Tag Archives: founding

Hidden Gems: A Spotlight on Five Never-Before-Seen Projects from CALTY Design Research

Since its establishment in 1973, Toyota has been a leader in creative automotive innovation. The talented team at Toyota’s design studios in California and Michigan has been responsible for many of the company’s groundbreaking designs that have shaped the future of mobility. Some projects move quickly into production, while others remain in the archives.

Regardless of their status, the ingenuity and brilliance behind these designs and projects deserve recognition. It’s never too late to celebrate innovation, and the following models are prime examples of exceptional excellence.

From a late 1980s future high-performance concept to the Baby Lunar Cruiser, the following designs and projects from CALTY Design Research (Calty) have not been seen before and are noteworthy. These cutting-edge designs have not only paved the way for today’s vehicles but have also served as inspiration for future designs.

Towards the end of the 1980s, the Calty team was on a roll, producing one radical design study after another, many of which were performance/sports cars.

The unique Future High-Performance Concept, created in 1989 and shown above, featured an engine that emerged from the body. With the push of a button, the mid-mounted powerplant raised from the vehicle, offering a cooling effect while driving. The two-cockpit design featured a driver-side windshield that could be completely closed when parked. This advanced concept embodied the flash and flair of the 1980s.

Prior to the widespread use of groundbreaking vehicles like the Prius and other electric vehicles (EVs), Calty created an EV concept to showcase what such a vehicle could look like.

Their design was a compact, lightweight vehicle with outstanding aerodynamic qualities for maximum driving efficiency. The energy-efficient vehicle, designed for city commuting, stood out with its wind-cutting profile and thin tires. Despite being purely an advanced design study, this car represented Calty’s initial venture into the EV genre.

Following the launch of the Scion FR-S, Calty was inspired to utilize the vehicle’s unique platform and package in a new way, incorporating the flat-4 engine and all-wheel drive.

Created in 2012, the conceptual study, the X86D, transformed the svelte coupe into a four-door shooting brake. The distinctively shaped rear end gave it a hot rod-like appearance from the side and rear.

The cabin, modeled after the cockpit of a race car, was designed to center around the driver. The low position of the boxer engine allowed for a low hood line, contributing to the design’s pure sports car aesthetic.

The 2012 NYC Concept was inspired by exploring future transportation trends in big cities. An internal project, it incorporated several unique and innovative features, including a “fence seat” for front passengers.

In this concept, front-seat passengers leaned against a support in a unique semi-seated/standing position, similar to leaning against a wall or a fence, offering the same eye level with pedestrians and increased eye contact near crowded walkways. The compact design with a distinctive vertical proportion was ideal for navigating busy streets, offering good utility.

In envisioning a capable 4×4 for the year 2030, Calty designers looked to the Lunar Cruiser for inspiration, a vehicle designed for driving missions on the moon.

The Baby Lunar Cruiser (BLC) is built on a conceptual EV platform with in-wheel motors powering all four airless tires. Its body was designed from an engineer’s standpoint, making every component grounded in reason and functionality. With a self-driving function and an augmented reality-based “drivetainment” system that converts the vehicle into an interactive video game, the BLC embodies futuristic off-roading. The AI system enables the BLC to perform tasks once thought impossible, making it a vehicle designed for both Earth and beyond.

Toyota’s continuous pursuit of improvement and innovation positions the company as a leader in mobility, well-prepared for the future.

10 Things That Put The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid Ahead Of The Pack

Lincoln has come a good distance since its founding in 1917 and its acquisition by Ford Motor Company in 1940. Lincoln as a model rose to the highest as one of many best-selling luxurious carmakers, competing towards the likes of Cadillac below General Motors. A car match for the presidential motorcade, Lincoln’s most well-known car was the flagship Continental, which till now continues to affect the design language of the newer and present fashions of Lincoln.

It’s 2024, and also you may know Lincoln for its huge, full-sized SUV, the Navigator. However, the Navigator has a smaller brother, the Nautilus. The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus seems and feels so much higher than its earlier era mannequin; showcasing Lincoln’s normal for luxurious and refinement within the mid-sized luxurious SUV section of the market. This 2024 Lincoln Nautilus is an incoming game-changer, accessible for reservation and pre-order as of the second, and must be set for supply in 2024. With a bunch of adjustments and refinements from the earlier era resembling a more experienced facelift, in addition to a handful of inside updates, there’s so much to like about it; so, listed below are 10 issues that put the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid forward of its opponents.

