Daihatsu's style on wheels comes to Indonesia
Daihatsu's style on wheels comes to Indonesia
By Alastair Doak
The Tokyo Motor Show always has an element of automotive
culture shock, with the Japanese entry-level micro-car a
particular source of wonder.
This year's show, which was held last month, was no exception.
Concept cars, such as the Daihatsu Town Cube, Daihatsu Midget,
the Suzuki UT-1 and Subaru Vivio Bistro, were some of the more
unusual highlights.
In Japan, these micro or Kei cars have engines of less than
660cc and are restricted in size to qualify for lower taxes.
As the Indonesian market opens up and the tariff barriers come
down, some of these cars may go on sale here, where they would be
ideal in Jakarta's crowded streets.
For example, cars such as Daihatsu's Town Cube are designed to
move as much cargo around Japan's congested cities as possible.
With a cabin height of 1,700mm, the Town Cube offers the
largest cabin and storage space in its class and thanks to its
rather unadventurous styling, it sits on the edge of the maximum
width allowed by the Kei-car rule book.
Load capacity is a mighty 350kg and the Cube is moved along by
a 660cc four-cylinder engine and its drives through a four-speed
automatic transmission.
Daihatsu's desire to make the ultimate mini-cargo carrier
explains the container-looks of the Cube.
Unfortunately, missing from the specification sheet is a roof-
mounted parachute, which would be activated when your Town Cube
is blown off bridges and other wind-exposed areas.
The small-car maker also showed two Midget concept cars
obviously inspired by the late 1950s German Messerschmidt. Midget
II is a plain one-seat pickup truck, with the driver located in
the middle of the cabin to "make it easy to get out either to the
left, or right" according to Daihatsu's show blurb.
"It is designed for ease of use, this new pickup truck has the
feel of a motorcycle. Deliveries are a snap with this energetic
Midget II."
The Midget III is more car-like to accommodate three people
and has a door on the right side of the car for the driver and a
door at the left rear for passengers.
Interior space is helped by placing its 659cc engine under the
driver's seat.
Another show favorite was the Charade Social De Tomaso (the
Italian company gave the car a more Italian feel with a body kit
and German Recaro seats), while the Atrai Liberno RV Deck and the
Opti Classic were also eye openers.
The other Kei-car king, Suzuki, did its best to impress with
the UT-1 and UR-1 vehicles that takes a Bonsai scale-look at the
American car-buyer's love affair with trucks and 4WDs.
The UT-1 (Utility Transporter type 1) is powered by a
gas/petrol-fed engine driving through the front wheels.
Suzuki describes it as a "conceptualization of a commuter car
that is both practical and dream inspiring".
Looking somewhere between a GM truck and prime mover with its
big grille and four-headlight design, the UT-1 comes with a range
of "attachments" that transforms the vehicle into a hatchback,
cargo carrier, or it can be had with a trailer that is big enough
to carry two motorbikes.
The UT-1 is a two-door, four-seater, that "combines the user
friendliness for city driving and the enjoyment of an off-road
vehicle".
Standard features include air bags for the driver and front-
seat passenger, as well as full-time four-wheel drive.
Subaru showed some new themes on existing models with a wood
encrusted Liberty called the Grand Wagon Woodland, an off-road
version of the Impreza called the Gravel EX, while the company
also displayed its Kei car, the Vivio done up to look like a
1990's version of a Morris 1100.
Called the Vivio Bistro, it features big round headlights and
an even more garish grille, which we suppose was the inspiration
for the Bistro name.
The company's baby people-mover also generated some unusual
names with the El Domingo, Domingo Camping-Car Aladdin and the
Dias Pinic Car Astonish.