Future-inspired designs in the automobile industry have become highly popular in the last couple of years. Since the pandemic hit, more specifically, we've seen technology develop at a high pace in all industries. In the automobile sector, the digital boost only sped up the already advanced production of electric vehicles, and along with it, the unique styling.

Tesla has been working on futuristic styling for quite a while now (think Cybertruck). Even some other (so-to-say) more traditional brands like Ford have adopted it. Moreover, we've seen new start-ups taking everything one step further. Models such as the Rivian RT1 or the Lucid Air have become more common today, vividly highlighting what future vehicles may look like.

But this all started a while back with concept cars. Tesla has not been the first brand to work on futuristic vehicles, though it's most known for it today. Toyota developed an entire series of future-inspired cars back in the 1960s, and you wouldn't believe how they resemble some of today's models.

Today, we take a closer look at the Toyota EX-III, a concept vehicle made in 1969. Keep reading to learn more about it.

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A Brief Overview Of The Toyota Concept Vehicles

The 1969 Toyota EX-III Front View.
Via: Old Concept Cars

The EX lineup of the Toyota concept cars was introduced in 1969 at the Tokyo Motor Show. Although other concept vehicles were produced from 1935 until 1969 (A1, Sports, Sport X, Airport Limousine, X, Publica Sports, Corona 1500S, and more), the EX models attracted the most attention.

In 1969, the Tokyo Motor Show was all about showcasing the rising power of the Japanese auto industry. More than 1,500,000 visitors got a chance to explore the designs of 256 exhibitors. Needless to say, that was quite a lot of vehicles to check out and enjoy.

Moreover, quite a few brands exhibited futuristic cars. Toyota attended the show in Tokyo with the EX lineup that included the EX-I fastback coupe for two passengers, the EX-II (Type A, Type B, and Type C), and the EX-III.

Essentially, the 1969 Tokyo Motor Show was about showing American and European brands that Japanese ones can go one step further in innovations. We dare to say that Toyota got carried away with the EX concept vehicles, but in a good way.

All the introduced models were based on predictions of what future cars may look like, with the EX-I being a fastback coupe and the EX-III grand coupe for two passengers. Standing in the middle was the EX-II, a small vehicle for shopping, commuting, and carrying luggage.

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A Closer Look At The Toyota EX-III

The 1969 Toyota EX-III.
Via: Old Concept Cars

As we mentioned, the 1969 Tokyo Motor Show wanted to promote Japanese vehicles, and Toyota joined the party. The EX-III was the main vehicle of the entire lineup. Larger than its siblings but made with the same purpose, the EX-III was made to highlight how important safety and comfort will become in the future. Today, we can say Toyota was on the ball, although we're not sure how good this concept car would prove on the road.

In the '60s, most Japanese manufacturers relied on European designers for their lineups. Toyota did the opposite, hiring an in-house designer to promote the local side of the business. The mid-engined EX-III was a "simple" electric commuter with no real doors (or side mirrors, which reminds us of another case). Although we have to say, there was a mechanism that raised the seats to help passengers get out of the car, which some perceived as too weird and others as super cool.

The EX-III was wide and sleek to promote aerodynamics and speedy future traveling. The pointy nose, the partially covered rear wheels, and the other parts were all combined to make the vehicle lightweight and fast. It's just unfortunate we didn't get to see it on the road.

What's Next For Toyota Concept Cars?

The Toyota i-ROAD.
Via: Toyota Pressroom

Toyota never gave up on the concept cars. The development has continued over the years with the carmaker aiming to predict new trends and possibilities. Consequently, we've seen some impressive concepts for the next couple of years.

The newest designs include the (for good or bad) mind-blowing LQ, the compact two-seater BEV, the Maas-oriented e-Palette, and the i-Road (on the photo above). We can't say which one of these looks more futuristic, but they are all based on the most-modern tech.

Among the concept cars, there are also future vehicles, as Toyota calls them. These include the newest bZ4X, the Sequoia, and the Tundra Capstone. All of them are made with the help of the most advanced tech and with the latest styling in mind. So, the EX series in 1969 was just an early beginning of the Toyota concept cars. We expect to see many new designs in the years to follow.