Everything comes in a box in Tokyo. Press kits, our lunch, the Starbucks latte and scone we ordered at the train station this morning, and certainly, personal transportation.
There are good reasons for this: One, boxes are inherently tidy, orderly, law-abiding and stylish. Two, twelve million people live in this city, and boxes are more space-efficient to sardine into garages. Three, the government-subsidized kei car class places stringest limitations on a car's physical footprint, so a box-shaped vehicle ensures maximum interior space.
Any manufacturer that's serious about doing business in Japan has at least one box-shaped vehicle on its stand. This year the Honda N Box and Daihatsu FC ShoCase concept get our best-in-show awards in the box category.
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Categories: Concept Vehicles,Daihatsu,Honda,Minivans,Tokyo Motor Show
Daihatsu Deca Deca.
It's just plain fun to say, isn't it?
But it's also a clever little microvan full of modern conveniences. Measuring a foot shorter than a Mini Cooper, the Deca Deca looks likes a miniaturized cargo van with a low, flat load floor. Reconfigurable seats swing around to a variety of sitting positions.
A turbocharged 1.3-liter three-cylinder engine drives the front wheels through a CVT.
Doubt that giant flat screen will make it to production, though.
Kelly Toepke, News Editor
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Categories: Daihatsu,Tokyo Motor Show
According to Automotive News
the Tokyo Motor Show, currently scheduled for October 23rd through November 8th, might be cancelled due to lack of manufacturer interest.
This might say all sorts of things about the current state of the car world, the current state of the world economy or the current state of other big, important things. What it says to us however, is that we might be deprived of the one of our favorite auto shows.
What will the world be without Tokyo-show concept cars that glow-in-the-dark, are powered by mutant squirrels and can be folded up to fit in a suit case? We do not want to consider such a fate. And who will step in to provide replacements the world's greatest car names such as D-Bone, Fuya-jo and Begin Funkybox? Nobody, that's who.
A decision on whether to go ahead with the show is expected within a month. In the meantime we've gathered some examples of what will be lost should this come to pass.
Categories: Daihatsu,Honda,Nissan,Suzuki,Tokyo Motor Show
The rumored Toyota and Subaru "new deal" has been announced, with Toyota increasing their ownership of FHI from 8.7 percent to 16.5 percent. Also part of the package is the announcement that Daihatsu will be involved.
The Daihatsu tie-in is somewhat of a surprise, but it really shouldn't be. They've been involved with Toyota for quite some time, and have recently supplied Subaru with a new 1.3L Justy for the European market...
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Categories: Daihatsu,Future Vehicles,Subaru,Toyota
New images of the previously posted Subaru G4e concept (
2007 Tokyo Auto Show Preview: Subaru G4e EV concept
) have shown up on the Net.
The more I see this car, the more I like itâand I do see a "Subaru look" emerging here. The front hints at what we see in the new Impreza. My feeling is that the front of the new Impreza, while pretty good, is not fully resolved...
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Categories: All Auto Shows,Daihatsu,Subaru,Tokyo Motor Show
