Toyota iQ Urban Car Exposed at the Royal College of Art
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada 
on 09.22.08
Toyota iQ: Museum Quality
The Royal College of Art in London is "the world's only wholly postgraduate art and design institution," and apparently they like the Toyota iQ (which Toyota calls the smallest four-passenger car in the world).
The Toyota iQ will be exposed at the RCA between September 19 and 23 to "provide the inspiration for the finest new design talent [...] to produce ideas and concepts that respond to the many and varied challenges of modern urban living." Read on for more photos and technical specs of the iQ.
Update: 57 MPG Toyota iQ Goes on Sale in Europe, No U.S. Release Date Yet
Leading designer and Royal College of Art Alumnus Dick Powell of Seymour Powell says, "I think it's a great idea for Toyota to mark the launch of the iQ car by tapping into the design creativity of the Royal College of Art. What better way to express the theme of Intelligent Urban Living than by asking the next generation of designers to think about the radical designs that will change our experience of living in cities."
From our previous post about the Toyota iQ:
"The 2009 Toyota iQ is really meant to enhance Toyota's presence in Europe, and this market will get the choice of an iQ with either a 1.0-liter inline-3 with a five-speed manual transmission or a turbocharged 1.4-liter inline-4 diesel with a six-speed manual. In mid-2009, a 1.3-liter inline-4 with variable valve timing will become available, and it'll feature either the six-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Meanwhile, Japan will get the 1.0-liter inline-3 matched with a CVT.
[...] we can expect the 1.0-liter to produce around 70 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 69 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm. The 1.4-liter turbodiesel will generate approximately 89 hp."
For those concerned about safety, despite its small size, the Toyota iQ received a 5-star safety rating in Euro NCAP testing.
Via Just-Auto, AutoblogGreen
Toyota iQ
Toyota iQ: The Smallest Four-Passenger Car in the World
Spy Shots of the 2009 Toyota iQ Microcar
Toyota iQ: Less is More for Small Urban Car
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Would be much better for the city than most of what's on the roads right now. Very nice!
I like it. I only use the backseats to carry stuff, not people anyway.
5 stars on NCAP :)
Irony is that SUV-s are the worst performers in these safety tests - usually their rigid steel body gets bent and doors fail to open after collision, also passenger space is deformed to cause potential injury.
Looks good and I'd love one. However I doubt I will actually buy as I need a car to take my sports bag, laptop and all the marking e.t.c that I have to carry as a teacher! ......unless there is a very clever design to overcome this............the Yaris was not much good as it was possible to see the items when you pushed the seat back in the back.
Man they keep teasing us with this car! Release it already!
I love my Yaris Hatchback but would trade it in a second for one of these.
No diesel or hybrid options? Toyota fails again.
bring them to the US please!!!! (Start with Seattle 1st!)
Thanks!
I would definitely buy one for me and my wife... The US needs car like these, why would they not sale it here?