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By Brian Afuang
IT may well be a
political-correctness convention, all righteous and hand-holdingly
fuzzy-cuddly in a collective effort to save the planet. At the
ongoing 40th edition of the Tokyo International Motor
Show—Asia’s most important the same way the Frankfurt show is to
Europe and the Detroit spectacle is to the Americas—performance
cars that appeal to genuine car guys stick out like a thick, fat,
juicy, bloody-rare steak amid a buffet of healthful but immensely
bland tofu.
The world’s leading auto
manufacturers lined them up. Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Nissan,
Mitsubishi, Subaru even, as well as European giants Mercedes-Benz,
BMW, VW and Volvo and American carmakers Ford and Chrysler all
displayed wares, both in production and concept forms, that are
powered by hybrids, clean diesels, hydrogen, electric. The Japanese,
quite expectedly, led the charge of new concept vehicles that not
only take good care of the environment in terms of manufacturing
processes, materials used, emissions and fuel efficiency, but also
of cuddling their occupants inside soothing spa-like cocoons that
promote good health and wellbeing, all made possible by high tech
sensors, lighting, materials and aural gimmickry. The pedestrians
these cars of the future will some day hit are likely going to
suffer less injuries too, thanks to cushioning, shapes, materials
and crumple zones that are designed to protect them.
If there’s a vehicle to topple
Third-World tyrants and their oppressive governments, it wouldn’t
be surprising to learn it’s already in the drawing board of a
carmaker or two.
Nissan has the Pivo2 electric
concept that’s fitted with lithium-ion batteries and
omni-directional in-wheel motors that allow for easy parking. It
also has a small robot head on the dashboard that tells angry or
sleepy drivers to calm down or wake up, a sensor constantly reading
their facial expressions.
Honda’s CR-Z concept is a
sporty coupe concept that runs by a hybrid power plant. The carmaker
also has the PUYO concept that’s influenced by Honda’s popular
Asimo robot. The Puyo has a face that looks like a Japanese animé
pet.
Mitsubishi displays the Concept
ZT that has a lane-drift warning system, a hood that pops out to
cushion hit pedestrians and is powered by a clean diesel engine. The
carmaker also has the i-MIEV that runs on electric in-wheel motors.
Even Subaru, a carmaker known for
road cars that’s a roll cage away from rallying, gets in the act
by displaying the G4e—or Green for the Earth—electric car
that’s similar to its production model keicar R1.
Euro luxury carmaker
Mercedes-Benz has on display an array of Diesotto clean diesel and
Bluetec diesel hybrid models on its huge floor space.
Besides its production model
hybrids—which include the poster boy Prius—Toyota is flaunting
the RiN concept that focuses on improving the comfort levels inside
the vehicle through constant interaction between driver and vehicle.
The world’s biggest carmaker also displays the Hi-CT concept
that’s powered by a plug-in hybrid and has cartoon-funky looks.
So what are the cars car guys
love that are in the show?
For starters there is the much
anticipated, much maligned latest Subaru Impreza WRX STi hatchback
which, thankfully, is not as detestable looking as its plain Impreza
sibling. Tucked a few booths away is the STi’s nemesis, the
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, which features many all-new high
performance tech under a sheet metal that has been neutered. In the
Evo X, Mitsubishi has taken the massive angular bulges and wings
that have defined Lancer Evos for the nine generations of its
existence.
Now while the Europeans led by
Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Mini, Rolls Royce and Lamborghini could be
counted on to provide numerous models that make a car guy’s blood
pressure shoot out of Makuhari Messe’s lofty display hall roof,
what may be the true star among the enthusiast cars is Nissan’s
GTR. Already steeped in automotive tuner culture lore and spawning
entire arcade game, parts and accessories and lifestyle industries,
the GTR is the latest, much-awaited model of the legendary Skyline
progeny.
Give me a thick, fat, juicy
bloody-rare steak anytime.
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