Concept Car Of The Day: 1971 Toyota RV-1

Jul 22, 2024

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Back in 1971, Toyota revealed an impressive 2-door wagon concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show known as the RV-1. This unique vehicle was based on the Celica, but with some striking differences.

The front of the RV-1 featured vertical corners instead of the usual sloping park lights found on the Celica. The bonnet was extended forward to match this new design element. A distinctive grill with large round holes replaced the more common slats or hexagonal holes seen on other vehicles.

While the front windows and doors remained similar to the Celica, the roof line of the RV-1 was extended to cover the rear passenger seats. A thin spine extended to the rear of the car, with centre hinged gull wing windows on each side. A large integral roll bar completed the rear design, along with tail lights and rear indicators visible through small round holes.

The rear bumper of the RV-1 had cut-outs for red reflectors and reversing lights, a departure from the traditional Celica style. A 1 meter wide tailgate with a frameless wind-down window occupied the center of the rear. Interestingly, the center section of the bumper moved with the tailgate instead of being fixed directly to the body.

Although the RV-1 never made it to production, it was part of a recreational vehicle system that also included the Marinetta trailer (with a fiberglass dinghy), a 5-person inflatable tent, and a jet ski on its own trailer. At the same Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota also revealed the SV-1 Celica liftback prototype, which did ultimately go into production.

The RV-1 was powered by a 4-cylinder, OHV engine with a capacity of 1588cc and 105 horsepower. It measured 4262mm in length, 1643mm in width, and 1296mm in height.

While the RV-1 may not have become a reality on the roads, its innovative design and forward-thinking concept remain a fascinating piece of automotive history.