The Aztek is all Toyota's fault - RV2 concept

If this were a Trivial Pursuit clue: "Vehicle aimed at an active lifestyle, based on much more common machinery, offering even a camper attachment for the rear," your answer might be a confident, " Pontiac Aztek." You'd be wrong. Even setting the wayback machine for 1970-something and answering " VW Camper" would be right, but also wrong. The correct reply, of course, would be "Toyota RV-2," a vehicle that never saw the light of day much beyond a display stand after the 1972-73 Auto Show season. Granted, it's a little arcane, but the Corona-based brake shows that Toyota was, once upon a time, much hipper, and we're not talking about the surgically implanted ones that Avalon owners sport. The edgy-wedgy styling belies a rear quadrant that unfolds and deploys a tent to cover a party palace more accomodating than the two seats up front. This is the car you take tailgating. Apparently, nothing ever became of the RV-2, but the idea of a car with a tent attached to its arse had surprising staying power, and didn't help the General sell its prescient, awkwardly styled crossovers, either. At least the RV-2 looked mighty natty with some Torq-Thrusts. Thanks for the tip, imoore!

[Source: RetroThing, Photos: Stepho's Toyota Site]