The Tokyo Auto Salon isn't just race queens, VIP sedans and drift cars; there are other, more interesting rides to be found on the show floor. While other magazines are content to just show you yet another picture of Nomuken's Skyline, we go out of our way to bring you images of Chevy van-converted Kei cars, six-wheeled monstrosities and clones of our childhood heroes. You seriously didn't think that the only "wacky" products from Japan were the off-the-wall game shows, did you?
Before we get into the meat of the article... As a few of our more "enlightened" readers have sent in letters asking us (in a less than racially-sensitive way) why we are showing so much "Japanese crap", may we present the following rides from TAS:
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There. That should shut up the mulleted, PBR-drinking (and not in an ironic way) readers out there. Let's move on to the "good" stuff.
Every year, the Japan Automobile College (NATS) always has a few odd cars on display at the Tokyo Auto Salon, and 2007 was no different. First up is this Honda Beat done up to look like a baby NSX.
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We're a bit conflicted about this next car. We (or more correctly, I) own a DA Integra, so it's nice to see someone actually do something with this car. We're just not sure we're stoked that this DA project is an awkward-looking El Camino-like "truck".
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Option founder Daijiro Inada had a few of his personal rides on display, one of which was this... this... thing. It's based on an old Nissan Gloria, and has steering wheels on both the "front" and "back" of the cabin. We tried to get a picture of this car's interior, but that fake frost/snow/whatever totally ruined any shot we could get. Anyway, this car has two engines and has no "real" front or back. Oh yeah, it also has those subway/train handles for the passenger seats. Odd...
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Unfortunately, we didn't get the bad-ass "scooter row" at this year's Auto Salon, but Bomex kept it real with some tricked out scooters. These "bikes" come equipped with a full airbag suspension, stereo system and more. We talked to the Bomex people, and they said that you can buy these aero kits for your own scooter - if you live in Japan, that is. And yes, people do ride these bikes out on the street. We saw a gang of them cruising the streets of Shibuya over the weekend.
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Bomex also had what could be considered the ugliest car of the show; the EVO you see below. If Bomex built this car back in 1998, you can bet that every State-side Hot Import Nights car would be equipped with these massive door fins. Thankfully the "wild" tuning style is "out". That said, we wouldn't be surprised to see someone try to pull off this look at NOPI.
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SoundWave took a U.S.-spec Eclipse (as if there is any other kind) and made it look like a true exotic sports car. This Eclipse may have come with the 4G63 from the factory, but we'll be so bold as to say the massive weight from the stereo system and aero kit make this car perform worse than the 3rd-gen Eclipse.
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We like MR2s, but a four-door Mister Two? Crazy!
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You know how we mentioned those Kei vans converted to look like Chevy vans? Here you go:
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And that does it for this round of 2007 Tokyo Auto Salon coverage. Go to the Media Page to see more detailed pictures of all of these odd cars - trust us, it's worth it.
source: ign.com
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