Nother CarGuy

Toyota has revealed the 2021 Mirai Concept, essentially a production-ready preview of the second iteration of the brand’s hydrogen fuel-cell electric sedan that will go on sale in select markets in late 2020. The original Mirai that debuted in 2015 had many things going for it, including being the first production hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) offered for sale to retail customers in North America, but desirability was not one of them. With the new model, Toyota is rebooting the series with a more coupe- and Lexus- (and less Prius-) inspired design, while surprisingly ditching the first Mirai’s more common front-wheel drive architecture for a sportier rear-wheel drive setup, all in the name of creating a more desirable car. Yoshikazu Tanaka, Chief Engineer of the Mirai, explains: “We have pursued making a car that customers feel like driving all the time, a car that has emotional and attractive design appeal, as well as dynamic and responsive driving performance...

BMW has officially unveiled the new X2 crossover. Dubbed "the cool X," the model is based on the X1 but is shorter and lower than its corporate counterpart. The X2 also features unique styling which makes it resemble a large hatchback instead of a traditional crossover. Starting with the exterior, the crossover has a unique kidney grille which turns the "familiar trapezoidal shape on its head" as its wider on the bottom than it is on the top. The grille is flanked by large air intakes and slender headlights with integrated LED daytime running lights. Moving further back, we can see a rakish windscreen, a compact greenhouse, and a gently sloping roof which meets a tailgate-mounted spoiler. Designers also installed prominent shoulder lines, LED taillights, and BMW logos on the C-pillars. The X2 can be equipped with a variety of different wheels in sizes ranging from 17- to 20-inches. As usual, the crossover's appearance depends on which vers...

Following the striking Kai concept, Mazda’s Vision Coupe kept everyone impressed with its dynamic design, representing the next chapter in the company’s KODO design language. The bodywork conforms to the golden ratio of a classic coupe design, with the cabin positioned toward the rear of the car while the flowing, clean lines make the Vision Coupe look like it’s moving forward when stationary. Mazda purposely opted for an exterior design that’s free of all non-essential elements while focusing on classic traits like the prominent shoulder line and body sides that present linear transitions in different lights and shadows. The same atmosphere is present inside, where Mazda used the traditional Japanese architectural concept of ma in order to make passengers feel embraced and not confined. A big center console runs across the length of the cabin and features a touch-sensitive surface next to the driver for controlling the infotainment system while the dashboard adopts t...

In between developing of an entirely new Jimny and upgrading some models, Suzuki took their time to create a fresh study called e-Survivor. Displayed in front of the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show audience, the e-Survivor is an open-top two-seater off-roader that looks basically like a Mars rover inspired by Jeep, but that's a completely different story. What we should focus upon instead is its very generous ground clearance and chunky off-road rubber that give it a go-anywhere flair; and the thing is that this small Suzuki study might just do that - go anywhere, as it's built on a ladder frame. Moreover, as its name suggests, the e-Survivor is a zero-emission vehicle, set in motion by four electric motors, one integrated in each wheel, which creates an all-wheel drive system. The Japanese automaker decided to keep specs close to its chest, claiming that it could target the segment up to 100 years into the future. With this bold statement, one might assume that the...

It's only been a couple of years since Mazda rolled out the latest ND-generation MX-5 Miata, so we'd expect it to stick around for a while before it'll need replacement. That won't stop the Japanese automaker from rolling out incremental updates, though, like it has today at the Tokyo Motor Show, where it was easily overshadowed by the unveilings of the Kai and Vision Coupe concepts. For 2018, Mazda is adjusting the exterior color choices. The soft-top version is also being offered with a special package including a dark red fabric roof, Nappa leather, and black BBS alloys. Meanwhile the Retractable Fastback version gains an optional contrasting black hardtop. Mazda's also added more sound insulation, more readable gauges, and heated cloth seats. Features like stop/start and brake energy recuperation are also now part of the update across the range, and there are adaptive LED headlamps available, too. At present, these updates are being rolled...

Milanese coachbuilder Zagato has unveiled the IsoRivolta Vision Gran Turismo at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, a car that anyone can drive as long as they have a PlayStation. This new Zagato model is available in Gran Turismo Sport on PS4, boasting an overall theme that combines sleek Italian aesthetics with the brawn of American powertrains. "The IsoRivolta Vision Gran Turismo was created to drive in the virtual-reality world, a world created by Gran Turismo. There is no mass in the virtual-reality world, as it remains a place that exists only in our imagination," said Zagato VP of design, Norihiko Harada. "The body style of the IsoRivolta Vision contradicts the sense of oneness that has evolved over the past hundred years of automotive design. Although the canopy and fenders seem to stand out on their own, in the end, the Zagato's overall design comes together in regard to both its proportions and general ambience." Harada also hopes that on...

