Is that really a new LandCruiser?

It is, and Toyota Australia’s senior executive director sales and marketing, David Buttner, said the unveiling of the LandCruiser in Sydney reflected the significant role the LandCruiser has played in Toyota’s dominant position in the Australian market.

Stationed on a floating map of Australia, Aussie country singer Lee Kernaghan played for the world premier. Apparently he’s legendary Down Under...

The previous model’s 4.2-litre six-cylinder turbodiesel has been replaced with a 4.5-litre twin-turbo diesel powerplant mated a six-speed automatic transmission. A massive 443lb ft is available from 2500rpm, yet fuel economy has been improved.

A 4.7-litre petrol V8 will also be available, although it misses out the diesel’s transmission running a five-speed automatic instead. Both gearboxes offer Artificial Intelligence Shift Control, which picks the appropriate gear based on road conditions.

It can. The 200 series, now running coil-springs front suspension, boasts Toyota’s Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System which Toyota claims offers better stability and extended suspension reach off-road.

It is also sees the introduction of the crawl control on petrol models, also running a Torsen limited-slip diff and a Multi-terrain anti-skid set-up. Vehicle Stability Control is standard with up to 10 airbags available, including side, knee, and curtain softeners.

Pricing and full specs are yet to be announced.

Toyota i-Real

It looks like an electric wheelchair… is Toyota for real with this?

Toyota is serious. Deadly serious. As traffic gets worse, so personal mobility vehicles like the i-Real start to make sense. The three-wheel i-Real is Toyota’s new take on single-seat urban commuting – call it a Segway with a seat, or a motorised trike – and it’s the follow-up from Toyota’s previous electric chairs (the PM, i-unit and i-swing).

Is it meant for the road or the footpath?

Either. Top speed, of just under 20mph, means it is okay in the city streets – it’ll cruise at fast bicycle speed – but it is also designed to work among pedestrians. The wheelbase is variable. At low speed, the wheelbase shortens (above), raising the height of the seat. You will be driving along, more or less, at pedestrian eyesight height. And when it’s in short wheelbase mode, the i-Real will be very compact, so it won’t take up too much space. Out on the road, nearing the max (these things, of course, are relative), the wheelbase stretches improving stability. You’ll sit a lot nearer the road too, so the centre of gravity also improves. Safety is enhanced by a collision avoidance system that sounds alarms when you near other people or objects. An alarm sounds and the ‘car’ vibrates if you’re about to hit something. On the pavement, lights and various low-pitched warning sounds (one sounds like a bird chirping) advise the foot brigade to give you a bit of room.

So what’s the i-Real powered by and how do you drive it?

It has twin electric engines, one in each front wheel. The battery is lithium ion, like in your laptop or mobile phone. Driving is simple. A couple of levers near your hands allow you to accelerate or brake. To hit reverse, push a button. You also use the levers to steer – push left for left, right for right. Very simple. It steers by the rear wheel. This picture shows it in out-of-town, long-wheelbase mode.

And are they going to produce the i-Real?

Toyota seems serious. It will be particularly useful for disabled people but also has a future on wide Japanese city pavements now used habitually (and legally) by cyclists. Don’t forget this is Toyota’s fourth iteration of its electric chair. And there is surely some significance in the name ‘Real’.

Toyota Hi-CT

And the winner of bravest car design goes to…

You won't forget the proportions of the Hi-CT in a hurry. It is intentionally unconventional. If Judge Dredd lived in Tokyo and needed to downsize…

It's very chunky. What are the dimensions?

The Hi-CT 3330mm long, 1695mm wide, 1780mm high. The cabin in stretched in width, not length, so it seats five comfortably. The looks are very daring, but we actually reckon the Hi-CT can get away with them.

What does it run on then?

Electricity. The Hi-CT adopts a plug-in hybrid system which just charges from your house (assuming you have a garage or can park near your house). As per normal, batteries live under the floor. There's even an AC100V accessory socket that enables stored electricity to be used for a variety of applications.

