indiegames
January 11th, 2010, 22:20
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/9/2010/01/500x_toyota_8bit.jpg (http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/9/2010/01/toyota_8bit.jpg)Car maker Toyota unveiled the FT-CH "dedicated hybrid concept" at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, a car notable for its younger skewing design, cheaper price and, in Toyota's own words, its "8-bit generation" inspired design.
According to the official announcement, the Toyota Europe Design and Development (ED2) center in Nice designed the FT-CH to "capture the vivid, high-energy appeal of what has come to be called the 8-bit generation."
"Popularized in the early 80's, 8-bit microprocessor technology dominated the budding home video game industry," Toyota's release reads. "Today, 8-bit is considered a specific retro-style that is embraced by such things as 8-bit genre music and 8-bit inspired art." Who knew?!
Toyota says the 8-bit references in the new hybrid car's design are meant to be "fun and innovative, colorful and stylish, with strong appeal to young buyers." It also points out that the compact hybrid concept "specifically targets a lower price point than Prius, thus appealing to a younger, less-affluent buyer demographic," the type that may prefer to spend more on video games than a car payment.
We're still having a little difficulty here at Kotaku Towers picking out the 8-bit video game design references—maybe with the exception of those pixelated vents (http://kotaku.com/5445717/toyota-ft+ch//gallery/11)—but you can judge for yourself just how "8-bit" the FT-CH is in the gallery below.
http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?p=1 (http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?p=1) http://a.rfihub.com/eus.gif?eui=2226 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/kotaku/full?d=yIl2AUoC8zA</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/kotaku/full?a=y6M6hSso_qs:DoCaVC6N7hU:yIl2AUoC8zA) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/kotaku/full?d=H0mrP-F8Qgo</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/kotaku/full?a=y6M6hSso_qs:DoCaVC6N7hU:H0mrP-F8Qgo) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/kotaku/full?i=y6M6hSso_qs:DoCaVC6N7hU:D7DqB2pKExk</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/kotaku/full?a=y6M6hSso_qs:DoCaVC6N7hU:D7DqB2pKExk) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/kotaku/full?i=y6M6hSso_qs:DoCaVC6N7hU:V_sGLiPBpWU</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/kotaku/full?a=y6M6hSso_qs:DoCaVC6N7hU:V_sGLiPBpWU)
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/kotaku/full/~4/y6M6hSso_qs
More... (http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/y6M6hSso_qs/toyota-unveils-new-hybrid-car-for-the-8+bit-generation)
According to the official announcement, the Toyota Europe Design and Development (ED2) center in Nice designed the FT-CH to "capture the vivid, high-energy appeal of what has come to be called the 8-bit generation."
"Popularized in the early 80's, 8-bit microprocessor technology dominated the budding home video game industry," Toyota's release reads. "Today, 8-bit is considered a specific retro-style that is embraced by such things as 8-bit genre music and 8-bit inspired art." Who knew?!
Toyota says the 8-bit references in the new hybrid car's design are meant to be "fun and innovative, colorful and stylish, with strong appeal to young buyers." It also points out that the compact hybrid concept "specifically targets a lower price point than Prius, thus appealing to a younger, less-affluent buyer demographic," the type that may prefer to spend more on video games than a car payment.
We're still having a little difficulty here at Kotaku Towers picking out the 8-bit video game design references—maybe with the exception of those pixelated vents (http://kotaku.com/5445717/toyota-ft+ch//gallery/11)—but you can judge for yourself just how "8-bit" the FT-CH is in the gallery below.
http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?p=1 (http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?p=1) http://a.rfihub.com/eus.gif?eui=2226 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/kotaku/full?d=yIl2AUoC8zA</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/kotaku/full?a=y6M6hSso_qs:DoCaVC6N7hU:yIl2AUoC8zA) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/kotaku/full?d=H0mrP-F8Qgo</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/kotaku/full?a=y6M6hSso_qs:DoCaVC6N7hU:H0mrP-F8Qgo) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/kotaku/full?i=y6M6hSso_qs:DoCaVC6N7hU:D7DqB2pKExk</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/kotaku/full?a=y6M6hSso_qs:DoCaVC6N7hU:D7DqB2pKExk) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/kotaku/full?i=y6M6hSso_qs:DoCaVC6N7hU:V_sGLiPBpWU</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/kotaku/full?a=y6M6hSso_qs:DoCaVC6N7hU:V_sGLiPBpWU)
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/kotaku/full/~4/y6M6hSso_qs
More... (http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/kotaku/full/~3/y6M6hSso_qs/toyota-unveils-new-hybrid-car-for-the-8+bit-generation)