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Tokyo Motor Show 2007 - Highlights
by CDN Team
Lexus LF-Xh concept
The LF-Xh is a taster for the forthcoming successor for the current RX series of luxury SUVs that Lexus will reposition to compete with BMW's new X6, complete with more coupe-like looks and hybrid drivetrain. Access to the car was restricted at the show and it was displayed in a rather dark cave (complete with dry ice mist that didn't aid viewing) and there didn't appear to be any interior on this model as yet. Compared to the current car, the sporty appearance is enhanced by the faster front and rear screen angles, plus a shallow DLO with more dynamic shape around the rear door area that has echoes of recent Lexus sedans.
In side profile the design is characterised by the horizontal stance with little wedge to the beltline and a taut bone line along the shoulder that, as on the Mitsubishi Concept ZT, acts to tie the front and rear ends together. The wheelbase is increased to 2850 mm and the wheelarches are now angled ellipses rather than purely circular, to add to the dynamic look of the car.
At the front, the visual weight is considerably lower than the current RX, which always suffered from its tip-toe stance and too-high bumper. However, the LF-Xh front end is possibly the weakest part of this design: there is a wide four-bar grille that sits lower than the headlamps with a surrounding frame extending as sharp spears into the adjacent lamps and, together with the heavily-cheeked 'jowels' on the corners that contain airscoops and driving lamps, the overall effect appears somewhat over-busy.
By contrast, the rear is very orthodox in design, with only the outline shape of the taillamp to add a new twist to the clean rear appearance. In all, the LF-Xh is a logical progression of Lexus design language and the new production model should relate more clearly to that character than does the current RX series.
The LF-Xh is a taster for the forthcoming successor for the current RX series of luxury SUVs that Lexus will reposition to compete with BMW's new X6, complete with more coupe-like looks and hybrid drivetrain. Access to the car was restricted at the show and it was displayed in a rather dark cave (complete with dry ice mist that didn't aid viewing) and there didn't appear to be any interior on this model as yet. Compared to the current car, the sporty appearance is enhanced by the faster front and rear screen angles, plus a shallow DLO with more dynamic shape around the rear door area that has echoes of recent Lexus sedans.
In side profile the design is characterised by the horizontal stance with little wedge to the beltline and a taut bone line along the shoulder that, as on the Mitsubishi Concept ZT, acts to tie the front and rear ends together. The wheelbase is increased to 2850 mm and the wheelarches are now angled ellipses rather than purely circular, to add to the dynamic look of the car.
At the front, the visual weight is considerably lower than the current RX, which always suffered from its tip-toe stance and too-high bumper. However, the LF-Xh front end is possibly the weakest part of this design: there is a wide four-bar grille that sits lower than the headlamps with a surrounding frame extending as sharp spears into the adjacent lamps and, together with the heavily-cheeked 'jowels' on the corners that contain airscoops and driving lamps, the overall effect appears somewhat over-busy.
By contrast, the rear is very orthodox in design, with only the outline shape of the taillamp to add a new twist to the clean rear appearance. In all, the LF-Xh is a logical progression of Lexus design language and the new production model should relate more clearly to that character than does the current RX series.
Subaru G4e concept
The G4e was the most advanced of three new cars exhibited by Subaru at Tokyo, the others being the more conventional Exiga seven-seat wagon concept and the new Impreza WRX STi production car. The G4e is Subaru's latest testbed for an electrical vehicle with lithium-ion batteries packaged under the floor and a 200km range between charges, all clothed in a body similar in size to a Mercedes A-Class.
The triangular shaped body is said to express 'An image of heading toward the future' but it's not clear why this slightly odd profile with highest point of the roof too far rearwards is a good thing. The upper cabin looks very vertical and narrow in some views, and appears to need more tumblehome and there's an uncomfortable mix of rounded and sharp lines around the rear. The front is better executed with the dark band of lamps that curl downwards at the ends and a grille enhanced with blue illumination to match the Subaru badge. That odd small circle in the middle of the lower bumper is the charging connector but looks like old crank handle socket from 70 yrs ago. In many ways it's a slightly dated showcar that feels like it might have come from any show from the last fifteen years.
The interior is more 21st century sci-fi, with a dramatic red and white environment boosted with gold accents and a series of blue display screens that tumble all the way down to the floor like a vast waterfall. It's all a bit bizarre (especially the color combinations), but then it's typical of the Tokyo show and - thankfully - Subaru has never been one for conventional thinking.
