that truck. I drive around town all day for work and while I've always wanted a small pick-up, the mileage and rear-wheel drive (it gets icy here) have always been the downsides not worth compromising for. I can sell my car, sell my rarely used half-ton and have the best of both worlds and even better, incredible gas mileage. Not to mention, this is a beautiful vehicle.
It's amusing to read the comments denouncing this vehicle. I'm a truck owner and I can assure you I won't miss putting fuel into it, as much as I love it otherwise.
By EricR | Posted: Apr 4th 2008, 02:09:38 AM
oops, I didnt mean to send that yet....
I was going to say that it sounds like you are wanting them to "UN-Design" cars. If his is the case, as it appears, then go BUY AN OLD CAR (perhaps a ford if it still runs).
By EricR | Posted: Apr 4th 2008, 02:08:11 AM
Also, "Trip", how can you say you have longed for a "higher stance" yet go on to say "However....they need to lose the high sides"...I'd love to see what a "higher stance" with "low sides" looks like, AH HAHAHHAHA
By EricR | Posted: Apr 4th 2008, 02:02:17 AM
I actually have NEVER wanted a truck. I always figured that the few times that I'd actually need a truck, I could track someone down who has one. That being said...I just came across this truck/concept...and I'll tell you right now..if they decide to come out with this I'll buy one. This thing is really sweet looking, gets good gas mileage (I'm for helping the environment as well as saving a pretty penny at the pump), and the bed is small enough that it won't really feel like I'm driving a truck, though if I need to have some truck capabilities...I'll have access to them. Plus...it just looks like fun truck to drive!
As for "Trip"s comment/complaint about the "side height" of all these new vehicles being too high, I have to disagree with you. I love the high beltline on all the new vehicles it has a more aggressive stance that way - a more masculine stance, if you will. Even if it isn't a raging bull, it still looks intimidating because of it's beefy stance!
By DavidS | Posted: Mar 16th 2008, 07:04:20 AM
I really like this truck. It fits all the needs. Can fit 8 feet long staff and tall funiture. It is perfect for someone occasionally need a pickup for something from homedepot or costco. I always see people try to fit a tree or a large TV or Sofa into a SUV or etc. This vehicle would do it all. I had a large pickup before. The bed is usually empty. It use lots fuel and take only two persons. I sold it. Now I have a SUV. However, I can not fit even a small table into it or a small fruit tree. I would love to hava a A-BAT. Please get them into production. I will buy two of it.
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