CALTY Design Research Celebrates 50 Years of Toyota Innovation in the U.S.

CALTY is the American outpost of Toyota’s global design network, and they are celebrating 50 years with a new concept vehicle.

CALTY Design Research has been responsible for some of the most iconic automotive designs over the last 50 years. From the 1978 Toyota Celica to the 2024 Toyota Tacoma, and countless vehicles in between. Now they kick off their 50-year anniversary with yet another concept vehicle called the Baby Lunar Cruiser. It all started in 1973 in El Segundo, California thanks to Dr. Shoichiro Toyoda and Eiji Toyoda.

“California was a youthful, vibrant epicenter of fresh ideas, a cool car culture, and the glamorous movie industry that inspired CALTY to create innovative designs and establish new trends.” Said Kevin Hunter, President of CALTY Design Research. In 1978 the center was ready to expand and relocated to Newport Beach. It was there that the second-generation Celica was designed.

Innovation

In the 1980’s CALTY began to look at pushing things forward with their design language. A couple of mid-engine sports car concepts were developed. These never made it to market but some key Toyota products developed here did. The 1995 Toyota Tacoma, the 1997 Toyota Prius, and the 2000 Toyota Avalon all came from CALTY. They also worked on the fourth-generation Toyota Supra, but ultimately the company decided to go with another design direction.

Expansion

In the 2010s CALTY was still going strong. In 2012 the concept LF-LC was designed here. That would go on to be the stunning 2018 Lexus LC500. In 2014 CALTY developed the FT-1 concept which would become the 2020 Toyota Supra. The Supra remains one of the favorite designs the CALTY team ever developed. Of course, they are not done yet. To mark the anniversary there is a new concept vehicle to talk about.

Baby Lunar Cruiser

The Baby Lunar Crusier (BLC) takes design cues from the iconic FJ40 Land Cruiser and combines it with a futuristic space exploration vehicle. This concept is not without merit. There is a real Lunar Cruiser being developed by Toyota and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency.  Some key elements of the BLC include in-wheel motors, a huge glass canopy and augmented reality displays. And there is no concern about getting a flat over rough terrain as the BLC features airless tires.

Next 50 Years

CALTY has been around for half a century but continues to look forward rather than in the past. Electric vehicles are the next big thing and CALTY will play a big role in their design. The 2021 Lexus Electrified Sport concept came from here and there will be many more to follow, we are sure. Battery electric vehicles will change the automotive landscape and the folks at CALTY will play a major role in that change. If there future designs have the same impact as some of their iconic past designs, we are looking at a very exciting future. Hunter says of the future: “CALTY’s role to explore, innovate, and inspire is ingrained in our DNA, and we are excited to continue pushing boundaries in automotive design.”

Images: Toyota

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Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the ‘70s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.