Talking about an e-Evolution revolution

Of all the world’s major motor shows, it could be that Tokyo is the one that has the most fun. Maybe it’s because Japan is the home of the ‘‘kei’’ cars, those tiny vehicles that were first introduced after World War II and were of a price that the financially struggling masses could afford.

These days they’ve developed into funky little things, engine displacement no more than 660cc, that might not appeal in countries such as New Zealand – but the Japanese love them.

As a result there are plenty of them on display at the Tokyo Motor Show, which has just opened its doors to the public.

The vehicles are in both production and concept forms, and they’re adding a real fun element to the show. And that’s flowing through to displays of plenty of larger vehicles with rather entertaining designs.

We’ve been at the traditional media day prior to the show opening to the public. Here’s our selection of six of the most entertaining designs at Tokyo this year.

Remember this, old fogies

Way back in 1963 Daihatsu, one of the kings of the Kei car, introduced a new model called the Compagno.

In the seven years it was in existence, the vehicle was sold as a two- and four-door sedan, two-door pickup, three-door van, and as a convertible.

A total of 120,000 Compagnos were sold before production halted in 1970.

At Tokyo 2017 one of original Compagnos is on display, and alongside it is a cute little fourdoor coupe that has been developed by Daihatsu as a concept that – Daihatsu’s words, not ours – targets active seniors. In other words, all the oldies who no doubt got up to all sorts of hijinks in the little sedan/pickup/ van/convertible all those years ago.

The new concept is a pretty little car with a beautifully tapered roofline, with the rear door handles recessed into an extended line of the window at the base of the C-pillar.

Powertrains are either a 1.0-litre turbo engine, or a 1.2-litre hybrid.

Mitsubishi always has been pretty good at building SUVs. In New Zealand we’ve got the small ASX, the slightly larger Eclipse Cross, the Pajero Sport which is bigger again, and the Outlander which is the brand’s opening foray into the world of electrification because it can purchased as a plug-in hybrid.

But nothing compares to an SUV concept Mitsubishi has developed for the Tokyo show. It’s called the e-Evolution, and it is intended to take the brand’s knowledge of SUVs, all-wheel drive and electrification to an entirely new level.

This all-electric SUV also has artificial intelligence to anticipate the driver’s intent and feelings, and even communicate - all in the interest, says Mitsubishi, of making motoring more fun.

Oh - and we think the e-Evolution looks pretty darned good, too.

Turning over a more sporting Leaf

There are plenty of motorists in New Zealand who know what a Nissan Leaf is. That’s the allelectric hatch that didn’t sell very well as a new car, but is now selling very well as a used import. There’s now a brand-new secondgeneration Leaf on sale in Japan, and there’s plenty of them on display at the Tokyo show - so many, in fact, that you could say there’s a forest of them.

And among them all is a Leaf that has been fettled by Nismo, which is Nissan’s motorsports and in-house tuning division. This concept, which had its world premiere at Tokyo, has a more aerodynamic body, sports-tuned suspension, and a custom-tuned on-board computer that helps deliver instant acceleration at all speeds. Just like any good Nismo should.

The little car looks great, too. Fancy that - an electric hot hatch. Let’s hope it moves through to production.

Viziv looking to a highperformance future

Among some pretty spunky Subaru product on display at Tokyo is a concept that it is spunkiest of them all - a model called Viziv. The name comes from the phrase ‘‘Vision for Innovation’’, and the vehicle’s design draws on learnings from the Legacy, Impreza and WRX to offer some idea as to what Subaru’s next-generation sports sedan might look like.

It looks very nice. There’s a rigid, forwardthrusting body with flared fenders and a low centre of gravity - just what is needed with a car powered by Subaru;s famous boxer engine.

The car would also self-drive, using a high-performance version of Subaru’s well-known EyeSight technology.

This little Suzy has a future compact future

Trust Suzuki. The company that over the years has developed a whole series of compact SUVs that range from the Jimny to the Vitara, has designed a striking electric SUV concept called e-Survivor. The whole point of the concept is to suggest the potential for electric four-wheel driving.

The e-Survivor is built on a full ladder frame, and features an independent 4WD system that has four motors (two each positioned on the front and rear axles), so the driver can enjoy precise driving force control, and manoeuvreability not found on conventional 4WD vehicles.

This concept also envisages a new user interface that would constantly communicate the driving situation to the driver.

Can this Toyota become ‘‘beloved’’?

Perhaps the most futuristiclooking concept on display at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show is this offering from Toyota - the Concept-i.

The aim of the concept is to showcase the theory that through artificial intelligence and automated driving, future cars can become more than just a machine, but a partner. In other words, cars would turn from being ‘‘things’’ to ‘‘entities’’.

‘‘Toyota aims to create a new age of beloved cars as partners that understand their drivers and grow together with them,’’ says Toyota. Wow. Can anyone currently say that about their Corolla hatch?