Entering the Tokyo International Exhibition Center, the new home of this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, the impact of the global economic crisis coupled with the earthquake and tsunami that shook Japan earlier this year, and the recent flooding in Thailand, were immediately sensed.
Japan was once dominant in the automotive industry but appears to be facing a bleak future. FOURIN, a global automotive market research and publishing company, revealed that the share of Japanese cars in the global market had plunged from 32.2 percent in 2008 to 28.6 percent in 2010.
However, Japanese carmakers are striving to bounce back, showcasing their latest concept cars at the show, which runs from Dec. 3-11, as well as cars that have entered the domestic market and are available worldwide.
Nissan featured its LEAF electric car, crowned “Car of the Year” at the show, which was attended by 176 exhibitors from 12 countries.
“Zero-emission vehicles can clearly be competitive alternatives to conventional ones,” said Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn.
Daihatsu and Suzuki featured compact cars for only two or three persons.
Daihatsu’s PICO two-seater electric vehicle resembles a combination of a light automobile and motorized bicycle. The PICO has been developed as a model that is expected to be able to “accommodate social and environmental changes such as an aging population, regional locations and delivery businesses”.
Daihatsu claimed that the car would be ideal for short trips on a daily basis and it would be easy to use as it enables driving assistance with its advanced radar.
President of Daihatsu Motor Koichi Ina, said that the carmaker had adopted the slogan “Big Answer from Small” for the show and through each of its exhibits would outline a roadmap for technological innovation that everyone in the world could enjoy in a compact car style.
Meanwhile, Suzuki featured its Q-concept car, an electric vehicle that is intended to be ideal for shopping, commuting or transporting the family.
According to the carmaker, the three-seater Q-concept is very useful for people’s mobility within a radius of 10 kilometers from home.
Japanese leading carmaker, Toyota, featured its Fun-Vii (Fun Vehicle Interactive Internet) concept car. Its body is made of flexible OLED screens that can display different pictures.
The idea behind the vehicle is to enable customers to change the appearance of their cars with a simple click, as shown by a model carrying his iPad bearing the same picture that was immediately then shown on the car’s body.
In addition to concept cars, carmakers also showcased their latest products entering the market.
Toyota, for example, featured its 86 sports car. What makes this car special is the collaboration between Toyota and Subaru in its production. Toyota provides the exterior and funds while Subaru supplies the chassis, engine, transmission, brakes and suspension, according to MotorTrend magazine. The car is expected to enter the Indonesian market next year.
In the absence of US carmakers, German producers dominated the non-Japanese automotive companies.
Mercedes-Benz featured its F 125 research vehicle, which anticipated future technical developments in the luxury car market.
“With the F 125 we want to show that large, comfortable and safe saloon cars have an excellent future, partly because they are able to operate with no emissions,” said Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Car Development.
Another German carmaker, BMW, showcased its ActiveHybrid 5-Series, which was equipped with an electric motor, a six-cylinder petrol engine and automatic transmission. While Volkswagen of Germany featured Cross Coupé and Passat Alltrack.
For motorcycle lovers, the Japanese producers Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda also featured their latest innovations.
