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Carsales Staff20 Oct 2009
NEWS

Local heroes star at Tokyo Motor Show

With little interest from outside car-makers, this year's Japanese show is largely inward-looking

The biannual Tokyo Motor Show, that opens this week, may be battling the odds in its 41st year as global focus turns towards China and the effects of the economic downturn continue to bite -- but there should be enough new product on view to make it a worthwhile visit.


The good news is that the 2009 event is actually happening. Earlier in the year, there were plenty of reports suggesting this year's show might get the chop as numerous high-profile international car-makers indicated a trip to Japan was unlikely.


With the resultant non-appearance of most global car-makers, this year's show will be largely domestic: Although all the Japanese players will be on hand, only two foreign marques will be present -- niche manufacturers Lotus (a British brand owned by Malaysian carmaker Proton) and the also-British brand Caterham.


Against this background, Japanese car-makers will be winding up to make as big an impact as possible at the show.


And although environmental friendliness is the show's major operating theme, a couple of aberrations were to be seen: Namely the rather indulgent, 350km/h Lexus sports coupe and the macho SZ LS 460 large sedan.


 


The LEXUS stand will be dominated by the company's first exotic car -- the carbon fibre-framed LF-A that is expected to be priced somewhere between $500,000 and $750,000.


Powered by a 367kW 4.8-litre V10, the Ferrari/Lamborghini challenging Lexus two-seater is rumoured to be capable of better than 350km/h.


The 2009 show is expected to see the final production version of a vehicle that was first displayed in concept form in 2003.


Australia might well see the exotic Lexus too: Lexus Australia chief executive John Roca said he will personally attend to customers taking delivery of their LF-As. The Carsales Network understands Lexus currently has three "serious" expressions of interest from local purchasers and would need just two more to clinch an import deal with the factory.


The premium Toyota offshoot will also be displaying the hunky Version SZ LS 460 large sedan complete with Brembo brakes, revised suspension with wider tyres and BBS alloys, and an aero body kit. The LS with attitude is not expected to reveal anything new under the bonnet, making do with the standard 4.6-litre 280kW V8 and its eight-speed auto transmission.


 


Over on the TOYOTA side, the Japanese giant will be displaying the boxer-engined FT-86 concept sports coupe developed in conjunction with Subaru.


Expected to hit the streets in late 2010 or early 2011, the new rear-drive 2+2 seater takes up the baton from Celica and was designed at the company's ED2 styling studio in France. Its Subaru-designed boxer engine is reputed to produce around 118kW and, in concept form, drives through a six-speed manual gearbox. Befitting its sporty nature, the compact rear-drive coupe has, according to Toyota, been designed for light weight and a low centre of gravity.


 


Meanwhile, at NISSAN, the technical team is gearing up to unveil the new Roox micro van expected to hit the streets of Japanese cities by the end of the year.


The tiny van is not expected to be an export earner and is aimed at domestic duties only. It features innovative remote-control sliding rear doors for easy access and will run an engine that is claimed to be eligible for Japan's eco-car tax subsidy.


Nissan will also have its wild Land Glider concept on display -- a cross between car and motorcycle that carries two people and relies solely on stored electricity for motivation. The 3.1 metre long Land Glider runs on four wheels and protects its passengers from the elements with an aviation-style canopy. It is probably reassuring to know the Land Glider uses a collision avoidance system similar to that used by European car-makers such as Volvo. It uses two electric motors and can be recharged wirelessly.


 


At MITSUBISHI, show goers will be able to ogle the PX-MiEV plug-in hybrid that is claimed to combine the lessons learned from the all-electric i-MiEV city car and the all-wheel drive Lancer Evolution.


The PX-MiEV uses both "conventional" hybrid technology with a combination of two electric motors and a 1.6-litre petrol engine meaning it can run with a combination of petrol/electric power, or as a pure electric vehicle. Drive for the petrol engine is directed, during high-speed running, to the front wheels, while in pure electric mode it can operate in front or rear-wheel drive form.


The PX-MiEV can be charged at either a 100-volt or 200-volt wall socket, or at a high-power quick-charging station.


The Evo connection comes from the adoption of E-AYC active yaw control that improves cornering traction at the rear wheels, along with S-AWC "super all wheel control" to distribute power between back and front wheels.


Mitsubishi put a lot of work into making a comfortable cabin for the PX-MiEV, using seat upholstery that "deactivates allergens, breaks down VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and offensive odour molecules as well as killing bacteria" as well as heat-reflective glass and a negative-ion aroma humidifier to "help reduce fatigue"..


The company will also be displaying its Nissan Dualis/VW Tiguan competitor first seen as the cX concept at the 2007 Frankfurt motor show.


Due to arrive in Australia early in 2010, the Mitsubishi SUV will be available with either 1.8-litre or 2.0-litre engines, as well as the choice of front-wheel or on-demand all-wheel drive. Prior to the Tokyo show, no name for the new mini SUV had been announced.


 


At HONDA, the 2009 Tokyo show will host the world debut of the CR-Z "Concept 2009" hybrid sports car which, despite its concept appellation, is expected to go on sale in Japan early in 2010.


One of a raft of high-performance hybrid sports cars beginning to appear from car-makers anxious to prove hybrid doesn't mean a loss of driver appeal, the CR-Z is underpinned by a 1.5-litre petrol engine working in with Honda's Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system. Intriguingly, the CR-Z will retain a sporty flavour by driving through a six-speed manual gearbox.


The Honda stand will also feature the company's SKYDECK six-seat hybrid, as well as the small EV-N retro-styled full-electric hatchback.


 


And over at SUBARU, there's the new Hybrid Tourer Concept, which marries the iconic horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine with a couple of electric motors to provide the all-wheel grip central to the company's identity. The concept wagon employs a CVT transmission and the boxer engine is turbocharged, with direct fuel injection.


The clean and rakish Tourer is an indicator of the company's future design language and features massive gullwing doors giving access to the interior. Clearly, like practically every other concept car that has used the spectacular but complex entry-egress system, they won't make it into production.


 


If you remember DAIHATSU, a light-car specialist that was taken under the wing of Toyota some years ago, there's a new car on display at Tokyo continuing the company's minimalist brief. It is the e.S Concept, a superlight micro car able to seat four occupants that is powered by a small petrol engine with auto stop/start technology. The Daihatsu e.S Concept weighs 700kg and is 3.1 metres long.


 


The plug-in concept is taking root with a vengeance, as indicated by SUZUKI'S plug-in hybrid Swift.


Although only images are so far available of the new car, it is believed to use a 660cc petrol engine working in with a 54kW electric motor to provide hybrid functionality. The lithium-ion battery stack is housed in the longitudinal tunnel running under the floor from front to rear.


The hybrid Swift also allows plug-inc charging of the batteries via a household power socket.


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