Specifications, knowledge, and data associated to the automobiles on this checklist have been sourced from fueleconomy.gov, Car and Driver, Kelly Blue Book, and different well-known assets and publications.

Related: 10 Best Electric SUVs That You Can Buy

1 The Exterior Exudes Class

Red 2024 Lincoln Nautilus
Lincoln

The Lincoln Nautilus exterior has been given a whole overhaul for 2024, making it look so much bolder, dynamic, but smooth and chic on the similar time. It options extra horizontal physique traces in its exterior design, in addition to a redesign of its LED headlights and taillights, making them minimize throughout each the entrance and rear fascia. If the up to date seems aren’t sufficient, you may even select to choice the Nautilus with a Jet Appearance Package, giving it Pillar Black and body-color particulars, a singular grill, and a set of high-gloss black 22-inch wheels for the car to sit down on.

2 Dynamics That Focus On Comfort Rather Than Performance

Red and Gray 2024 Lincoln Nautilus
Lincoln

Being a midsize luxurious SUV, the Lincoln Nautilus focuses on delivering a driving experience more comfortable rather than fast. It sits on a brand-new platform and powertrain, with all-wheel-drive as normal. The 2024 Nautilus emphasizes the need of passenger and driver consolation; It comes normal with Active Noise Control, in addition to Roll Stability Control. This is ready to minimize highway noise when touring at larger speeds, in addition to provide the peace of thoughts of getting full management over the car at any given second. It additionally options acoustic laminated glass on the windshield and first row glass, with privateness tinted glass on the second row to the rear.

Related: 10 Best Family Friendly Sub-Compact SUVs

3 Over 70 Cubic Feet Of Cargo Space At Your Disposal

A rear 3/4 shot of a 2024 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label
Lincoln

One factor you in all probability take note, when out there for an SUV, is cargo house. Nobody desires to undergo the stress and trouble of not with the ability to match the necessities, particularly earlier than a visit. The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus will not offer you any complications, as it is rather beneficiant in the case of cargo house, guaranteeing you may match the whole lot you want with out having to fret about leaving some issues behind. The Lincoln Nautilus boasts a complete cargo capability of 71.3 cubic toes on the Premiere trim, and 68.8 cubic toes on the Black Label and Reserve Trims with the rear seats folded down. With all seats up, the bottom capability is 36.4 cubic toes and 35.2 cubic toes respectively.

4 A Massive 48-inch Screen Inside The Cabin

2024 Lincoln Nautilus Reserve Jet Package_Black Onyx
Lincoln

The full inside overhaul of the Nautilus will make you surprise if you happen to ever even left residence; it is a far cry from what the earlier mannequin needed to supply. Featured throughout the sprint is a large, over-the-top 48-inch screen display coupled to an 11.1-inch touchscreen within the middle console match to accommodate your each want within the infotainment division. It additionally options ambient lighting in virtually each nook of the cabin, full with Dual-Zone Climate Control, a leather-wrapped heated steering wheel full with all the required controls. Still not sufficient? The Lincoln Nautilus additionally options:

  • Comfort Seats
  • Heated and Ventilated Cooled Seats
  • Two-Way Power Lumbar Support
  • Driver Seat Memory
  • Four-Way Head Restraint

Related: How The Lincoln Star Electric SUV Will Make Lincoln A Key Player In 2025

5 No Dearth Of Space Inside The Cabin

2024 Lincoln Nautilus rear seats
Lincoln

SUVs are the obvious and practical choice for these searching for a family-focused car. The 2024 Nautilus is ideal for this actual motive, and when you may suppose most different SUVs can do that similar job, the Lincoln Nautilus has a staggering quantity of inside cabin house, ensuring that everybody is ready to sit comfortably, coupling this to the already luxurious inside that the car has. It boasts a complete passenger quantity of 113.5 cubic toes with the Premiere trim, and 110.8 cubic toes with the Reserve and Black Label Trims. So, in the case of with the ability to sit everybody within the 2024 Nautilus, you will not have to fret a couple of factor.

