Tokyo Motor Show 2023: Toyota Reveals FT-Se Electric Sports Car Concept

After unveiling teaser images of an electric sports car concept, Toyota has now fully revealed the FT-Se at the 2023 Tokyo Motor Show. While there's no official confirmation, except for a few unique elements, it appears to be ready for production.

Although Toyota hasn't provided any technical details, showcasing the FT-Se alongside the FT-3e crossover concept demonstrates the flexibility of Toyota's next-gen EV platform. Toyota has confirmed that both vehicles will share key components.

Toyota had previously announced the development of a new ultra-compact battery design, with cells less than 100 mm (3.9 inches) in height. The sleek, low profile of the FT-Se suggests it's designed to accommodate these compact batteries.

They showcased the concept car on a rendering of a track with a fixed wing, indicating Toyota's interest in a track-focused version of the FT-Se. The car looks great with or without this aerodynamic feature, and it's noteworthy that the spoiler bears the GR emblem instead of Toyota's logo. The elongated light strips at the front and rear give the car a wider and more noticeable appearance on the road.

It's evident that a vehicle like the FT-Se could seamlessly join Toyota's lineup of high-performance models. The former Toyota CEO, Akio Toyoda, expressed his vision for "three brothers," and we believe the FT-Se has the potential to be the third member, completing this trio of sports cars alongside the Supra and GR86.

The FT-Se is a two-seater following the tradition of the lightweight MR2 sold from the 1980s to the early 2000s. While exact dimensions are not available, it has a low and wide appearance with wheels at the far edges of the body. The front bumper has large openings suitable for an electric vehicle, and there's extra space beneath the rear spoiler with horizontal strakes reminiscent of the rear grilles on the Ferrari 512.

The FT-Se may become the third addition to Toyota's sports car family, alongside the GR86 and Supra. This sporty electric car retains its eye-catching orange paint and a black roof. It's designed to fit large air intakes, door mirrors, and handles. While it doesn't fully match the production model criteria, mainly due to a lack of technical details from Toyota, it appears to feature a fixed roof with two separate glass sections, differing from the earlier concept with a removable targa top.

The car's interior significantly differs from the GR86 and Supra, featuring a new cockpit layout with fewer physical buttons and switches. Instead, there are two touchscreen displays on either side of the yoke-shaped steering wheel, controlling all functions. Additionally, there's a large flat digital screen above the steering wheel on the dashboard. Toyota has mentioned working on an EV sports car prototype with a virtual stick shift, and the FT-Se could be an ideal candidate to introduce this feature in a production model.

If the FT-Se becomes a production car, it will face stiff competition. Porsche is working on an electric version of the Cayman, Lotus plans an EV to replace the retired Elise, and Renault's subsidiary, Alpine, is also developing a lightweight electric sports car.