Daimler is now looking to put some pressure on Volkswagen's Truck and Bus division by launching a brand new product brand called Mitsubishi Fuso Truck. Dedicated exclusively to zero-emission trucks and buses, the new brand arrived at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show with a new concept vehicle called E-Fuso Vision One. It's an all-electric heavy-duty truck that has a gross weight of about 23 tons (50,706lbs), and can carry a payload of approximately 11 tons (24,250lbs), which puts it just 2 tons (4,409lbs) short of its diesel counterpart. The E-Fuso Vision One is aimed at regional intra-city distribution, and can be fitted with batteries up to 300kWh, which provide it with a total range of up to 350km (217miles). The manufacturer has high hopes when it comes to their concept truck, as it could hit the assembly lines within four years in markets such as Japan, Europe, and the United States, thanks to the efforts put in the electrification of road transport. "Our E-Fuso...

Yamaha makes motorcycles. It may make cars at some point, if recent concepts lead anywhere in the near future. But this one bridges the gap between the two. With four wheels, the MWC-4 may appear closer to a car (missing some parts), but is closer in concept and execution to a motorcycle (with some extra components added). Like a Renault Twizy, it features tandem seating, a windscreen, fixed roof, and open sides. But it's controlled by handlebars (not a steering wheel), and actually leans into corners (instead of staying perpendicular to the road surface). The MWC-4 is little longer than a Twizy, but about the same height, and a fair bit narrower. Power comes from a pair of electric motors, with a gasoline engine on board to serve as a range extender. And the design looks considerably more aggressive than the Renault – or anything this side of a Decepticon, really. Whether Yamaha ever gets into the conventional car business or not, building something like the...

From pianos to motorcycles, Yamaha makes a lot of different products. It has traditionally stayed out of the mainstream automobile market, but it's been dipping its toes in the water with projects like this one. Called the Cross Hub concept, the funky off-roader is one of the more intriguing showpieces at the center of Yamaha's presence at the Tokyo Motor Show this year. Technical details are few and far between, but what we're looking at is clearly a fresh take on the small pickup. Most unusual is the cab, which features a four-seat layout – but not as you'd usually expect to find it. Instead the seats are arranged in a diamond configuration, with the driver (quite literally) front and center, flanked rearwards by two passenger seats, and another one in line with (and behind) the driver. The pickup bed is even further separated structurally from the cab than usual, sporting enough space to transport a motorcycle or two (or a quad ATV) for adventures o...

Beyond introducing the eye-catching Sports EV Concept in Tokyo, Honda has brought with it a host of intriguing mobility concepts which offer a look at how we may move around in the future. Pictured here, the first of these creations is the Honda Fure Mobi Concept. The product has been designed for indoor and outdoor use and is incredibly small, featuring a comfortable seat, four wheels and not much else. Interestingly, there is a small platform and backrest behind the seat where a second passenger can stand. Another curious creation from Honda is the RoboCas Concept. The intriguing, three-wheel product isn’t really a vehicle and is instead an electrified stand designed “to make people’s dreams and ideas come true.” We can imagine it being perfect for someone looking to open up an orange juice or ice cream stand. Elsewhere, Honda is displaying the Chair-Mobi Concept in Tokyo. Similar to the Fure Mobi Concept, it is a single-seat vehicle perfect for those too lazy to walk....

The world is still processing Honda’s gorgeous Urban EV Concept and the brand has just followed it up at the Tokyo Motor Show with the new Sports EV Concept. Very little is known about the concept but it clearly takes retro design inspiration from the Urban EV Concept and incorporates it into a sleek, two-door, two-seat sports car design. Up front, Honda has designed an illuminated badge and a set of round LED headlights that provide us with some lovely vibes. Additionally, the car adopts a low and long hood, and compact interior with seats mounted near the rear axle. There’s also a set of beautifully-thin A-pillars, cameras instead of wing mirrors and square taillights seemingly identical to the Urban EV Concept. In a brief press release about the car, Honda described it as “a concept model which combines EV performance and AI (artificial intelligence) inside a compact body with the aim to realise the joy of driving the user can feel with a sense of unity with the car.”...