The primary time I visited Tokyo Auto Salon, Dino gave me one piece of recommendation essential for protecting it on Speedhunters: “Go to the final corridor, first. We Japanese really feel the necessity to full them within the right order supposed by the present. That final corridor will likely be empty for the primary hour.”
It’s the proper instance of why Japanese tradition could be each massively entertaining and irritating relying on which facet of the fence you’re sat. And that’s not simply Dino banter both; it genuinely stays probably the most environment friendly solution to cowl TAS on any given day.
In England, we’re conditioned to consider that guidelines are there merely for steering somewhat than a code to reside by. And look the place that’s acquired us; Brexit, three PMs in as many months and a nation satisfied summer season tyres can be utilized even when it’s snowing. ‘Siri, present me vehicles stranded on the M25.’
I don’t suppose there’s a single story on Speedhunters the place I haven’t rambled about Japan sooner or later, and the easy cause is as a result of I am keen on this place. For many years, Japan has been the driving pressure behind my obsession with automobile tradition, and each go to simply appears to compound that obsession additional.
There’s an odd phenomenon when one thing you’ve adopted for thus lengthy features enormous recognition with the lots. It’s like when your favorite unknown artist begins getting performed on the radio. You ought to be blissful for ‘em, however there’s a component inside you which ones resents the success. To not them as a person, however in the direction of the military of latest followers performing like they’ve simply found literal hearth.
And it’d be very straightforward to really feel this fashion about Tokyo Auto Salon. 2023 guarantees to be one of many present’s busiest years up to now, particularly with so many western media retailers and social media personalities in attendance. So, in case your curiosity in Japanese automobile tradition is minimal at finest, you’re in for a really lengthy January.
However that mindset above can be whole nonsense. No person – regardless of what number of followers they’ve – is unearthing Japanese automobile tradition for the primary time. TAS existed lengthy earlier than Speedhunters, and lengthy earlier than most of us had been even born. Anybody performing like a gatekeeper right here must put down the anime and go for a stroll.
In actuality, what we’re all witnessing is simply real, nearly uncontrollable pleasure for automobile tradition. And that may be a very good factor for everybody locked on this trade. Few locations on the earth current it on such an genuine degree as Japan. And should you’ve been lucky sufficient to go to this nation, you’ll know precisely how that feels no matter what yr it was.
Tokyo Auto Salon, like different points of Japan, has this odd sense of being an setting which reached the yr 2005 and determined ‘yup, that is our optimum yr. Let’s not go any additional.’ The one giveaway that we’re now in 2023 is a few of the vehicles on show.
Journalists are nonetheless given press info on CDs. Hand-held camcorders are plagued by metallic stickers boasting 720p decision. And promo women undertake the much less is extra strategy to clothes the deeper into Tokyo Auto Salon you get. Evidently #MeToo hasn’t translated very properly into kanji, but.
TAS can be one of many few locations you’ll see a serious automotive producer rubbing shoulders with a batsh*t LED-clad demo automobile from a tuner who determined {that a} big dinosaur was the proper mascot to advertise their vary of cupholders. If you wish to be optimistic, you might say that is Tokyo Auto Salon treating everybody equally. In actuality, no person’s ready to talk up or recommend in any other case for concern of offending each other.
Now I’ve wasted 600+ phrases taking you down a reminiscence land no person truly requested for, let’s get to the true cause you’re right here – the vehicles. And I’ll maintain this as temporary as attainable, partly as a result of we’ve acquired TAS-centric tales deliberate every single day for the subsequent week, and primarily as a result of it’s Friday night in Japan and this story ought to’ve gone reside a half hour in the past.
Let’s begin with the brand new vehicles. Unsurprisingly, Nissan’s Fairlady Z and the Toyota GR86 are the 2 huge winners right here. And that’s completely value celebrating, as a result of in a world the place inner combustion engines and guide gearboxes are being phased out, these two show there’s nonetheless life within the (new) canine but.
With the Z particularly being so new, the majority of tuning on show revolves round bolt-on elements and exterior parts. However there are a couple of pushing issues a lot, a lot additional, and like at Toyota Auto Salons of the ’90s and ’00s, you’ll be able to at all times depend on VeilSide to ship the greats.
After which there’s Rocket Bunny. As one of many first to provide a ‘full’ package for the brand new Z, it’s no shock to see Pandem-kitted vehicles taking centre stage on a number of stands, together with these of RAYS, GReddy and Cusco.
Talking of acquainted tuners… they’re again. Alright, they by no means went away. However these tuners we grew up watching on grainy Video Choice DVDs are out in full pressure at TAS 2023. And even higher than that, it appears they’re embracing their previous historical past too.
