The diminutive Japanese automaker Daihatsu, is better known for building compact off roaders and kei cars has prepared a treat for the Tokyo Auto Show. The Daihatsu e:S Concept is based on the automaker’s popular mini car platform, and while the 3,100 mm long design study’s wheelbase has been shortened to just 2,175 mm it still offers enough interior space to accommodate four full sized Japanese adults comfortably. Keeping in line with Daihatsu’s fun looking line of vehicles, the e:S Concept carries over all of the familiar lines from the Daihatsu family while adding an extra sense of spirit to the tiny ride.
The main theme behind the Daihatsu e:S Concept is lightweight efficiency, because without a lot of excess weight to pull around, the kei car can make the most of what it already has. Due to the mini car’s nature, there is not a whole lot that goes into the car’s assembly. Aside from the compact construction, Daihatsu’s engineers have shed as many pounds as possible by using slim, lightweight seats and replacing many of the vehicle’s materials with lighter versions, the result is a curb weight of only 700 kilograms, and that is only 1543 pounds. Enhancing the e:S’s lightweight efficiency is a mild hybrid style Idling Stop System that turns off the engine when the vehicle is at rest to further reduce fuel consumption. Although it may never make it to the U.S. Daihatsu’s e:S Concept is undoubtedly an efficient ride.
Press release after the jump.
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While quite a few automakers will be absent from the upcoming Tokyo Moor Show, the Nissan Motor Company has prepared a new zero emissions concept car that is ready to solve the problem of personal transportation in congested urban environments while still offering a spirited driving experience for both the driver and passenger; Nissan is calling it the Land Glider. Now the Japanese automaker is not the first to come up with an inline two sear that leans into turns, however they are the first to combine the concept with the forward thinking power train of a battery electric vehicle. This is quite convenient because crowded cities like London for example charge significantly higher taxes on automobiles based on their emissions, while some low emissions and especially zero emissions vehicles are exempt from some of those additional charges to operate inside the city center, making the efficient Land Glider a perfect choice to not only navigate congested cities but escape from them as well.
The Land Glider offers seating for two in tandem, with the driver sitting up front and room for only one passenger behind. The traditional round steering wheel is replaced with a unit more like the stick on an airplane, and the gauges match the aviation theme and make the concept’s cabin feel more like a cockpit. The only thing that reminds you that the Land Glider is intended for road use are the leather wrapped bucket seats and a more traditional three pedal layout. On the outside the Nissan Land Glider comes complete with 21st century styling like swept back headlights, floating fenders, angular body panels, large glass surfaces and a strip of LEDs for a taillight. From the side, the Land Glider has a profile similar to a Smart car, but from head on the Nissan concept is no more than a few feet wide.
Aside from having a very narrow footprint, the instant torque of its electric motor and lightweight construction make the Land Glider reasonably quick off the line. The low drag design means that the shape will be able to slipstream up to speed and then carry it through the curves by using a sophisticated suspension and drive train setup that makes the zero emissions concept lean into the turns and increase its capacity for high speed cornering.
Press release after the jump.
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Now, we’re talking.
The lack of a European presence at the Tokyo Motor Show has left the field virtually devoid of supercars. But not we’ve just heard that, at long last, at least one supercar will be in attendance.
The V10-powered Lexus LF-A.
In addition to the LF-A, Lexus will also showcase to the Japanese market the debut of the LF-Ch compact-premium hybrid.
But the real news here is the highly-anticipated debut of the new Lexus
supercar. Expected to be in the same class as notable new supercars like the Ferrari 458 Italia, the LF-A comes with a 4.8-liter V10 engine that delivers over 550 horsepower shifted via a 6-speed semi-automatic transmission that, in turn, allows the super car to hit speeds of over 218 mph.
Only 500 units will be made of the LF-A and we can now fully expect without a tinge of hesitation to see one of them in Tokyo. Lexus has yet to release further news about the car but nevertheless, the company’s confirmation that the supercar will be in attendance at the Tokyo Motor Show is as good a news as it can get.
The third concept Toyota will have on display at the Tokyo Motor Show is the Prius Plug-in Hybrid - the first Toyota vehicle brand that uses a lithium-ion battery as the drive battery.
