In 1973, Toyota established its American design hub, CALTY Design Research, in California. Over the past five decades, CALTY has played a pivotal role in pushing the boundaries of automotive design and innovation. As the first major automotive design studio on the West Coast, it has birthed numerous groundbreaking concepts and production vehicles. Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, CALTY presents the Toyota Baby Lunar Cruiser concept, ready to conquer the most rugged terrain.

Drawing inspiration from the iconic FJ40 Land Cruiser, which debuted in 1960, the Baby Lunar Cruiser offers a unique blend of earthly design and futuristic functionality inspired by interplanetary exploration vehicles like the Lunar Cruiser developed by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Toyota. Equipped with innovative features such as in-wheel motors and airless tires, it suggests readiness for more than just traversing rocky landscapes and tree roots.

The new concept prioritizes driver visibility with its expansive glass canopy, while practicality is enhanced with a roof rack and split tailgate configuration. The exterior is adorned with various cameras and lidar/radar sensors, all contributing to an augmented-reality dashboard display. Inside, it’s all futuristic aesthetics, featuring dual joysticks instead of a traditional steering wheel, adjustable spaceframe seats, and MOLLE panels for carrying the gear required for outer space missions.