Photo: kragyen/instagram
Will Toyota bring back the FJ Cruiser? There are plenty of enthusiasts who think so, and a Toyota designer has joined their ranks, albeit via a project completed outside business hours. We're referring to the rendering that currently adorns our screens, which shows a potential future for the badge.
Previewed by a concept released in 2003, the FJ Cruiser entered production several years after that, and while it was removed from the U.S. range in 2014, the body-on-frame SUV also left its home market a few years later. Nevertheless, thanks to its off-roading appeal and its retro-inspired styling, which pays homage to the Land Cruiser FJ40 models, the vehicle is still offered in other parts of the world, such as the Middle East, Chile, the Philippines, and South Africa.
Now, the designer who came up with this pixel work is named Craig Kember, and his resume includes multiple Toyota production vehicles, show cars, and NASCAR machines, with or without a bed.
For this spare time project, the artist envisioned a slightly smaller SUV, albeit one that would maintain the nostalgic design. The result is a vehicle whose clean lines bring a rugged appearance, albeit with the hefty ground clearance and the badass wheel/tire setup hinting at serious rugged terrain skills that would back up the said looks and stay true to the heritage of the badge.
"This is my Baby FJ Cruiser design. This carries on the authentic and product design feel of the original in a more compact platform. Let’s go hit the backcountry!" Kember states in the Instagram post below.
Of course, given the compact dimensions of the proposal, it would also make a great fit for the ever-more-crowded urban environment, with elements such as the new-age branding on the front grille making for a conversation starter.
Speaking of the said grille, you may have noticed it isn't all that generous, which could mean we're dealing with an electric powertrain.
After all, given the industry's current trends, the FJ Cruiser badge returning for a battery-powered vehicle would make sense. And once advances in battery technology allow Toyota to overcome the EV shiness it has displayed so far, the doors for such a revival are open.
Now, the designer who came up with this pixel work is named Craig Kember, and his resume includes multiple Toyota production vehicles, show cars, and NASCAR machines, with or without a bed.
For this spare time project, the artist envisioned a slightly smaller SUV, albeit one that would maintain the nostalgic design. The result is a vehicle whose clean lines bring a rugged appearance, albeit with the hefty ground clearance and the badass wheel/tire setup hinting at serious rugged terrain skills that would back up the said looks and stay true to the heritage of the badge.
"This is my Baby FJ Cruiser design. This carries on the authentic and product design feel of the original in a more compact platform. Let’s go hit the backcountry!" Kember states in the Instagram post below.
Of course, given the compact dimensions of the proposal, it would also make a great fit for the ever-more-crowded urban environment, with elements such as the new-age branding on the front grille making for a conversation starter.
Speaking of the said grille, you may have noticed it isn't all that generous, which could mean we're dealing with an electric powertrain.
After all, given the industry's current trends, the FJ Cruiser badge returning for a battery-powered vehicle would make sense. And once advances in battery technology allow Toyota to overcome the EV shiness it has displayed so far, the doors for such a revival are open.
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