Part of that feeling is because the D pillar is angled rearward to create a wraparound rear glass that provides a widescreen view of the world outside when the vehicle is reversing.

And though Toyota F3R seems to have a high beltline, it isn't as high as it looks. That's the result of what the vehicle's designers call proportion tuning. Said Cartabiano, "The cabin kind of looks chopped, but the beltline is not much higher than that of the current Sienna. This look is a trick done by lowering bottom of the car, making the body look a little thicker."

The result, of course, is a concept vehicle filled not only with intelligent drama, but with exactly the fresh take on three rows of seating, and on the usable space that vans so effectively provide, that Toyota executives were looking for. They wanted anything but a minivan. What they got was a sporty new vehicle that defies an easy label. With a dramatic, iconic shape that is as distinctive as that of the Toyota Prius and an interior that is more adaptable and more family friendly than anything previously seen, it's reasonable to suspect that the automotive world could soon be seeing styling elements from the F3R on future Toyota production vehicles.

"Certainly we are developing concept cars with the intent that they influence production cars. So we take the F3R's packaging very seriously," said Hunter. "We're looking at that design very seriously to gauge its potential as a base for a production vehicle."

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