2024 Lincoln Nautilus Interior Dimensions

Front

Rear

Leg Room

43.5 inches

43.1 inches

Shoulder Room

58.9 inches

58.0 inches

Hip Room

56.8 inches

56.3 inches

Headroom (Premiere/Reserve & Black Label)

39.6/39.1 inches

39.8/38.4 inches

(Specs sourced from Lincoln)

6 All-Wheel Drive As Standard

An exterior rear 3/4 shot of a 2024 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label
Lincoln

The every day household car in all probability would not name for all-wheel drive as a necessity, nevertheless it’s positively good to have. An All-Wheel Drive system ensures that the motive force has extra management over the car because it’ll have extra grip and traction, in addition to higher weight distribution; this additionally offers the Lincoln Nautilus higher efficiency and over-all dealing with in curves and turns. Most of the autos in the identical section because the Nautilus often include Front-Wheel Drive as normal, with All-Wheel Drive accessible as an extra-cost choice, and typically not even accessible as an choice in any respect; whereas once more, it is not a necessity, it is a characteristic which is useful.

Related: 10 Best AWD SUVs In 2023

7 Lincoln Co-Pilot360 Comes With A Plethora Of Safety Features

2024 Lincoln Nautilus Reserve Jet Package Black Onyx
Lincoln

Lincoln would not minimize corners in the case of luxurious and class, and most significantly in the case of security and assistive options. Nothing issues greater than driving with the consolation of understanding that the car you are driving does the whole lot it could possibly to stop any additional harm. The 2024 Nautilus comes with the basic safety systems you anticipate finding in modern-day autos like a 360-Degree digital camera, Auto High Beams, Blind Spot Monitoring System, and Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking.

There’s much more featured with the 2024 Nautilus as part of Lincoln Co-Pilot360 Vision 2.2. It features a plethora of tech and security options resembling:

  • Active Park Assist 2.0
  • Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with
  • Stop and Go
  • Lane Centering Assist
  • Predictive Speed Assist
  • Rear Cross Traffic Braking with Parking Sensors
  • Reverse Braking Assist

8 No V-6; Four-Cylinder Hybrid Setup Now On Offer

2024 Lincoln Nautilus - side profie
Lincoln

Many may suppose that letting go of the V-6 engine will lead to a extra sluggish and slower-performing car, nevertheless it’s secure to doubt that concern with the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus. The 2024 Nautilus is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid engine pushing 310 horsepower paired to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

2024 Lincoln Nautilus Specs

Engine

2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid engine

Horsepower

310 horses

Torque

N/A

Transmission

CVT

Drivetrain

All-wheel-drive

(Specs sourced from Lincoln)

However, whereas there’s nonetheless no last efficiency knowledge on the zero to 60 occasions and high pace of the Nautilus, It’s secure to imagine that the brand new powertrain will hit across the similar 5.9 second time because the earlier era Nautilus, if not higher. There’s additionally no accessible knowledge on the EPA gas economic system, however given the same engine displacement and powertrain to the 2024 Ford Escape, it is anticipated to hit near round 35 miles per gallon between freeway and metropolis driving.

Related: 10 Most Fuel Efficient Mid-Size SUVs On Sale Today

9 All The Bells And Whistles You Can Expect In An SUV In This Range

2024 Lincoln Nautilus Reserve Jet Package Black Onyx
Lincoln

The Lincoln Nautilus 2024 has come a long way since its earlier generations of fashions, setting the next and new normal for Lincoln as a model, and maybe a brand new benchmark for different opponents within the section in the case of providing such an enormous quantity of options and expertise as normal. Even then, if the already hefty quantity of options remains to be not sufficient for you, there are nonetheless a few choices and trims you may select from to make sure you’re getting the proper Nautilus for your self. Other choices accessible to you embody:

  • Hands-Free Liftgate
  • Panoramic Vista Roof
  • Revel® Ultima 3D Audio System with 14 or 28-Speakers
  • Heated Rear Outboard Seats
  • Auto Air Refresh

10 The Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid Starts At $53,310

A front 3/4 shot of a 2024 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label
Lincoln

Available in early 2024, the brand-new, refined Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid starts at a hefty price of $53,310. This is numerous money for a hybrid, however then once more, you could have to remember you are paying for a mid-sized luxurious SUV. The value can be fairly affordable given what Lincoln has accomplished to the Nautilus, giving it much more tools, options, and expertise as normal, which is able to in all probability make you surprise why you ever settled for much less along with your previous few autos. The 2024 Nautilus is pitted towards different luxurious mid-sized SUVs just like the Genesis GV80, BMW X5, and Lexus RX350; and with these as compared? The value appears much more at par.

Pricing Comparisons

Model

Price

2024 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid – Premiere Trim

$53,310

2024 Lexus RX350h

$51,800

2024 BMW xDrive50e

$68,495

2025 Genesis GV80 2.5 Turbo (non-hybrid)

$59,000

(Prices sourced from respective producers)

Why Pagani Won’t Release an Electric Hypercar Anytime Soon

Since its establishment in the early 90s, Pagani Automobili has become one of the leading hypercar manufacturers globally. Known for its combination of stunning body designs and exceptional performance, Pagani cars are more than just vehicles; they are moving pieces of art. Despite the recent shift towards electric vehicles in the auto industry, Pagani has not produced an all-electric model. This raises questions about why a brand at the forefront of the hypercar market hasn’t embraced the electric revolution like other manufacturers such as Rimac and Lotus.

The Hype Around Electric Hypercars

The rise of electric vehicles has introduced exciting new technology to the automotive industry. Electric cars now offer performance capabilities that surpass those of traditional gas-powered vehicles. Companies like Rimac, Pininfarina, and Lotus are leading the way in the development of electric hypercars that outperform their ICE counterparts. These hypercars utilize quad motors, one for each wheel, which allows for instant acceleration and impressive torque. With over 1,900 horsepower, these electric hypercars achieve record-breaking acceleration that internal combustion engine (ICE) models cannot match. Battery technology advancements have played a significant role in enabling the development of these electric hypercars.

In addition to performance, electric batteries now offer a significantly increased range without sacrificing power and speed. Hypercars like the Pininfarina Battista and the Rimac Nevera offer electric ranges above 200 miles while exceeding top speeds of 215 mph. The improvement in battery technology has contributed to the feasibility of electric hypercars and their acceptance in the market.

Pagani’s Hesitations In The EV World

Pagani prides itself on prioritizing the driver’s personal experience and craftsmanship in their vehicles. With a production rate of approximately 50 cars per year, each Pagani car is meticulously crafted with attention to detail. One of Pagani’s core values is to maintain a lightweight design, which poses a significant challenge in the development of an all-electric hypercar. Electric batteries are heavy, with some weighing as much as 3,000 pounds. This weight does not align with Pagani’s philosophy of producing lightweight supercars.

According to Christopher Pagani, the son of the founder Horacio, the current technology does not offer a lightweight electric battery. Therefore, Pagani remains committed to their gas-powered vehicles until better technology becomes available. Additionally, the brand’s customers are not inclined towards electric vehicles. They continue to request lightweight supercars that offer both artistic appeal and exceptional performance. While an electric Pagani hypercar project is in progress, it will take several years before it becomes a reality with the existing technology.

Electric Pagani In The Coming Future

Although the possibility of an electric Pagani in the near future is low, the brand has not ruled out the idea entirely. Pagani initiated research in 2018 to develop lighter electric batteries, aiming to release an electric model by 2024. However, the founder, Horacio Pagani, recently announced that they are pausing EV research to fully focus on producing their V-12 supercars. After four years of exploration, they concluded that the current electric technology would require a battery weighing 1,322 pounds, already more than half the weight of the Huayra R. The brand wants to stay true to its philosophy and satisfy its fans’ desire for lightweight hypercars that provide an unparalleled driving experience.

Despite the current limitations, Pagani acknowledges that trends can change over time. The extension of the deadline for supercar makers to switch to zero-emission vehicles from 2029 to 2035 provides Pagani with more time to develop the necessary technology for an electric model that aligns with their philosophy. While the exact timeline remains uncertain, it will be fascinating to see how Pagani adapts in the coming decade as the world continues to embrace sustainability.