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.