Motoring News

6 Motoring News
TOYOTA
REVEALS ITS
“ULTIMATE”
SPORTS COUPE
CONCEPT
A daring new Toyota coupe concept
breaks cover at the Detroit motor show
today. The new FT-1 concept is the result
of Toyota’s Calty design studio’s
mission to create the ultimate sports
car.
The California-based team, which celebrates
its 40th anniversary this year,
has produced a car that is strikingly
modern, yet which makes reference to
Toyota’s rich sports car history, going
back to the 2000GT of the mid-1960s.
The exterior captures the look of racecar
with a curvilinear form, pronounced
front wings and sharply defined
contrasts that express powerful
performance. The FT-1’s optimum
aerodynamic qualities are communicated
by its large air intakes, exhaust
ports and retractable rear wing.
sanne embodies the essence of Birkin’s
beliefs as motoring connoisseur. Now,
with its unique styling details and
exquisite specification, the Limited Edition
Birkin Mulsanne is an automotive
homage to one of Bentley’s most influential
visionaries.
The front engine/rear-wheel drive configuration
allows the cockpit to set further
towards the rear of the car, within
the wheelbase, helping improve weight
distribution and create classic sports
car proportions. The wraparound
windscreen and side glass arrangement
are a clear nod to the design of
the original 2000GT.
Traditionally Toyota’s design decisions
have been driven by consensus among
a large group of people; as part of a
company movement to give Toyota
products more energy and passion, the
process has been streamlined. This apgaging
motoring experience thanks to
a unique ‘Sport’ setting on the Drive
Dynamics Control system. An intricate
diamond quilting pattern to the seats
and door panels, complemented by an
indented leather headlining and ‘knurling’
details to the interior metalwork,
create a contemporary and tactile finish
to the cabin.
For those travelling in the rear of the
Birkin Mulsanne’s spacious cabin, the
Entertainment Specification offers a
luxurious and comfortable space to
work or relax while on the move. Each
car features exquisitely-packaged twin
8" LCD screens in the rear of the seat
headrests, a DVD player, a Wi-Fi
hotspot, the Naim for Bentley premium
audio system and iPads integrated into
the hand-crafted solid wood picnic tables.
A tribute to Tim Birkin
The muse for this Limited Edition Mulsanne,
Sir Henry Ralph Stanley ‘Tim’
Birkin, was celebrated as both racing
legend and unassuming style icon in
his time, epitomising the idea of the
British gentleman racer.
The Birkin Mulsanne specifications are
born from the idea of how Birkin would
commission a Bentley today. With its
effortless performance and luxurious
hand-crafted cabin, the Bentley Mul-
Birkin’s first Bentley was bought simply
out of a love of fine motoring, but over
time he became increasingly involved
with Bentley’s efforts on the road and
race track, culminating with his key
role in the development of the ‘Blower’
Bentley in 1928. Birkin saw that to retain
its competitive racing edge, the
company needed to increase the power
of the 130 bhp Bentley 4 ½ litre, and
so pushed to fit the car with a supercharger,
which increased power to an
impressive 242 bhp.
Birkin convinced company owner
Woolf Barnato and financial-backer
Dorothy Paget to support a production
run of 50 cars in order to qualify for Le
Mans. It was for this car – and his fearless
style of driving it – that Birkin is
perhaps best known.
The ergonomics of the cabin capitalise
on the car’s low centre of gravity, helping
the driver derive the maximum reward
from the driving experience. A
delta-shaped display zone helps make
the driver feel at the heart of the
action, fully connected to the car. This
quality is reinforced by the Formula 1-
style steering wheel and a colour headup
display that projects key information
just above the wheel. The designers
have pushed the A-pillars as far
back as possible, to increase visibility
when cornering.