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2007 Tokyo Motor Show: A Round-up of Whack Concepts
Ask any gearhead what their favorite car was at the Tokyo Motor Show and the answer was Nissan’s GT-R. Go figure! It’s got looks, power and sex appeal. And it had the stage all to itself.
The two supercoupes that were supposed to give it a run -- the Lexus LF-A and Acura’s Advanced Sports car concept (“the next NSX”) -- didn’t even enter the ring. The LF-A hasn’t changed a note since Detroit; the Acura didn’t show.
With a sticker price starting around $67,000 in Japan, the Nissan GT-R, a V6 twin-turbo 4WD coupe ---Nissan’s challenge to the beloved Porsche 911 Turbo -- was the leader, even if by default.
 But, while many favor fast, sexy cars with big engines, I always go for the concepts. True, some people don’t take concepts seriously. I do.
What intrigues me about concept cars is the off-the-wall thinking involved in producing them. Imagine a group of the industry’s finest designers and engineers meshing minds to create a vehicle that defies all of the rules and stretches the reality of what a car should be.
 And as I have observed concepts over the years, I have seen some of these ultra-creative ideas come to fruition. If not the whole car, then parts of it.
It could be as simple as a control panel that changes colors according to your mood, a hardtop convertible that folds like origami, a mesh seating surface or colored tires. At one time, these concepts were just considered wacky dreams.
Following, my picks of the wild concepts from the Tokyo Motor Show:
Spiritual
Mazda Taiki, the fourth in Mazda’s series of concept cars, is inspired by environmental forces like wind and water and even sand dunes. The theme here is flow.
The Taiki (translated as atmosphere in Japanese) is a two seat sports car with the next generation rotary engine, a drag coefficient of .25, “Ozone Silver” paint that glows from within and doors that open like a vampire’s cape. Sitting on 22-inch wheels, this otherworldly design was inspired by elements as disparate as a raked Japanese garden to the legend of Hagoromo where a celestial maiden flies with the use of her cascading robes.
The interior, motivated by the visual cues of colorful carp streamers decorating the May skies in Japan, has a white lounge chair for the passenger and a black seat for the driver. Why black? It helps concentration. A transparent roof brings in the light and all of the switches are integrated into the steering wheel so the driver can keep their hands on the wheel.
 Well Being
Toyota’s RiN is designed to make the driving experience one of serenity. “Rin,” a Chinese character, refers to upright posture, a big feature in this small vehicle.
This is how it works. The door slides opens like a Japanese teahouse; you slip in and the heated seat puts your body into perfect posture.
You’re on your way to wellness as the steering control ECG sensor provides feedback on your emotional state. This “mood training system” detects how relaxed or uptight you are and shows it on the control cluster. In other words, your car is a therapist that can help with an attitude adjustment.
This vibrant bubble of green glass also has filters to knock out ultraviolet and infrared light. This helps to create a cabin that is brighter, clearer and ultimately calmer.
 The Transformers
The Suzuki X-HEAD is a four-wheel drive vehicle that can be reconfigured as a camper, a rescue vehicle or an off-road truck. The sides of the X-HEAD have compartments that fold out for stowing all kinds of gear. And the X-HEAD incorporates novel ideas for storage.
Daihatsu Mud Master-C, co-developed by a leading Japanese pro cyclist, looks like an ice-cream truck with big boy wheels. Gullwing doors on three sides make it easy to load and unload bikes. If you want to make it a tow truck the top will lift off.
The Therapist
Nissan’s PIVO2 is an electric city commuter with a personality. A robotic figure on the dash recognizes facial images, cheers you up or calms you down and even speaks to you. In other words it’s the ultimate partner! This space mobile opens from the front and the cabin can rotate 360 degrees to move sideways like a crab down narrow streets or park “on a dime.” Oh, and the driver sits in the middle, while two passengers can lounge on a couch-like seat in the back.
Hooked-UP
The Toyota i-Real personal mobility vehicle is made for one-person. The driver stands up straight in a robot-like compartment. For safety in numbers, i-Real can link up with fellow i-Real users through a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system.
The “Greens:”
Honda’s theme: “For the endless joy of mobility on our earth” featured the company’s “Earth Conscious Technology” a showing of clean diesel, gasoline engines, hybrids, fuel cells and what they call “the next energy.”
The company previewed two world premiere concepts, the Honda CR-Z hybrid sports car and the PUYO fuel-cell vehicle. The CR-Z (Compact Renaissance Zero) carries a gas-electric hybrid system in a lightweight athletic body. The promise - a clean run with plenty of torque - is fulfilled.
With an all glass roof, sharp linear surfaces, spaceship lighting on the inside and outside and hi-tech controls encased in a sheath of blue glass, the car looks ethereal.
Another environmentally oriented concept, the Honda PUYO, is all about being friendly and cuddly - like a cartoon character. The PUYO’s gel body, that was developed to feel like skin, is prime for petting. The seamless, soft, box-like creature, with its luminescent surfaces, UFO lights, double winged front opening, snuggly gel seats and 360 degree turning mode, is sweet enough to adopt.
 The Audi A1 hybrid has a 1.4-liter TFSI gasoline direct-injection engine rated at 150 horsepower driving the front wheels and a 41-horsepower electric motor in the rear. Audi claims 0-60 mph acceleration in less than 7.8 seconds, a top speed of 124 mph and 48 mpg efficiency. The lithium-ion battery pack can go 62 miles in electric mode. This smart looking hatchback will reach Europe mid-2009. The US? Stay tuned.
Mazda, the company known for “Zoom Zoom,” is making efforts to improve the planet. Their latest invention, Mazda Biotechmaterial, is a low Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emission product derived from plants can resist heat, shock and wear, as well as weather and fire damage. That makes it perfect for everything from interior parts to seat covers.
Another technology already in use is Mazda’s hydrogen rotary engine (Hydrogen RE) that burns hydrogen to generate motive power and emits zero CO2. Mazda has been leasing the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE to corporations and local governments since 2006. The RX-8 Hydrogen RE, a dual-fuel system, can be switched between hydrogen and gasoline fuel with the touch of a button.
The new Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid will start leasing in 2008. Incorporating the dual-fuel system of the RX-8 Hydrogen RE, it features an improved Hydrogen RE and a new hybrid system which allows longer range between refuelling. The 2008 Premacy Hydrogen RE also has more interior room (seating for five) plus extra cargo space.
The Mitsubishi MiEV SPORT electric vehicle concept features a quick charging socket painted a light green pearly hue that becomes glittery in the sun and takes on the colors around it. The geometrically designed interior is cooled with blue lighting and soft metallic shades. Another innovative touch—the air-conditioner has an oxygen and aroma generating system.
Tokyo, as usual, unleashed a wealth of new ideas. We look forward to the best of these ideas making it into production vehicles.
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