| 1 Daihatsu Mud Master-C |
| They say "Mud Master-C has the power to keep going deep into treacherous terrain... can travel and transport loads through narrow passes in mountainous areas... can be fitted with attachments for mountain, agricultural, landscape-gardening, forestry, disaster-area relief missions..." |
| We say Right, so if you need a vehicle with which you can win the Raid de Himalaya on one day, do some hedge-trimming the next and perhaps go and rescue some earthquake-survivors on another, this is the one for you. |
| Of course, it looks like a bumped-up Omni van and people are likely to laugh out loud at its name, but then can they go deep into treacherous terrain like you? Huh? Huh? |
| 2 Suzuki X-Head |
| They say Form follow function for leisure, fashion or rescue. An unprecedented cross-utility vehicle where imagine begets new value... If your lifestyle changes form, your car should too. |
| We say Forget the semantics and the suggestion that the X-Head is an Iron Maiden tee, an Armani jacket and a firesuit, all at once. |
| The X-Head looks dead cool, and we can see a whole bunch of spiky haired Japanese teens who would love to be seen grooving at the wheel. Hell, forget the teens, we'd like one each as well. |
| Cool look, 4WD and loads of flexibility, this is seriously appealing! But again, the cynics say that when things like the X-Head begin to look normal, it's a sign that we've spent too much time at the Tokyo Motor Show. |
| 3 Suzuki Biplane |
| They say Relishing the engine rumble. Enjoying the dynamic acceleration feel. The exhilaration of carving up winding roads. Amongst the whole range of joy riding offers, we focused particularly on the elevating feel riders get when accelerating through a long straightaway "" like an aircraft taking off. |
| The concept model Biplane aims to capture the sensation shared by airplanes and bikes, using as a design motif the open feel of traditional biplanes. The Biplane envisions a fresh new motorcycle image that can capture the imagination of a wide range of people and convey the joy of riding even to people who never touched a motorcycle. |
| We say Can it! The PR gunk cannot hide what a gorgeous looking motorcycle the Biplane is. We don't really care whether the Biplane-Motorcycle angle even actually exists. We only know that the impractical Biplane is superb looking in the flesh and certainly worthy of design applause. |
| 4 Honda Puyo |
| They say "A car designed not just for the pleasure of users but also to please those around it too... note the cute front mask that looks like it could be a pet... the pliant gel body that invites you to stroke it and feels just like human or animal skin... the body emits light, giving an indication of running conditions... PUYO makes the future look brighter for people and the automobile." |
| We say This is the first time that we've ever heard of a car with human/animal-like skin as a USP. With its touchy-feely nature, a car like this could attract a lot of attention. Don't leave it parked on the street is our advice "" you never know who the car will invite to "stroke" it. We have to admit that it looks quite cute, though "" totally bonkers, but cute. |
| 5 Nissan PIVO2 |
| They say Whenever fun, and wherever convenient, with its lovable style and flexible movement... Robotic agent that appears on the dashboard recognises the facial image, and infers the driver's condition... full of lovable designs such as endearing Robotic Agent, front entry that acts as if it welcomes people saying "Hello", and lamps that clearly convey the expression as if being asleep, waking up, or feeling good, which is like an intelligent life design. |
| We say Er, can you repeat that, please, in English this time? The Tokyo Show usually has some really wild concepts, and although they seemed to have toned it down, the PIVO2 kept the eccentric flag flying high. |
| A monkey head (the "'Robotic Agent") on the dashboard that scans your face and says hello? That's creepy, if you ask us. The hands down winner of the loony brigade this year! Oh, and "pivo" means beer in the Czech language. Bartender, another one please. |
| 6 Nissan Skyline GT-R |
| They say For even more "waku waku" driving... just by steering and be seated in the car, without reason, the spirit is enhanced... the fact that you can always control the car as you wish and feel that you are one with car at all times... driving pleasure can be experienced by a beginner without a skilled driving technique... have ensured basic performance such as drivability and silence, despite of it being the world top super sports car. |
| We say Ok, the Skyline GT-R's not a concept, but the official brochure was too good to pass up. 'Waku waku' was a Japanese fighting game released in 1996, and was also a Spanish TV show in the late '80s. |
| Perhaps the new GT-R will transform you into a martial arts expert named Pepe, eh? And a 480 bhp, potential 911-beater seems just the car for an unskilled beginner to have a go in. Of course, if your spirit is being unreasonable and needs enhancing, you could just sit in the car and steer it, since it's the 'world top super sports car.' Come on, Nissan, Godzilla deserved better literature! |
| 7 Toyota RiN |
| They say To make vehicle cabins as stress-free as possible, we have applied a variety of technologies over the years. In this concept for the future, we go beyond comfort and convenience, aiming to improve emotional well-being too. |
| The RiN is designed so that the more you drive, the healthier you get "" in mind and body. The doors open with a calm grace one experiences when entering a traditional Japanese tea ceremony room. |
| The seats keep your posture perfect. And the steering control uses biofeedback to pick up on your mood and bring you back into balance. Everything about the RiN is intended to nurture self-awareness and foster altruism toward your fellow human beings and the natural world. |
| We say What were the designers taking when this happened to them? Last thing we need, really is a car with slow doors, colour-changing steering and a machined aimed squarely at rebalacing your act and fixing the mind and body. We'd just like to drive, thank you. |
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