- Japanese brands do away with flashy concepts
- Honda’s Super-N prototype could spawn Honda-e replacement
- Lexus unveils crazy six-wheeled luxury van
The Tokyo Motor Show, which is now known as the Japan Mobility Show, has always been a rich seam of slightly wild concept cars and transportation solutions, as the Japanese brands use it as the perfect platform to flex their creative muscles.
But this year feels about as experimental as things get, as those same automakers are all too aware of a technology threat from China.
In fact, BYD went straight for the jugular this year with the unveiling of the all-electric Racco – a model that complies with Japan’s strict Kei minicar standards and is ready to do battle in one of the country’s biggest markets.
In a show of defiance, Honda unveiled concepts for land, sea, air and even space, while Toyota and Lexus laid out plans to radically change personal transportation and push for ever more upscale.
1. Honda Super-One Prototype
Widely considered the successor to the brilliant but slightly ahead of its time Honda-e, the Super-One Prototype essentially showcases a small electric city car destined for global sales next year.
It’s built on the Japanese brand’s N-Series kei car platform, so it’s predictably compact, but Honda has beefed things up with flared wheel arches, an asphalt-grazing ride height and a cool rear roof lip spoiler.
There’s no word on the exact electric powertrain that will power the smart city car, but Honda says it will have a “Boost Mode” that fills the cabin with sound and offers a simulated seven-speed gearbox with manual shifting. Sounds fun.
It won’t launch in Japan until next year, but looks set to land in other countries with “strong demand for compact electric cars”, such as the UK, Europe and large parts of Asia.
2. Lexus LS Concept
Remember when the Lexus LS was a luxury sedan that never quite managed to steal sales from BMW or Mercedes-Benz?
Well, according to Chief Branding Officer Simon Humphries, those days are long gone because where executive sedans once ruled the automotive world, they are “fighting a losing battle with SUVs”.
The decision to opt for six wheels (two big ones at the front for steering and four at the back) has allowed designers to free up maximum interior space, and as you’d expect, it’s all pretty nice inside.
There is a massive electric door that provides easy access to premium seating inside, with slatted bamboo and stylish mood lighting to set the mood.
We know it’s powered by batteries and electric motors, but there’s no word on whether it’ll actually go into production.
It’s more likely to affect the next generation of LM than to create an entirely new category of six-wheeled ultra-luxury vehicles.
3. Toyota’s Century GT coupe concept
There’s a new luxury brand to add to the list that includes the likes of Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Maybach, as Toyota launches its bold and opulent GT coupe concept, sporting an all-new badge.
Not to be confused with the Toyota Century, which was one of Japan’s most flamboyant vehicles – often found ferrying wealthy businessmen around the country’s major financial districts – the Century now stands on its own as a brand that can compete with the best in the world.
While there aren’t many details about the massive SUV/Coupe mash-up, especially what will power the thing, there are plenty of buzzwords thrown around, such as “Japanese craftsmanship” and the fact that the new brand will act as “a beacon for the company and the country”.
In short, it looks like the Century will be the pinnacle of luxury for the Toyota group, leaving Lexus to be a bit more experimental (see above).
4. Honda EV Outlier Concept
We know Honda is on a push to electrify its motorcycle lineup, with the recent launch of the CUV:e scooter in a number of markets and the upcoming WN7 slated to offer a full-size electric option for the first time.
The futuristic-looking Outlier is a “new vision for motorcycles after 2030” and uses in-wheel motors for both front and rear wheels. This allows it to be so long, low and Cyberpunk-esque.
It builds on the more scooter-like concept first revealed at Italy’s premier bike show last year, with the design language more suggestive of a more performance-oriented machine, complete with potent in-wheel motors for a potentially huge amount of power.
5. Mazda Vision X-Coupe
Always one of those engineers, Mazda unveiled not only a stunningly beautiful concept in the Vision X-Coupe, but also arguably the most eyebrow-raising powertrain solution.
Beneath the long, sleek body sits a turbocharged rotary engine (otherwise comically known as a Wankel engine) mated to a battery pack of undisclosed size and an electric motor.
We know it develops an impressive 510bhp and can run around 100 miles on electricity alone, with the range stretching to just 500 miles when all systems are off.
What’s more, Mazda says the car actually reduces the amount of CO2 in the air with the company’s proprietary carbon capture technology.
The only downside is that the technology requires carbon-neutral fuel derived from microalgae, which is probably not currently available at your local Shell gas station.
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