Toyota unveils details of the U2, an urban concept vehicle

Toyota on Tuesday unveiled details of its U2 — an urban utility concept car vehicle — that highlights the automaker’s thinking about how small, useful cars should be built as people congregate in dense city centers.

Developed by Toyota’s Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, the U2 has a roof that rolls back, a tailgate that can be folded down into a ramp and cargo space that can be customized through a versatile rail system. The concept car — whose name is pronounced “U-squared” — will make its first public appearance at the World Maker Faire in New York starting Sept. 20.

“Toyota saw an opportunity for a new approach to an urban vehicle based on increasing reurbanization of our cities and urban drivers’ desire for flexibility, fun and maneuverability,” said Kevin Hunter, president of Calty, Toyota’s North American design studio.

The concept vehicle features graphics that advertise “Custom Fixies,” a kind of bicycle favored by bike messengers and youthful urban bike riders.

“Calty keeps a number of projects concealed while exploring ideas and products,” he said. “Revealing a project like the U2 gives people a window into the constant innovation that happens inside Toyota and our Calty studios and one possible future for urban mobility.”

Toyota doesn’t have plans to bring the vehicle to market at this time.

Calty’s design team was attempting to capture a sense of American entrepreneurship and love of adventure, especially outdoor activities involving gear and equipment, as it worked on the U2. That’s why the vehicle was designed to act as “a flexible, functional gadget,” Hunter said.

The retractable utility bar, for example, can hold a desk or grocery bag hooks. Side windows flip up for easy access from roadside. Even the front passenger seat can be removed. The boxlike design enhances storage.

Because dense, poorly maintained city streets feature bumper-to-bumper traffic, potholes and tight corners, the U2 concept is designed to be small, rugged and nimble. Its durable underbody should better handle pothole-pocked streets.

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