Thanks to the lithium-ion battery, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid has a fuel efficiency of at least 55km/l (target); that’s quite an improvement compared to the 38km/l of the model now on sale.
Charged from an external power source such as a household electrical outlet, it extends the cruising range in electric vehicle mode, maximizing the benefits as an environmentally-considerate vehicle. As the cruising distance as an electric vehicle increases, environmental benefits that surpass those even of the regular Prius can be expected including lower CO2 emissions and air pollution and reduced consumption of fossil fuels. Approximate charging times using ordinary household electricity are 180 minutes at 100V and 100 minutes at 200V.
Press release after the jump.
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Now that you have delighted quite enough with the FT-86 Concept, is time to move our attention to the second Toyota concept to be revealed in Tokyo: the FT-EV II, which stands for "Future Toyota Electric Vehicle II". It is a four-seater concept that previews the upcoming small city electric vehicle set to be released by 2012. The FT-EV I was revealed at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.
The FT-EV II Concept is placed under the iQ in Toyota’s line-up. It measures 2730 mm in length, 1680 mm in width and 1490 mm height. The vehicle has no steering wheel or foot pedals-symbols of vehicle performance. In addition, it has not been designed simply as a means of transport, but instead based on the premise of collaboration with communications functions, a concept that differs from earlier vehicles.
The car is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack that has an autonomy of 56 miles and can hit a top speed around 62 mph.
Press release after the jump.
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The speculation is over, the Japanese automaker Toyota has finally shown the world the highly anticipated successor to the original AE86 "Hachi Roku" with the FT-86 Concept. The old Toyota Corolla was celebrated for its lightweight fun to drive layout. The new project has previously been referred to as a Toyobaru because the affordable sports car was developed in collaboration with Subaru and is scheduled to make its world debut in just a few weeks at the Tokyo Motor Show. We are happy to report that even though this is just the concept, the production model will look a lot like it, with the only revisions being done to the cars interior. However we won’t know for sure until the end of 2011.
The Flash Red FT-86 Concept is inspired by the Corolla based AE86 sports coupe from the 1980s, and carries a very strong resemblance to the FT-HS Concept that was revealed back in 2007 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The FT-86 is a compact, rear wheel drive sports concept powered by a 2.0 Liter horizontally opposed, naturally aspirated four cylinder gasoline burning engine supplied by Subaru. In its non boosted form, the flat four make a maximum output of 150 HP, but the automaker is toying around with the idea of a more powerful super charged version depending on consumer demands, but for now we will have to settle for a simple boxer engine connected to a 6 speed manual transmission and equipped with ADVICS brakes.
When designing the FT-86 Concept Toyota’s engineers wanted to give the car a very low center of gravity for improved handling and efficient aerodynamics so that it can cut through the air with ease. So the four passenger FT-86 ended up being 4,160 mm long, 1,760 mm wide and 1,260 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,570 mm. Toyota’s design team has also included quite a few sporting touches to the concept’s interior; starting off with a flat bottom steering wheel, aluminum pedals and red stitching to accent the leather wrapped steering wheel and parking brake lever. The grey instrument panel is seamlessly molded into the darker dash and from the looks of things, is ready to hit Fuji Speedway.
To see what the Hachi Roku is all about, check out the video and Press Release after the jump. > More
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Whoever said that minivans with their utilitarian oversized box shape and seven passenger layouts had to be boring never met the guys from the automotive arm of Fuji Heavy Industries’ in house tuners at Subaru Technica International. While STI is better known for working their magic on the sport compact Impreza WRX and occasionally dabbling with a slightly larger Legacy sedan, but until today the largest car that Subaru’s engineers had given a hot rod inspired makeover to was the Forester crossover utility vehicle. That is because the Japanese automaker has just announced their plans to bring an STI tuned Exiga 2.0 GT multi passenger vehicle to the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show.