What's the deal with the back end?

The Hi-CT features a removable rear section which opens up a rear deck - perfect for bike racks, surfboards or, according to Toyota, 'for mounting a camera to shoot that road trip movie'. Yeah, whatever. The rear seat tumbles forward to reveal backward facing 'rumble seat' for a fresh angle on the world. Raise the back door and a deck expands into the rear seat areas, creating a mobile stage, should you want to do an impromptu concert. That accessory socket would even power the Marshall amp and Fender Strat.

Toyota 1/X

What is the point of this contraption exactly?

Toyota has a habit of building mind boggling concept cars that fire up the public imagination and then deliver forgettable production dross. The 1/X may just change that. It is rumoured to showcase developments that could point towards the next Prius.

So there's a chance of the Prius looking interesting?

Yeah, and being lighter, too. After all, the point of the 1/X project was to build an ultra light car with the cabin space of a Prius but about 1/3 of the bulk. The scales are tipped at 420kg. Toyota went right back to basics and used new materials, specs and processes.

Like what?

The roof section is made of kenaf and ramie fibres, together with lactic-acid polymer bioplastic. Visible plant fibres give it an unusual rustic finish, especially as some parts let light filter through. The body is made from strong lightweight CFRP (carbonfibre reinforced plastic) and the seats are made from a complex web of netting.

Sounds eco but cool eco. What about the engine?

The 1/X is a plug-in hybrid (PHV) built around a teeny 500cc engine. It accelerates like a normal hybrid car, but can recharge on household current. Toyota also reckon it's a flex fuel vehicle, which means you can refuel on bioethanol and/or petrol.

The front and rear light clusters are awesome…

They are also the only complicated looking part of the 1/X. It's seriously utilitarian, with ribbed floors, ears (where wing mirrors would be. For hearing the outside world - seriously), thin tyres (it's light) and the powertrain(s) under the rear seats.

Toyota RiN

Green windows - it must be good for the trees…

Even by Toyota concept standards the RiN is a little weird. The RiN is definitely one for Sting, as it's focused purely on healthy living and increased comfort. The door was designed to slide open like a Japanese teahouse and the green glass reduces UV and Infrared light.

Is there anything useful on the RiN?

If you have a bad back, potentially. RiN is a translation of the Chinese character that refers to the upright posture promoted by the seats. The RiN's seats are supposedly very good for your spine and stress relief, the notion being that you will arrive at a destination feeling better than ever.

Toyota A-BAT

Toyota’s latest Detroit concept flips on its head the current orthodoxy that pick-ups can’t be green. The A-BAT is a compact pick-up, akin to a RAV4 in size, featuring a four-cylinder petrol/electric hybrid and solar panels built into the top of the dashboard efficient enough to power the sat-nav and other interior tools.

It looks a little Prius-like?

The much-vaunted Prius was indeed an influence in the A-BAT’s green-tinged exterior design leanings. Project chief engineer Ian Cartabiano told CAR: ‘We were trying to break away from traditional truck design, which you could argue doesn’t really promote a green aesthetic. We still did a big bold shape on the grille but tried to do it in a more subtle and humble way. There are small aerodynamic benefits in the shapes of the front bumper too.’

Does the interior move the game on too?

Beyond the conventionally folding flat rear seats to make a longer load floor, the A-BAT’s versatile interior features rear seat base cushions that can retract horizontally beneath the cargo bed to create a large and high load area behind the front seats. A further large sliding drawer extends out from under the tailgate at the rear to create even more secure and hidden storage space.

Up front, between the front seats, a material-covered portable power pack masquerades as a centre armrest and can be unclipped to power electrical tools and camping gear away from the vehicle.

Right now the Toyota designers suggest there is no production vehicle due from this concept, describing it as a purely ‘blue sky’ project. But if reaction were good and with eco legislation set to tighten, Toyota would be mad not to consider using some of this thinking to make its full-sized Tundra truck more acceptable in this greener zeitgeist.