Toyota LandCruiser Prado open-top ute: the concept you’ve been dreaming of?

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Toyota has transformed its new LandCruiser Prado into an open-top ute concept called the ROX.

The chunky and heavily modified off-road concept has a soft-top roof and exposed cargo area and throws back to classic open-top LandCruisers of old, but sadly it’s not for mass production.

Rather, it’s a one-off functional concept that has been designed and built by Toyota’s Calty design studio in the US ahead of the SEMA speciality automotive parts show taking place in Las Vegas next week, where it will no doubt steal the show. 

Representatives from Toyota’s Calty studio have spoken about the concept in a promotional video released by the brand covering the Rodesign and build process that was undertaken for the ROX, which has been produced as a fully functional vehicle. 

Scott Roller, senior lead designer at the Calty studio said: “we have replaced more than half the vehicle if you think about it”.

“We have removed the roof, we cut half the doors, all new bumpers, brush guards, winch, tyre carriers, there are so many parts that need to be styled, engineered, fabricated, finished and all assembled to finally get us to SEMA”.

Indeed, it’s clear a heavy reworking of the Prado was required given the large amount of modifications which also included removing the D-pillar, cutting the C-pillar in half and removing the overhead structure. 

Images of the ROX show a new roll cage that has been added, as well as big wheels with all terrain tyres surrounded by chunky wheel arches.

Toyota representatives said that the only glass remaining in the vehicle was the windshield, with the desire to have as few panels between the car and the outside world as possible. 

Adam Rabinowitz, Chief Designer at Calty, spoke of the inspiration for the ROX as well as its historic connection.

“Some of the team members were sketching, not intentionally tying to the heritage, but emotionally connecting to LandCruiser’s of the past and some of these themes were just based on connecting more with the environment that you would be in”, Rabinowitz said. 

“This is only what an OE can do. They made tools to restamp body panels to make one vehicle”, Rabinowitz also said, referencing the challenges involved in the one-off production.

While it’s not going to go into production beyond the concept, the ROX will no doubt drum up further publicity for the much-anticipated new LandCruiser Prado which is set to launch in Australia by the end of the year.

The new model went on sale in the US earlier this year, where it is known simply as the LandCruiser 250 Series.