Dispelling the notion that MPVs can’t be exciting, this particular Exiga has undergone a similar treatment as the slightly more sophisticated Subaru Impreza WRX STI Limited. There are no oversized rear wings or gaudy racing stripes adorning the tuner vehicle, instead the full size minivan was covered in one of the automaker’s Satin White Pearl paint, given a set of trick headlamps with an attractive blue bar separating the front and corner lights while the large grill complete with the new Subaru crossbar that can be found on almost all of their new cars. The specific STI upgrades include a sporty front lip spoiler, an STI tuned dual exhaust and a set of polished 17 inch BBS rims lifted from an old WRX STI that are connected to a sport tuned set of springs and dampeners that will make the all wheel drive minivan handle more like a sports car.
This distinctive seven seater touring concept will add a bit of enthusiasm to the full size MPV segment and in true Subaru fashion will provide an excellent fun to drive performance value with the practicality of an extremely spacious interior. There is no word as of yet if STI will upgrade the 2.0 Liter turbocharged boxer engine to go along with the new car’s exterior styling and up rated suspension components in order to create and all around performance MPV.
Mitsubishi’s attendance at the Tokyo Motor Show next month should come with a bevy of concept cars in tow to unveil to the automotive world. One of its newest – and Tokyo-bound – showcase vehicles is the PX-MiEV, a next-generation hybrid crossover CUV that the Japanese automaker says was created to maximize fuel efficiency, decrease emissions, all while keeping the Mitsubishi standard of performance at a high level.
The PX-MiEV comes with a 1.6-liter inline-four powerpack for the front wheels and a revolutionary auto-volt plug-in system. Similar to previous Pajero models, the PX-MiEV is capable of running on either front or all-wheel drive, only this time the CUV also has a hybrid mode plus a parallel hybrid system when the PX-MiEV is running on heavy. Mitsubishi also gave some of its Evolution X configurations to the PX-MiEV, including the S-AWC and E-AYC systems, which is capable of triggering power shuffling in any part of the car whenever the need arises.
As far as the car’s interior is concerned, Mitsubishi installed a bevy of technological features, including what looks like two touch-screen configurators found in the front and rear of the car. The PX-MiEV also comes with a revolutionary safety system that – by all accounts – should make its way to a number of Mitsubishi vehicles down the road. The system, which in all appearances looks just like a camera, warns the driver of any potential problems through visual or audio warnings, in addition, of course, to alerts of the vibrating persuasion.
The CUV is set to be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show where it is expected to be one of Mitsubishi’s meal tickets during the two-week event.
Press release after the jump.
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The Tokyo Motor Show is shaping up to become a personal showcase of Japanese car brands after most of the international delegation decided to skip the event.
One local brand that’s expected to participate in the event is Suzuki, where the brand is already on tap to unveil a Swift-inspired plug-in hybrid concept. The concept’s hybrid drivetrain is similar to that being used on the Chevy Volt – a drivetrain that houses both a small gasoline engine and a lithium-ion battery pack.
The car, which is being pegged to be exclusively electrically-powered, runs after it’s charged from any electrical socket and as soon as the battery runs low, the engine revs up to power a generator that charges the battery.
If that confused you, look at it this way: the gasoline engine isn’t used to make the car run. It’s used to charge the batteries SO the car can run.
Pretty nifty, don’t you think?
Further details behind the Swift hybrid have yet to be disclosed, but as soon as any new information becomes available about the car, we’ll definitely provide more updates.
Looks like a regular next-generation van doesn’t it? The truth is, there’s nothing ordinary about Honda’s new concept MPV, the Skydeck.
The six-seater hybrid MPV, the Skydeck is the latest example of Honda’s versatile IMA technology. The car’s innovative design comes with a flat and see-through glass roof, a higher-than-usual rear-end, and scissor doors at the front to complement the sliding doors at the sides. The hybrid MPV runs on a high-powered battery, which is located on the MPV’s center tunnel, as opposed to traditional hybrids whose batteries are usually located behind the car’s rear seats.
The glass roof from which we believe the name ‘Skydeck’ was taken from is another nice touch to the car, in addition to the stylish – and spacious - interior that looks more and more like an office space rather than a car’s interior.
Further details surrounding the car will be revealed in Tokyo. For now, we can give you a first look at what you can expect from Honda’s new hybrid MPV.
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