Toyota design change - the giant's adventure

The conservative automaker wants to prove otherwise with groundbreaking changes.

The playful "winking" headlights on the car modelConcept-iis the most memorable image of Toyota atCES 2017 technology exhibition, USA.

The designer of the Concept-i is Ian Cartabiano, who made his mark with the Lexus LC and most recently the new generation Camry. When "boring" associated with Toyota, especially in design, became an unwanted identity, Cartabiano personally craved a change. Next to him is Hiroyuki Koba, the architect of the C-HR project.

The playful shape of the headlights on the Concept-i. Photo: Toyota.

The Origin of Adventure

"The days of boring, personalityless, bland-designed cars are over," Autonews quoted Ian as saying.Cartabiano at Toyota headquarters in Japan. "That's what CEO Akio Toyoda was hoping for. When he said that, he really gave the design team a sense of creative freedom."

The period in whichCartabiano mentioned that it has been decades since Toyota was successful at home and attacked the US market in the 70s and 80s.Not focusing too much on flashy design but on functionality, Toyota cars gradually defeated the American Big Three including Ford, General Motors (GM), Chrysler right at home. Toyota's powerful weapon is fuel economy, durability and low breakdown rate.

Toyota is no longer resting on its laurels as criticism of its bland design mounts.According to market research firm JD Power in 2017, Toyota's quality satisfaction index fell out of the top 10. The two leading car brands are Hyundai and Genesis.

Camry and other Toyota products must change if they don't want to be overtaken by competitors. Photo: Autoweek.

The advantage is gone, being overwhelmed by competitors if not changing, that is the situation of Toyota that CEO Akio Toyoda calls "crisis". Design is one of the problems that needs to be solved.

The desire to escape the boring obsession of the design style of the new Camry. "The sedan has a lower center of gravity, the position of the C-pillar curves in on both sides and matches the rear windshield to give the car the appearance of a sports sedan",IanCartabiano said.

“When it was finished, it looked really cool, but they would never have accepted it,” the American designer recalls. “But then the engineers got excited, and that allowed us to realize the original design idea.”

The XSE and XLE trims have distinct differences in the front and rear bumpers, grille, and four wheel design options. The interior features a 10-inch touchscreen, a flowing and stylish design that is more reminiscent of Hyundai and Mercedes than Toyota.

"You can't miss any Toyota product"“A lot of people felt like Toyota had changed too much in terms of the design of their products,” said John Manoogian, a former design engineer at GM and now a professor of transportation design at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.

Polarizing - polarizing philosophy

"If you like it, you'll accept it. If you don't like it, you won't care about it. We're looking for customers who didn't like Toyotas before. We want to change their minds,"Hiroyuki Koba talks about the company's direction, more specifically with the appearance of the C-HR, according to Autonews.

Toyota C-HR has a design quite similar to the concept. Photo: Caranddriver.

The C-HR is the latest crossover model of the Japanese car company, with a sportier and more individual appearance than its predecessor, the RAV4. The design of Toyota's new product surprised many people. "When they asked if this was a concept car? I knew that the company had really achieved something new," said the Japanese engineer.

Toyota's goal is to create cars that are emotionally engaging, but the design must be clear about whether you like or dislike the product. "The polarization philosophy is the key to getting customers to have a love-hate relationship. That can help them change their perspective and erase the boring stereotypes about Toyota cars."

Similar views asHiroyuki Koba isIan Cartabiano, who has a romantic appearance,blue eyes and artistic slicked back hair.

If CEO Akio Toyoda is generous enough to spend hours driving sports cars on the racetrack, sometimes dressing simply in front of the camera, something rarely seen in his predecessors, the American designerIan Cartabianoalso not compromise with pre-defined stereotypes.

Portrait of Ian Cartabiano, the American designer who penned the 2018 Camry. Photo: Autonews.

"I'm more interested in something new but imperfect than something beautiful but half-baked," the American designer said. "I want to be challenged rather than just doing something comfortable. It's good to have a clear separation between likes and dislikes in design."

