Photo: yungpresciutti/instagram
Last time we talked about a rendering of a carmaker-branded moon rover it was an Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale-based fantasy. And while we are now back on the topic, the rendering sitting before us is closer to the real world, where Toyota has actually been asked to develop a vehicle for exploring our planet's natural satellite.
Back in March last year, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced it had joined forces with Toyota to develop a moon rover. Unlike NASA's early rovers, the newcomer will feature a pressurized cabin, so spacesuits for its occupants will no longer be required.
The machine is set to be powered by fuel cells and promises an uber-generous range of over 6,200 miles (10,000 kilometers). The offroad machine is set to be launched in 2029.
"Cars are used in all of Earth’s regions, and, in some regions, cars play active roles as partners for making sure that people come back alive. And I think that coming back alive is exactly what is needed in this project," Toyota President Akio Toyoda said last year.
A set of renderings accompanied the said announcement, but they are there to provide mere hints on the look of the finished product - you'll find the images in the gallery above.
Well, the rendering that brought us here, which portrays another Toyota moon rover, comes from Yung Presciutti, a designer at Toyota's European design headquarters in France. And while this pixel work could be seen as a fresh insight, it looks more like a project the designer put together in his spare time.
For instance, here's how the pixel master describes his creation: "Toyota Rover for every type of world! F1 tires and big wheels are the minimum requirements to show-off in the universe!"
Returning to the official moon rover developed by Toyota, NASA has pointed out that the American agency's planned moon comeback will take place together with international partners. And this Japanese initiative should be part of the joint effort.
The machine is set to be powered by fuel cells and promises an uber-generous range of over 6,200 miles (10,000 kilometers). The offroad machine is set to be launched in 2029.
"Cars are used in all of Earth’s regions, and, in some regions, cars play active roles as partners for making sure that people come back alive. And I think that coming back alive is exactly what is needed in this project," Toyota President Akio Toyoda said last year.
A set of renderings accompanied the said announcement, but they are there to provide mere hints on the look of the finished product - you'll find the images in the gallery above.
Well, the rendering that brought us here, which portrays another Toyota moon rover, comes from Yung Presciutti, a designer at Toyota's European design headquarters in France. And while this pixel work could be seen as a fresh insight, it looks more like a project the designer put together in his spare time.
For instance, here's how the pixel master describes his creation: "Toyota Rover for every type of world! F1 tires and big wheels are the minimum requirements to show-off in the universe!"
Returning to the official moon rover developed by Toyota, NASA has pointed out that the American agency's planned moon comeback will take place together with international partners. And this Japanese initiative should be part of the joint effort.
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