Misunderstood in Translation: The FT-1 Designer Clarifies Why Toyota’s Production Supra Differed from the Concept Model.

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      The fifth-generation Toyota Supra has come and gone, with no direct successor anticipated in the near future. It feels a bit strange to say this because, as Caleb noted a few months back, the car doesn't seem to have been around for very long.

      We spoke with Alex Shen, the Studio Chief Designer at Calty Design, which is Toyota’s design studio based in California. This team was instrumental in developing many projects, including the concept car that later evolved into the MkV Supra. Shen helped clarify the gap between concepts and their actual production versions, while also providing insight into how current customer preferences are influencing new design trends.

      Calty engages in a lot of exploratory design work. Given this focus, it’s expected that their concepts often push beyond what’s practical for production. The team creates numerous “early studies,” which are rough designs meant to convey stylistic ideas rather than represent any final product.

      “We're an advanced design studio, so much of our output isn’t really meant for public viewing,” Shen explained. “Sometimes these concepts aren’t fully developed yet or are still in progress.”

      Not all designs created by the studio will be picked up by the brand, let alone made into actual vehicles. So when a design does progress through to production, like the Toyota FT-1 transitioning into the new Supra, it prompts reflection.

      “Time always reveals how good a product you’ve designed,” Shen remarked.

      Every year, Calty designers select a project they wish to investigate. The Supra (which wasn’t named at that point) was one such project, and the team thought the best way to present a new design was to provide the executives with a real experience.

      At the time, Shen noted that sports cars were generally seen as unprofitable. He didn’t expect approval for such a project, especially since Toyota wasn’t dealing with the typical concerns that would lead a car manufacturer to gamble on something bold.

      “We hadn’t heard anything about future production plans,” he shared. “Our image at that moment was strong already.”

      “The essence that kept it a Supra was its intended purpose, right? Over the years, it evolved from a Celica Supra to a pure sports car,” Shen stated.

      This naturally led the team to a straightforward question: “What should it become next?”

      The outcome was the FT-1. However, given the challenges within the segment, mere appearance wouldn’t be sufficient to win over management. Calty realized a more nuanced approach was needed.

      “These sports cars are meant to be driven. It should be an exhilarating experience,” Shen commented. “It’s not enough just to release a car, right?”

      There was just one hurdle. At that point, Calty lacked an actual car to showcase; they only had a design. That's when Polyphony Digital entered the picture.

      “So we integrated it into the system. We put it in Gran Turismo,” Shen said.

      After just a few laps in the virtual FT-1, Akio-san was convinced. It was communicated immediately from Calty leadership that the team had the green light to create a show car—something automakers are increasingly reluctant to undertake nowadays—and there was no sign yet that production would be approved.

      The shared platform with BMW and all the complexities involved weren’t even on Calty’s radar at that time. They’d need to adapt their design to fit both the physical limitations of the shared components and the financial constraints of a program that—if truth be told—was expected to be unprofitable.

      Given all this, it’s remarkable that they managed to create the vehicle at all, right?

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