TOKYO: The Tokyo Motor Show 2015 featured a host of concept cars and CarSifu picked a few we liked from Lexus, Toyota, and Mitsubishi which boasted bold designs, fuel cell powerplants, and electric vehicles (EV).
Lexus
Lexus revealed the LF-FC flagship concept, a visionary new vehicle that offers a peek into the design and technology direction of the brand’s future flagship sedan.
The LF-FC features a fresh new styling theme that embodies Lexus’ “L-finesse” design philosophy.
From every angle, the sedan is aggressively elegant, exuding the spirit of a grand touring vehicle.
An evolved version of Lexus’ signature grille with a new mesh design dominates the front, while floating “L-shaped” daytime running lights (DRL) extrude flawlessly from the front fenders. The rear is highlighted by striking new taillights that adopt the same floating theme as the DRL.
The spacious interior of the LF-FC has been designed to wrap its occupants in a comfortable yet futuristic environment, while providing the driver with a highly-functional cockpit. The cabin has been designed in two sections, top and bottom.
Highlighting the new technology inside the LF-FC is an advanced human machine interface that can be operated by simple hand gestures, without the need to touch a panel or controls. A small holographic image on the center console indicates where the system can interpret your hand gestures to control the audio system and ventilation.
At the heart of the LF-FC is a high output fuel cell power system that energizes the rear wheels, and also sends power to two in-wheel motors in the front, making the LF-FC all-wheel-drive. Using automated driving technologies, with elevated traffic environment recognition, prediction, and judgment function, the LF-FC provides a safe and efficient driving experience for its occupants and supports the vision of a world without traffic accidents.
Toyota
Toyota presented its vision for the future of mobility where three very different new concept cars was revealed. The concepts were world premieres: the Toyota FCV Plus, the Toyota S-FR and the Toyota Kikai.
Toyota S-FR
The Toyota S-FR is a concept vehicle that continues the proud heritage of Toyota’s fun-to-drive lightweight sports cars. Pitched as an entry-level model, the new concept emphasizes responsiveness, and aims to make a whole new generation fall in love with driving.
The concept’s compact body is incredibly light, yet offers a smooth driving style. Not just a sports car, it pairs the simplicity of an entry-level model with an intimacy that brings human and machine closer together.
It’s long nose and wide stance make for an archetypal sports car profile, while the familiar roundness of its frame inspires a feeling of closeness. The simple and modern finish of the interior rounds off a design that stresses approachable simplicity while conveying the vehicle’s performance and sporty spirit.
The full-fledged FR layout gives the engine a front midship location. Optimal weight distribution and independent suspension make for outstanding cornering performance.
A six-speed manual transmission offers smooth acceleration, adding to the car’s fun, responsive drive.
The Toyota S-FR was conceptualized as the kind of vehicle that attracts its own die-hard fan base, whose members love driving and customizing it.
Toyota Kikai
As a true concept car, the Toyota Kikai’s appeal is simultaneously free from and reliant on the core concepts of automobiles.
This concept takes the machinery, normally hidden beneath the vehicle body, and makes an open display of its beauty. Directly expressed in this way, the vehicle’s inner workings become part of the exterior. In addition to the carefully designed form, continued into details including the fuel tank, reserve tank, and exhaust pipes, the analog-style meters and switches offer an engaging dialog with the machinery.
The small window at the driver’s feet is another distinctive aspect of this car’s structure, communicating the movements of the tires and suspension and the rush of speed along the road surface. Through the windshield, the movements of the upper control arm are also visible.
The adoption of a central driver seat, which places the driver at the heart of the car, gives a more instinctive sensory connection with the vehicle. The optimal spacing between the three passenger seats achieved by their triangular layout creates a congenial in-cabin communication space. The expansive side window that reaches up to the roof delivers full enjoyment in urban and natural landscapes alike.
Toyota FCV Plus
Compressed hydrogen has a higher energy density than electricity, can be generated from a wide range of raw materials, and is easy to store, making it a promising future energy source.
Clean generation of hydrogen from a wide range of primary energy sources will make local, self-sufficient power generation a global reality, and fuel cell vehicles will take on a new role as power sources within their communities.
In addition to the vehicle’s own hydrogen tank, the car can also generate electricity directly from hydrogen stored outside the vehicle. The vehicle can thus be transformed into a stable source of electric power for use at home or away.
The fuel cell stack is mounted between the front tires, and the hydrogen tank behind the rear seat. Together with the adoption of independent in-wheel motors in all four wheels, this allows for a spacious cabin despite the vehicle’s compact vehicle body.
The exterior adopts a distinctive, sleek shape, while the frame structure of the interior ensures rigidity despite the light weight of the car.
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) debuted the MITSUBISHI eX Concept compact SUV concept car with a next-generation EV system.
The Mitsubishi eX Concept is a vision for a unique 100% electric-powered compact SUV aimed at the fast-growing compact SUV market. It uses MMC’s state-of-the art electric-powered technologies and all-wheel control technologies combined with automated driving technologies, connected car technologies, and active safety technologies.
Both exterior and interior indicate the direction MMC Design is taking. It evokes the image of a sporty crossover zipping nimbly around town as it merges the elegance and stylishness of a “shooting brake” with compact SUV lines.
