Toyota to Present Sporty Crossover Concept

Toyota Motor Corp. will unveil the C-HR, a small crossover concept, at the Paris Auto show next week. The company says the stylish vehicle is a "first hint" of a type of vehicle it wants to introduce in the C-segment market.

The C-HR features a "diamond" styling theme with facets intended to evoke a precision-cut gemstone. The vehicle's muscular flanks are marked by a radically sharp kick in the beltline behind the B-pillar that reduces rear seat side windows to narrow slits and gives the two-door a strongly coupelike profile.

In back, boomerang-shaped taillamps float atop the rear bodywork and accentuate the width of the lower bodywork. Broad wheel arches typical of crossovers and SUVs morph into bulging fenders on the C-HR.

Toyota says the concept extends the company's "under priority and keen look" design theme and introduces new styling cues that allude to Toyota's future production vehicle design direction.