On the HKS stand, the place 50 years of tuning is being celebrated, their brutal Drag 70 Supra – a 7-second beast from the early ’90s – fills the again part, nestled in firm by the long-lasting HKS Gr.A R32 Skyline GT-R. High Secret’s stand is amassed with screens exhibiting Smoky Nagata’s outdated speed-based escapades, and RE Amemiya are showcasing a few of their traditional builds too.
But when we’re speaking about blurring historical past with trendy know-how, no person has achieved it higher than Toyota this yr. Head to the Gazoo Racing stand and also you’ll see two AE86s on the primary stage alongside all the newest equipment. Unusual however cool, proper?
However all will not be because it appears underneath the bonnet. That Levin sprouts vibrant orange electrical wires on show, and a variety of empty area. Yup, it’s electrical powered. And yup, it was inevitable in the future, wasn’t it? Earlier than you dismiss it, there’s two issues which could change your thoughts…
For a begin there’s a gearbox in it. Not a token shifter or push/pull sequential, however a correct H-pattern guide. And it’s not electrically-triggered both; it runs a standard clutch with precise really feel and the flexibility to clutch-kick and run by the gears. Muck up the shift and it’ll kangaroo and judder similar to an ICE-powered one.
Then, there’s the Trueno subsequent to it. Below the bonnet appears to be like like a super-clean 4A-GE. It’s not powered by electrical energy… nevertheless it’s not powered by petrol both. This one’s hydrogen. Not solely have Toyota constructed a hydrogen-powered AE86, they’ve retained its iconic 1.6L twin-cam 16-valve 4 cylinder engine too.
Apart from the tanks within the again, there’s no different giveaway. And – we’ve been assured by Gazoo Racing’s Koji Sato – that it sounds and feels similar to the unique 4A-GE. Because the Working Officer of GR and a correct petrolhead, we’ll take his phrase for it.
For those who’re questioning how we make sure the preservation of traditional motoring in a future freed from fossil fuels, this would possibly simply be it. Similar noise, identical expertise, no emissions. We’ve acquired a full characteristic on each these vehicles coming very quickly.
The final automobile we’ll spotlight proper now’s the plain one – Liberty Stroll’s Ferrari F40. It’s been teased for months, and the web has been a hive with each admiration and disgust.
For Tokyo Auto Salon 2023, Kato-san determined to blur the strains between efficiency artwork and automobile tuning by taking a cutter to the F40’s rear arch proper earlier than unveiling it. You would possibly cry in ache, however the balls to tug this off are past admirable.
Over the past decade particularly, Kato-san and his crew and proved that no automobile can – or ought to – be left untouched. The F40 was at all times the one automobile we assumed can be holy, however that additionally makes it the proper assertion in 2023 too.
And you realize what? It appears to be like unbelievable. All of us anticipated it to go a extra excessive route much like the 458 and Aventador LBW kits, and whereas it’s hardly delicate, you’ll be able to inform Kato-san has been each daring and sympathetic with the styling cues. The arch chopping? That’s pure theatre. However as an executed construct? It’s precisely what we all know and love from Liberty Stroll.
No matter your ideas are on this automobile – and Liberty Stroll in actual fact – you can not dismiss the impression these girls and boys have had on the tuning world. It is a model pushing boundaries; they’re fashionable, they’re approachable and so they know how one can make an announcement.
And whereas different manufacturers at this level merely would’ve fizzled out or ran out of concepts, Kato-san is just simply getting began. Lord assist us all.
Selection will at all times be Tokyo Auto Salon’s largest promoting level. Deliberately or not, the present has by no means forgotten about its previous and continues to make heroes of these iconic JDM vehicles from each decade, no matter worth or present demand.
Speak to the house owners and also you’ll discover the majority of those vehicles have been owned for years and constructed on nothing however ardour. Sure, these newer fashions characterize a advertising alternative for larger manufacturers, however for the smaller tuners TAS stays an annual exhibition to showcase all of the concepts they’ve collated over previous 12 months.
This perspective is why I consider Japanese automobile tradition won’t ever really feel spoilt or mainstream no matter who’s documenting it. It’s not making an attempt to be one thing it isn’t; it’s nonetheless transferring just like the yr 2005 and no quantity of publicity will seemingly change that both.
Don’t get me incorrect, this isn’t with out its frustrations for a lot of. And I can say that as somebody who dips into it a number of occasions a yr somewhat than being surrounded by it 24/7. However it at all times circles again to embracing all its traits, whether or not you’re a producer, main tuning home or a person wrapping your automobile’s bonnet with hentai art work.
Every little thing is encompassed collectively and free from judgement at Tokyo Auto Salon. The very least we Speedhunters can do is go that notion on to anybody weighing up their very own journey right here. Guide a ticket, put together to have your thoughts blown and we’ll see you on the final corridor subsequent yr.
Mark Riccioni
Instagram: mark_scenemedia
Twitter: markriccioni
mark@speedhunters.com