The G4e was the most advanced of three new cars exhibited by Subaru at Tokyo, the others being the more conventional Exiga seven-seat wagon concept and the new Impreza WRX STi production car. The G4e is Subaru's latest testbed for an electrical vehicle with lithium-ion batteries packaged under the floor and a 200km range between charges, all clothed in a body similar in size to a Mercedes A-Class.
The triangular shaped body is said to express 'An image of heading toward the future' but it's not clear why this slightly odd profile with highest point of the roof too far rearwards is a good thing. The upper cabin looks very vertical and narrow in some views, and appears to need more tumblehome and there's an uncomfortable mix of rounded and sharp lines around the rear. The front is better executed with the dark band of lamps that curl downwards at the ends and a grille enhanced with blue illumination to match the Subaru badge. That odd small circle in the middle of the lower bumper is the charging connector but looks like old crank handle socket from 70 yrs ago. In many ways it's a slightly dated showcar that feels like it might have come from any show from the last fifteen years.
The interior is more 21st century sci-fi, with a dramatic red and white environment boosted with gold accents and a series of blue display screens that tumble all the way down to the floor like a vast waterfall. It's all a bit bizarre (especially the color combinations), but then it's typical of the Tokyo show and - thankfully - Subaru has never been one for conventional thinking.
Mitsuoka Orochi
Mitsuoka, best known for those Jaguar Mk2 look-alikes based on Nissan Micras, was showing three examples of the new Orochi supercar here at the Tokyo Show. Although launched last year, this was the first time for most journalists to see this new Toyota V6-powered supercar and, according to designer Takanori Aoki, over 60 have now been produced for the Japanese domestic market - at a price of 12 million yen each. The name derives from a legendary Japanese serpent and, indeed, the design could be said to reflect a certain reptilian nature, albeit one that appears to have eaten rather too much.
The car itself is part of a larger brand building exercise called Orochi Project that is using top Japanese architects, musicians and fashion designers to promote the image and is impressive for its professionalism. The actual styling of the car, however, is less so. It is somewhat naive, combining a generic early-90's supercar theme with heavily-overworked detailing that takes the snake-like idea rather too literally. The side view is a jumble of concave and convex sections, with a lazy curve that loops up into the side scoop and over the rear wheelarch, while the rear is a mixture of Corvette-meets-Diablo design cues. But it's the front where the styling really goes overboard: together with the overdressed feminine eyes, there's a cutesey mouth with lips and teeth, a fussy mesh-filled lower grille, plus a vee aperture in the hood filled with 5 ribs, plus 8 portholes, plus...
Nevertheless, in a similar vein to a Koenigsegg, Pagani or Noble, where homespun exterior styling belies the incredible performance and handmade quality of the rest of the car, the Mitsuoka deserves to be added to the list of interesting niche cars. With the demise of the Honda NSX, it seems churlish not to applaud this attempt to give Japanese millionaires their own native supercar once again.
Mitsuoka, best known for those Jaguar Mk2 look-alikes based on Nissan Micras, was showing three examples of the new Orochi supercar here at the Tokyo Show. Although launched last year, this was the first time for most journalists to see this new Toyota V6-powered supercar and, according to designer Takanori Aoki, over 60 have now been produced for the Japanese domestic market - at a price of 12 million yen each. The name derives from a legendary Japanese serpent and, indeed, the design could be said to reflect a certain reptilian nature, albeit one that appears to have eaten rather too much.
The car itself is part of a larger brand building exercise called Orochi Project that is using top Japanese architects, musicians and fashion designers to promote the image and is impressive for its professionalism. The actual styling of the car, however, is less so. It is somewhat naive, combining a generic early-90's supercar theme with heavily-overworked detailing that takes the snake-like idea rather too literally. The side view is a jumble of concave and convex sections, with a lazy curve that loops up into the side scoop and over the rear wheelarch, while the rear is a mixture of Corvette-meets-Diablo design cues. But it's the front where the styling really goes overboard: together with the overdressed feminine eyes, there's a cutesey mouth with lips and teeth, a fussy mesh-filled lower grille, plus a vee aperture in the hood filled with 5 ribs, plus 8 portholes, plus...
Nevertheless, in a similar vein to a Koenigsegg, Pagani or Noble, where homespun exterior styling belies the incredible performance and handmade quality of the rest of the car, the Mitsuoka deserves to be added to the list of interesting niche cars. With the demise of the Honda NSX, it seems churlish not to applaud this attempt to give Japanese millionaires their own native supercar once again.
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