Ian Cartabiano is the man behind the designs that are considered to represent a different Toyota. For the Camry, he sketched out ideas from two 5cm long strokes on a notebook. The door handles alone took the design team four months to complete.

Cartabiano joined Toyota in 1997, but he admits "now is the best time for designers at the company."

TNGA - a platform for change

Toyota's car design has been transformed, although not in the sexy sense, but it is a fundamental change, not just empty words from "family". The shape is the surface, the foundation for innovation from TNGA, the modular structure that allows the Japanese car company to move from theory to reality.

"Toyota's design budget is increasing. A lot of that is because of TNGA,"Cartabiano said. The platform that Japan's largest automaker is applying to important products such as the Camry and the new Prius is basically similar to the MQB of the Volkswagen Group (Germany).

Toyota Avalon, Toyota's flagship sedan, was also developed on the TNGA platform when the new generation launched in 2019. Photo: Toyota.

TNGA focuses on three key factors. First, it meets the demand for high-performance, sporty driving thanks to its low center of gravity platform. Second, it promotes complex designs, creating personality across many different products. The remaining is cost savings thanks to the use of common technical components and technology.

For the Toyota C-HR, the best-selling crossover in Japan since its launch in March 2016, the design budget increased by 25%. "The new approach reduces costs in many aspects, but also allows more money to be spent on design,"Cartabiano informed. "This is something that never happened in the old way."

Toyota management promises that the cost-cutting effects of the new platform will trickle down to vehicle design and the new technologies incorporated. A Toyota that is open in a conservative guise seems clear.

"In the past, with the existing brand identity, we just applied it to the next car models. Many people were really discouraged by that. But now, not only do we not abandon those values, but we also develop them further," added the American designer.

Toyota aims to build half of its products on the new TNGA platform. This means models like the Yaris, Corolla, Highlander, and RAV4 will follow.Prius, Camry and C-HR in new development,promises significant changes as the new generation begins.

Necessary caution

When it comes to the change in design philosophy on Toyota products, professorJohn Manoogian says it bluntly:"While I believe in making a statement to avoid blandness, they still have to be cautious in pursuing this new design direction. Sales will tell?"

The professor's point of view refers to Toyota's turning point. Risk is inevitable, especially for a global brand like the Japanese car company.

In Toyota's famous 14 management principles, the first and guiding principle for leaders at the Japanese car company is: Make management decisions based on a long-term philosophy, even if it means sacrificing short-term goals.

If we have to comment on the change, especially in Toyota's design style, this is not a coincidence.. Or in other words, an adventure with a purpose.

CEO Akio Toyoda is trying to improve the company's image by changing its design philosophy. Photo: Carscoops.

Change without losing the inherent strengths, new but not necessarily satisfying the taste of customers. That is Toyota's adventure, between gain and loss. The person who understands this, of course, is captain Akio Toyoda.

In 1984, whenAkio Toyoda went to see his father and asked for his opinion on whether he should join Toyota or not, he received a surprising answer. "No one at Toyota wants to be your boss. Toyota doesn't need you. If you still want to work here, just start with simple things," NYTimes reported.

"I was not chosen to be born into the Toyoda family,"Akio Toyoda said. But he was not there to delude himself about the fate that seemed to be calling his name.

With many years of capacity and dedication at Toyota,Akio Toyoda was appointed CEO in 2009. Unlike his predecessors' quiet leadership style, he has shown a more open and bold mindset. He has asserted that he does not support nepotism but still maintains the core values ​​that make Toyota what it is today.

Deciding to change and accept declining sales and business efficiency in 2016 and predicting the same in 2017, CEO Toyoda shows the company's transformation towards long-term goals, which may face many risks but are worth the trade-offs.

"It's not easy for a large corporation to understand the importance of design as a strategic tool and to create differentiation between products. Apple understands this. So does Mr. Toyoda. And he gives the design team creative freedom,"John Manoogian commented.

A new chapter in Japanese car design begins. The debate will continue, but it seems that is what Toyota wants.

According to VNE