Sports concepts spark interest in Tokyo
By Russell Williamson
THE Tokyo motor show screamed RV with every carmaker finding new ways to interpret the box on wheels.
But there are more ways to define recreation than just backwoods and barbecues, as was evident with a smattering of new sports concepts hidden among the lifestylers.
The sports cars from BMW, Suzuki, Honda and Toyota may not be the most space efficient and practical cars on the planet but they certainly promise superb recreational driving.
According to BMW, its Z07 was a designer's dream of what the 1950s 507 would have looked like had the model continued in production.
Reflections of that car can be found everywhere from the wide slatted kidney grille and side gills, through the four-spoke wire steering wheel to the twin tailpipes set wide apart at the rear end.
But while the styling of the Z07 harks back to the past, the mechanical underpinnings point to the future with the car featuring the likely hardware for the upcoming Z8.
Although unconfirmed by BMW, the German carmaker is believed to be working on a 5-Series based roadster, dubbed Z8, which could be in European showrooms by early 2000.
The chassis and suspension of the Z07 combine elements of both the 5-Series and 7-Series while under the hood lurks the 5.0- liter V8 from the new M5.
This engine generates about 300kW of power and 500Nm of torque driving the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential manual gearbox.
Honda also took the retro route, although only looking as far back as the late 1980s, for some inspiration for its small J-VX sports coupe.
The bold rear-end of the J-VX has hints of the first generation CR-X with a development of the small show car likely to replace the targa-topped CRX within two years.
That car is tipped to be powered by a 1.6-liter, twin camshaft VTEC engine.
In concept form, the J-VX showcases Honda's first direct injection gasoline power plant -- a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine.
This engine also uses VTEC valve timing and is linked to the electric motor which captures wasted energy during braking and re-uses this force during rapid acceleration. All up, it adds 10kW to the engines output.
Suzuki's small sports star also offered innovation under the hood with the C2 packing a 1.6-liter twin turbo V8.
This tiny V8 develops 186kw at 7000rpm and 290Nm at 4000rpm.
All this power in a car that weighs just 850kg, promises an exciting driving proposition, to say the least.
Drive to the rear wheels is via a five-speed automatic or six- speed manual gearbox with double wishbone front and rear suspensions ensuring the handling matches the power.
Although production for the C2 has yet to be confirmed, it could be on sale late next year.
The two seater features a manually operated hardtop roof that folds neatly into the boot.
Toyota's MR-S two-seater soft-top is a near-production version of the MR-J concept car that was shown at Tokyo in 1995.
This car is expected to replace the MR2 about 1999 and features the same basic mid-engine rear-drive layout as that car.
Power comes from a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine fitted with Toyota's smart variable valve timing system.
The mid-mounted 1.8-liter engine develops about 105kW and 170Nm and drives the rear wheels through a clutchless manual sequential gearbox, although production cars would be likely to get a standard manual gearbox.
Like many of its competitors in this market, the production version of the two-seater MR-S is likely to be built as a soft- top, unlike the MR2 which has a targa-style roof, with a plastic composite hard top option.