Question About Front Fenders on FRS
 

I'm wondering if it looks like the front fenders could be replaced with aftermarket fenders that don't have the large hump, thereby decreasing the height of the hood line. The fender humps are only there to meet pedestrian traffic safety regulations, and I think they look really goofy and don't flow with the rest of the car. Would rather have front fenders that are flat and angle down like on the FT-86 concept I.

I believe there is suspension under the humps...

As I suspected... dammit.

First I've heard of this. Reference?

I'm not sure how I would Google that to find a reference, but pedestrian safety regulations are the reason that ALL modern sports cars have ridiculously tall hood lines, even if their concept versions were low and sleek. Compare the FT-86 concept to the FR-S...

Take a look at some of the side pics under the hood. There is plenty of clearance over the top suspension mounts. The fender humps are likely just there for styling and for locating the tires when driving. But it looks like it will require a lot more than just replacing the fender to lower it and it could look strange because of the high A pillar point.

http://blog.perrinperformance.com/wp...p2-550x366.jpg

You would also have to replace the hood as it is part of the arch and has compound curves to match it.

They also serve the purpose of letting you know exactly where your front tires are. Very useful for performance driving.

:thumbdown:Go buy a different car!

:laughabove: Easy fella, maybe he's on to something.

@c0rbin, it looks like other components would need to be changed but it would be a cool custom project. You should do it!

I say to each his own and to any extent he may wish to customize.
But be careful, as automotive design is a really fine aesthetic art. And the human eye is a really sensitive thing.
Even a few millimeter difference does catch some people's eyes, as you can mostly tell when you drop a car by a hair, or change the wheel offset. You can also imagine how sensitive human eyes are when you consider that there are a billion faces on the planet, and we can still tell someone we know from everyone else in the world. We can spot identical twins, who look almost the same, yet we can tell them apart and even have preference to which looks better...

Taking those humps off will probably make the trunk look really tall, as the curvy lines do flow across the car from the side, and 3 dimensionally over the top and sides. The FRS has a really complex set of crease lines, which also bend light and do all sorts of neat stuff to make many visual distortions and articulation of shades and highlights.

Not against your thoughts in any way and individualization is a great thing.

Keep in mind though, that changes in the fender shape also requires making a entirely new hood, as well as supports that hold it, and possibly bumpers too.

Let us see it when you're done! We're all curious to see works of many talented artists!

In the conversation with Chief Tada, the hood bumps were made just so there is a nice balance with the required trunk lid height (made so we can fit the 4 wheels to Sunday races), and to give he field of view forward of the driver with presence of the hood humps to aesthetically make sports car sensation. If you have ever sat in a Toyota 2000GT, the view is very similar, where the long hood line and flowing bulges on the hood is always reminding you that this is not a delivery van. The Lexus LFA carries this trait too...

I don't know about performance driving and serving as tire locator as when we are racing on the track, we are trained to look much further ahead at speeds, and in gymkhana, we already have a sense of where the contact patch is located by sheer tactile sensation, which is also excellent on this car.

But the view forward on the FRS is nicely thought out for the driver emotions, and as such there is a meaning behind why the exterior design team went with such articulation, which is not common today in light of aerodynamic designs and functions dictating over the conventional efficiency we all have come to prioritize.

FR-S/86/BRZ > FT86 II concept > FT86 concept

The original FT86 concept looks downright homely next to what we actually got. How often does that happen?! I do recall when the first FT86 concept was shown, they had pretty much come out and said that there were 2 or 3 competing designs and they'd chosen something else for the actual production version. I was worried when I read that because I was pretty impressed with the original FT86 concept and was certain they'd chosen something more manufacturable and worse.

I like the humps, reminds me of the old Corvette Stingray which I like. I like how the FR-S is sculpted. It is a work of art as is. IMO I believe the GT86/FRS is the best shaped car Toyota has ever designed. It's not perfect, close but it's closest thing to an exotic sports car for under $30,000. If you don't like the shape go buy another car, you will ruin the lines by customizing the fenders. What do you want Kitt from Knight Rider? :laughabove: