Toyota‘s Fun-Vii Concept debuted at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show featuring some very cool, futuristic technology. They dubbed the concept car as a smartphone on wheels, bragging about its exterior body that can be manipulated as a digital display.

But those that weren’t fortunate enough to be over in Tokyo when Toyota debuted the concept is now in for a treat. As much fun as it is trying to describe in words what Toyota aims to do with the Fun-Vii, it’s just a ton easier to show it in action through a video. In less than five minutes, Toyota shows off its smartphone integration, augmented-reality gaming, a holographic digital assistant and its vehicle-to-vehicle networking system in the video clip.

Toyota also touches on their future of electrified powertrains with wireless charging and autonomous driving mode. It might seem to be something out of a Tron movie, but we’re definitely excited to see how Toyota will pursue these concepts in future vehicles.

Check out the video after the break.

Continue Reading…

At this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, the 32nd annual Car of the Year Japan Awards saw the Nissan Leaf emerge as the overall winner, despite some fairly stiff competition.

Not surprisingly, considering the efforts Japan’s second largest automaker has taken to provide the concept of all-electric vehicle mobility on a truly global scale, Carlos Ghosn, CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance was understandably pleased at the outcome.

“We have sold 20,000 LEAF models [worldwide]. This is as much a win for Nissan as it is for our customers,” he said. Besides winning the JCOTY title, the much hyped LEAF has also garnered 2011 World Car of the Year and European Car of the Year awards.

Previous JOCTY winners (which must be vehicles produced by Japanese manufacturers, a separate “Import Car of the Year award is also held at the Tokyo show); include the Honda CR-Z (2010-11) and Toyota Prius  (2009-10). For more information on the LEAF and JCOTY click on the video below:

If there’s one thing you can count on from the Tokyo Motor Show, it’s wild and wacky concept cars – and lots of them. This year’s event didn’t disappoint either. Among the list of very cool concepts are cars like the Honda EV-Ster electric roadster, a NISMO-tuned Nissan Juke, the near-production and beautiful Mazda Takeri, the bold Subaru Advanced Tourer concept and even the hydrogen fuel cell powered FCV-R by Toyota.

In the totally strange category there were personal futuristic commuters like the Nissan PIVO 3 and Honda Micro Commuter Concept, topped only by ultra-strange machines like the Suzuki Q Concept and Daihatsu ShoCase.

GALLERY: 2011 Tokyo Motor Show Concept Cars

See all these concept cars and more in the video below:

Continue Reading…

A look at VW‘s future styling, technology and perhaps even a new model, the Cross Coupe Concept was unveiled this week at the Tokyo Motor Show. Certainly a handsome machine, it looks close to production (outside and in), plus it features an all-new electric all-wheel drive system mated to a plug-in hybrid drivetrain.

GALLERY: VW Cross Coupe Concept

To find out more about the Cross Coupe, watch the video below:

Continue Reading…

It might not be the GT-R powered Juke R, but Nissan‘s Juke NISMO Concept is a strong indication that the Japanese automaker is planning a higher-performance version of the sport cross. From styling components, to handling upgrades and power adders, the NISMO-tuned Juke takes the sub-compact crossover’s fun level to the next level.

GALLERY: Nissan Juke NISMO Concept

For full details on the Juke NISMO, watch the video below:

Continue Reading…

10. Volkswagen Cross Coupe Concept

The only non-Japanese car to make our Top 10 cars list of the Tokyo Motor Show, the Volkswagen Cross Coupe Concept was also one of the few true surprises. While a show car, it makes use of an all-new VW platform, an impressive AWD plug-in hybrid system, while also taking a look at the future styling direction of the brand.

On the later note, that’s by no means a bad thing. And while hardly a significant departure from the current VW style guide, the Cross Coupe is certainly an attractive machine.

Built on the brand’s new MQB (modular transverse matrix) platform, the Cross Coupe is the first example of an electric differential with front and rear electric motors that can be “attached” to deliver an all-wheel drive system. VW claims the system can be used for two AWD scenarios, one for added grip and the other for an AWD electric only drive mode with 25 miles of range. (For a more extensive run-down on the system, see our post and video here). Paired with a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine up front, VW claims a total power output of 261-hp and a 0-60 mph time of 7.0 seconds.

Making all this technology all the more significant is that it is being unveiled on a new platform, with the obvious suggestion that both could be paired together in a near-future production model.

Unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Mitsubishi PX-MiEV II is, as the name suggests, the second in a line of concepts previewing a future hybrid crossover by the brand.

Looking significantly more production ready than the last version, the crossover concept gets a plug-in hybrid system with an electric motor at the rear wheels mated to a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine moving the front wheels. Of note, the car features a version of Mitsu’s S-AWC (Super-All Wheel Control) system, as well as a Battery Drive Mode where it can operate on pure electric power.

Mitsubishi is targeting a 31 mile electric-only range with a 140 mpg rating and a total range of 500 miles.

GALLERY: Mitsubishi PX-MiEV II

As Honda and Toyota soldier on with the same old designs, Mazda has taken heed of the attractively styled products coming out of Korea these days and decided to fire back. Using the brand’s new Kodo design language the Takeri Concept is a look at the next-generation Mazda6. Based on an all-new platform and powered by a diesel engine it’s also the first example of a Mazda vehicle using the brand’s new i-ELOOP regenerative braking technology.

GALLERY: Mazda Takeri Concept

For more on the Takeri concept, watch the video below:

Continue Reading…

Some will probably find Nissan‘s NV350 Concept seemingly out of place at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, but the next-generation light commercial van concept shows the direction that Nissan wishes to take with its NV model. Looking to raise the standard for the next generation of light commercial vans, the NV350 Concept features attractive styling, expanded cargo capacity and smart functionality.

Versatility was one of the main key points Nissan stressed when debuting their NV350 Concept at the show, touching on how the NV350 Concept’s cargo area is now longer and more spacious for van applications while varied seating arrangements gives the NV350 plenty of people-carrier and minibus applications. Comforts of the NV350 Concept include keyless entry, keyless push button ignition (a first in a commercial vehicle) and a foot-operated parking brake for convenience.

Though they didn’t go into detail, Nissan did express that the NV350 has improved fuel economy due to its efficient and advanced engine mated to an automatic transmission. A clean diesel option will also be available in some markets.

Nissan also announced that it plans to launch the NV350 in Japan by the summer of 2012. Outside markets weren’t disclosed.

GALLERY: Nissan NV350 Concept Official Photos

GALLERY: Nissan NV350 Concept Debut

A unique Audi A1 got shown off at the Tokyo Motor Show today, garnering not only the attention of the media but also that of the locals. At first glance the Samurai Blue Audi A1 just looks like a car that can’t make up its mind as to what color it wants to be, but to the Japanese it sports the look of their national soccer team.

The A1 was built by Audi to show respect for the Japanese national soccer team and is a one-off model that will be sold and a part of its profit will be donated to charity. The Japan’s national soccer team is nicknamed Blue Samurai, with blue and white as the colors of the men and women’s soccer jerseys. (If you recall, the Japanese women’s team recently won the World Soccer Cup in Germany).

For the A1 Samurai Blue, Audi accented the blue and white with the red from the Japanese flag. It also features 18-inch wheels sporting an exclusive polygonal design that have also been painted red. We took a peek inside the A1 and saw that the black interior got contrast blue stitching while other pieces such as the air vent nozzles, inlays, center console and floor mats all got colorful blue accents.

It appears that the 1.4L TFSI engine remains untouched with 122-hp. Audi did mention that they’re planning on a limited edition A1, with its design based on the Samurai Blue, to go on sale in 2012.

In addition to this one-off model, Audi also officially unveiled the new 5-door A1 Sportback model in Tokyo.

GALLERY: Audi A1 Samurai Blue

GALLERY: Audi A1 Sportback