Toyota Goes Big Grille for Shanghai Auto Show

Toyota unveiled several concept cars at the Shanghai Auto Show, including a stylish family wagon and Corolla Furia off-take.

Toyota FT-HT Concept

The vehicle that made one of the biggest impressions was the Toyota FT-HT concept. When you first look at the pictures of the profile and front of the vehicle, you don't think three row family car...but it is.

According to an article by Gizmag.com, the Toyota FT-HT can seat six (three rows of two individual seats), has a three-light headlight configuration, has scissor doors (which I doubt will make it to production) and a HUGE, dramatic grille.


Which brings us to another concept revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show, which also has a gigantic grillee: the Toyota Yundong Shuangqing II. This concept looks a lot like the Toyota Corolla Furia revealed at the Detroit Auto Show not too long ago.

And it's a hybrid.

Toyota Yundong Shuangqing II Concept

According to this Motortrend.com article, "The Shanghai concept adds a chrome trim piece between the tweaked taillights and, since it’s a hybrid, does without the Furia’s exhaust outlets that are integrated into the bumper. If Toyota ever decides to offer a Corolla hybrid in the U.S. — despite the fact that the Prius C and regular Prius cover the price range from about $20,000 to beyond $30,000, it might use the Prius C’s hybrid powertrain... A Toyota Corolla hybrid could attract customers who don’t like the Prius family’s hatchback body style, but may simply cannibalize Prius sales."

We don't think the Corolla Furia or Yundong Shuangqing II hybrids (I hope they plan on shortening the name), will cut into the sales of the Prius. People want options and we think the more hybrid options there are, the more people will be willing to jump into the hybrid ownership pool.

But what's really important is that the Yundong Shuangqing II concept also has a massively huge grille. Is it purely style or is there a function to it relating to the hybrid engine? We will have to wait to find out because no specs were provided for either car.

Both the Shanghai concept and the FT-HT will be produced only for China, which is too bad because it'd be great to have even more hybrid options here in the United States, especially in the family vehicle department.

And, really, what do you think of those gigantic grilles? Love them or hate them?