Toyota unveiled the A-BAT Concept last year and according to sources it had been given the green light, but thanks to the current state of the auto industry, plans have been put on hold.
The Advanced Breakthrough Aero Truck "A-BAT" featured a unibody platform and hybrid powertrain in a small compact pickup truck. The concept also featured a cab forward design to maximize rear cargo space.
“We have a lot of top priorities right now, and A-BAT isn’t one of them,” Bob Carter, Toyota Motor Sales USA vice president and general manager, said at the New York auto show. “The market has changed dramatically over the last 12 months. We always keep reprioritizing – under good economic or recessionary times – what our planning is. [For now], it’s on the shelf.”
One of the main factors for the reason to put the model on hold probably has to do with the decline in new truck sales.
Full Story: Pickuptrucks.com
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Comments (14)
I guess I know where all the laid off GM designers went.
Posted by cobaltssman | April 13, 2009 5:44 PM
Posted on April 13, 2009 17:44
Man, that looks bad. Usually, Japanese cars look either bland or quirky. This thing just looks bad. It looks like Godzilla stepped on a Ridgeline.
Posted by Nate | April 13, 2009 6:08 PM
Posted on April 13, 2009 18:08
@ Nate
Godzilla stepping on a Ridgeline...... *looks at it for a few minutes* .................... Yea, I see it to!!
Posted by Bradford | April 13, 2009 7:35 PM
Posted on April 13, 2009 19:35
I actually like this car based truck, except the headlight..
Posted by kjkl | April 13, 2009 7:37 PM
Posted on April 13, 2009 19:37
First time I'm glad the economy sucks...
Posted by rawanduntamed | April 13, 2009 9:30 PM
Posted on April 13, 2009 21:30
Probably a small blessing, in my opinion.
Posted by kw | April 14, 2009 8:54 AM
Posted on April 14, 2009 08:54
Too bad Subaru and Toyota didn't get together on this. They could have built it on the new Outback Chassis and sold a Baja Version. Imagine a 2.5l Turbo with Hybrid power…
Posted by jason | April 14, 2009 9:06 AM
Posted on April 14, 2009 09:06
I threw up in my mouth when I saw this. What the hell's wrong with Toyota. The Japanese are a forward-thinking people, full of ideas and creativity that as a society is rarely matched but they must have been drinking too much sake to actually believe this pig of a truck belonged anywhere other than a car crusher.
If an Aztec and an FJ Cruiser f*cked this would be their still-born, Mongoloid, abomination.
Holy sh!t
Posted by D! | April 14, 2009 12:54 PM
Posted on April 14, 2009 12:54
"It looks like Godzilla stepped on a Ridgeline."
Yes.
"If an Aztec and an FJ Cruiser fucked this would be their still-born, Mongoloid, abomination"
Even more yes.
Posted by gm0n3y | April 14, 2009 1:55 PM
Posted on April 14, 2009 13:55
A-BAT is actually a typo. The real name of the concept is "BATSHIT" as in that's how crazy the designers were to think that this was a good idea.
Posted by Totenglocke | April 14, 2009 2:09 PM
Posted on April 14, 2009 14:09
Um, Godzilla did step on a Ridgeline... this from Japan, remember?
Posted by Joan of Arc | April 14, 2009 2:22 PM
Posted on April 14, 2009 14:22
I won't say it's good looking by any means, but from it's name the design is correct.
It's more or less a cross between a cargo van and a truck. Thing about the aerodynamics of a truck. Typically you have a large grill, and fairly vertical windshield, and an open bed. All of these contribute to the drag. They tried to round the front as much as possible, "cab forward" the windshield, and increase the sides of the bed as to reduce with resistance....
All in all, it should be decent mileage for a truck. And in doing so will look uglier than sin.
Posted by Brian | April 14, 2009 3:05 PM
Posted on April 14, 2009 15:05
"It's more or less a cross between a cargo van and a truck."
Less... I can fit sheetrock, lumber, and a table saw into a cargo van or truck. I'd be lucky to fit my neighbors 2 kids and their school backpacks in this thing.
While i also like the general shape of this vehicle (minus the odd front end), i'll bet the farm that at least 75% of current SUV's or crossovers have more cargo capacity than this concept if it were actually a production vehicle today.
For some reason this thing reminds me of the Isuzu VehiCross.
Posted by Trooper Bri | April 14, 2009 8:21 PM
Posted on April 14, 2009 20:21
Man, that thing is UGLY!!
Thank goodness it will never see the light of day.... unless GM get's a hold of it. They could name it the Aztek 2.0!!
Posted by Icester | April 15, 2009 5:41 AM
Posted on April 15, 2009 05:41