A chance to visit Tokyo Motor Show in a preview day. As a man who eager to buy a car for myself, is any view point changed in this year’s show.
Although this was a preview day of the show, but due to the 14:30 opening time, still long rank of people came. By the way, preview day was open for special staff and disables.
I was invited by UD trucks, my next year’s company. So of course the very first booth I had to visit was the UD trucks. This year, UD trucks introduced Quon Concept, the big truck. Zero emission middle-sized track, as well.
(The official camera man of UD Trucks used a set of Sony FS7 and Canon lenses, what a nice sense!)
This year, many car makers were presenting electric vehicles. Surely for long years EV has been a hot topic, but in 2015, the real products just felt so close. Also a wifi connection to a Smartphone for checking the battery was a useful trick.
Benz Amg booth, some new race cars, it is said that Benz stands for a rich man brand in Japan.
Honda, only Japanese maker which is still rolling F1. However, for me, as a honda bike user now, the brand is just a kind of lack of passion. NSX will come to US market next year, not bad.
Honda’s EV solution, a electric little classic bike, CUB. Also, some cute mobile batteries which gives a 100V normal power supply.
Yamaha, showed a self riding bike with a robot. From the demo video, the blue guy was very impressive. (Notice that even my Sony A7 shows Dynamic range problem to shot this.) And a sport concept car with two seats, busing a bike engine, not a fan of this one anyway.
Kawasaki Ninja 1.0L engine one, the lines of the bike body is so cool.
Mitsubishi, a brand I was loved, but now it means nothing to me. Old design, no aggressive technology. Still doing some kind of motor sports maybe, who cares.
BMW & Mini booth, BMW was only showing his M badge cars. They are cool but does not mean a lot for me. The Mini however, I am a little interesting in Cooper S, the engine cabin arrangement looks great isn’t it.
Lexus, the only car I am afford to buy is a used IS maybe. Only a photo for the lovely color and stylish.
Under the same Toyota group, Daihatsu had a such peaceful booth! Walking into the block Lego style booth is just like inside the game Minecraft. The light of Daihatsu booth was also adjusted to a warm style, full of warmth of a family feeling.
Then here comes the big one! Toyota. As a boss of Japanese car makers, Toyota will not disappoint you. A big lone cool booth showed 3 stars: S-FR for young people, New Prius rolls to sale soon, C-HR Concept for future and the hottest car SUV right now.
Toyota sports corner, a dirty car was a such smart idea of showing the wild SUV. And my love WRC, a Vitz was used, okay I want see something bigger.
The hottest car everyone want to touch was the New Prius, the No.1 hybrid car was just renewed, the news came that the sale is going to begin soon in this Christmas. The yellow one even was a 4WD, fist 4WD design in Prius history. However, the experience sat into the car did not feel so exciting. Very similar to the Prius now, plastic buttons everywhere, and a little wired of the whole car side body balance.
Mirai, I had mistaken reorganize it as New Prius. And runs with a hydrogen fuel cell, definitely zero emission, without that nothing special.
S-FR, the direct opponent of Mazda MX-5, with 4 seats, hard roof. It was my first aim to watch before going the show, However too cute design, unknown production date, unknown price range. Hope I can touch the real production car in 2016.
Audi, I can feel just some serious Audi treat Japanese market. Under the little bit cold temperature lights, only one word for Audi, COOL. Carbon fiber goes everywhere, 5 cylinder monster TFSI engine, a unreal vehicle RS8. Don’t forget the Le mans winner e-tron quattro.
Under a huge pressure of the emission problem, Volkswagen was a little low key in Tokyo Motor Show, a nice polo WRC and GTI I love, the Golf GTE also looks cool. Every Golf is just no critic at all, once I sit into the Golf, I want to buy it surely.
Porsche, every year the same feeling. Hard to tell the reason that I do not like this brand, but I will not buy a Porsche.
Nissan, Japanese giant, showed a autonomous future Leaf, called IDS. and the GridZ, maybe the Z line is going to disappear in the future? Beside these, some Nismo, a Gran turismo concept. Maybe I will not buy a Nissan car, even getting more sure after reading this articular today.
Citroen, I have really really failed in love with Citroen, because of Xsara WRC. But now, WRC car of Citroen is the unwilling to buy DS3. The C4 used to be sharply nice, now turned into a boring uncle. Also the price point of Citroen is high in Japan.
Final one, the brightest star of Tokyo Motor Show 2015, Mazda! At he first presentation roll, Mazda shocked everyone with its Rotary engine sport car concept: RX-VISION. Of course RX stands for Rotary engine series, which now ended production in 2012. Let’s me how Mazda deals with this market and the long nose of this exiting Concept car into real monster!
Mazda official customize of the MX-5. This one based on 2.0L engine US version, but if I buy a MX-5, I will light wright it into my limit.
Only several seconds to watch the nice illumination show on the Diamond big sight building, a busy visiting of my Tokyo Motor Show 2015, but fully satisfied. I wish I can go here every two year by using a preview day invitation.
Final additional thoughts: Tokyo Motor Show 2015 included no Korean Maker, the big Hyundai. No Chinese maker, okay they do not sale cars in japan, I can understand.But no US maker, like GM, Ford. I just can’t believe that. Also, maybe due to the limitation of the show site, not so much parts suppliers here. Although Bosch, Denso and Continental owned pretty big booths, I want to see more customize and accessory makers, like Sparco, Brembo, OMP, AlphinStars.
See all max quality photos in my Google Photos: 