Japanese automaker, Toyota has showcased an all-new ladder-frame based & ICE-powered IMV O concept at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo. The IMV O concept is designed and developed to showcase a product targeting consumers who don’t need or want EVs. The IMV O project is derived from the IMV project, which currently underpins the Hilux, Fortuner and the Innova.
The IMV O project is a single-cab chassis that has a modular design. The architecture is compatible enough to accommodate different body styles including an SUV and a pick-up truck. The single-cab chassis can be made into a food truck, a coffee bar, a camper for safaris and even a mountain rescue ambulance.
The IMV O will soon launch in Asia, where lots of ideas for how to customize it are already circulating. Toyota admits that its pick-ups and SUVs have become expensive due to additional features and regulations. Toyota claims that the “IMV O can serve the needs of everyday people and give them new opportunities.”
In order to achieve affordability, Toyota has used the IMV platform as the base for IMV O and will use low cost lighter materials and smart use of equipment and features. On the sidelines of the event, Hao Quoc Tien, president of Toyota Motor Asia Pacific said that many IMV O customers in the ASEAN region will use the pick-up for sheer utility and will be ready to sacrifice some features for a price benefit.
He further hinted towards an SUV body style on the IMV O platform. It is expected that an affordable version of the Fortuner SUV could be based on the new affordable platform. The existing Fortuner SUV is based on the current IMV platform, which also underpins the Innova Crysta.
The affordable version of the Toyota Fortuner will come with lesser features and a smaller 2.4-litre diesel engine from the Innova Crysta. The current model is powered by a 2.8-litre turbo diesel engine. The IMV O architecture will also support a strong hybrid option, most likely to be a more powerful version of the 2.0 hybrid engine in the Innova Hycross. The company has no plans to introduce an electric iteration of any model based on the body-on-frame structure.
Toyota confirms that the IMV 0 pick-up will be launched in 2025 and will be aimed at ASEAN countries where pick-ups are in high demand. This pick-up could also be launched in our market as a cheaper alternative to the Hilux. The SUV variant could be introduced after the launch of the pick-up.
Source – AutoCarIndia
