Nissan Amenio concept

The Amenio gives an idea of what the next generation Nissan Elegrand (a large MPV sold only in Japan) will be like, which is interesting to compare to the similarly sized Toyota Estima production preview concept also showing at Tokyo.

Within its monospace shape the Amenio maximises its distinction with expressive detail design and graphics. The most obvious of these is the unusual direction change in the base of the DLO – something we are increasingly seeing in large MPV concepts such as Nissan’s Infiniti Kuraza shown at Detroit earlier this year. The rear part of the DLO base line is picked up by a dramatic large blown surface that swells from the rear fender. The Amenio’s lights are also quite dramatic; at both the front and rear they sweep into the shoulder with the lamp colours uniquely fading to body colour. At the front a full width low set grille sits aggressively under a Murano-inspired DRG that integrates lamps and traditional grille graphic.

Inside are six separate, quite non-automotive, seats in lipstick red leather and an IP with traditional dials and a large centre LCD display, sandwiched below a beige floating shroud and a dark brown ledge that spreads from the centre console.

Suzuki PX concept

Increasingly we are seeing car design students producing small monospace leisure vehicles that are in concept much like a shrunken Volkswagen Microbus. Although this type of vehicle has yet to be produced, at the last Tokyo show Mitsubishi showed the Sero and this year Suzuki are showing the PX.

Within its simple monospace profile the PX is quite a busy design with horizontal breaks across its lamps, grille, and ridges down its sides which, along with the ‘bolted-on' large wheel arches, are reminiscent of the Renault Argos concept car from Paris 1994. The rotund, barrel like quality, and its silver finish, is also reminiscent of the classic Airstream caravans, which is underscored further by a scale model shown with a caravan that closely matches the PX design.

The PX has a very silver interior with limousine levels of space for rear seat occupants on their heavily branded Recaro seats.

This Suzuki concept isn’t as innovative as the Mitsubishi Sero but it does bring a valuable sturdiness to this small car type and underscores the appeal of a spacious small monospace for people without familes... Arguably it is no longer ‘if’, but ‘when’ something like this will hit the market.

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Design Review: Mitsubishi Sero

Toyota Estima concept

This is a concept car preview of the forthcoming Estima (Previa in Europe), Toyota’s large MPV.

The most striking aspect of the design is the single graphic that pushes up and rearward from the front centre, emphasising the ‘V’ front plan shape and leading into a subtle side feature. This line is echoed by a crease that sweeps upward along the rocker in a similar way to that Audi A6. Arguably the design is also influenced by the Renault Espace with a glass house unbroken by pillars and instrumentation sited across a wide area of the IP near the base of the screen. As befitting the emphasis it places on minimising its environmental impact with its hybrid power-train, this instrumentation uniquely features an ‘energy meter’ that gives energy consumption readouts for the air conditioning, power-train and electrical systems.

Reflecting a corporate role for the car is its two large ‘captain’s chairs’ that can slide far back into the cabin when the third row of seats is folded into the floor, and recline with automatically extending lower leg / foot rest support – the nearest to an airliner seat in a car yet seen.

Daihatsu UFE-III concept

The UFE-III is the third generation of Daihatsu’s ‘ultra fuel economy’ concept, first shown at Tokyo in 2001. Powered by a 3-cylinder 660cc Atkinson engine and twin electric motors, the UFE-III owes much to aerodynamic principles and has been further developed over the previous UFE-II to achieve a 0.168 Cd figure. The flowing and tapered body reminds one of previous aero concepts such as the Honda EP-X of 1991, with its narrow fighter jet glass canopy, chopped rear end and distinctly fish-like face, yet the clean surfaces and neat detailing are notably refined for a research vehicle.

The complete screen and doors lift up as one canopy to access the cabin and entry is aided by the linked movement of driver’s seat and IP to the door. The interior layout is a 1+2 type, with two tiny seats squeezed into the rear. While its design doesn’t really owe much to the rest of Daihatsu’s production cars, the philosophy behind the UFE-III fits completely to Daihatsu’s commitment to small, efficient vehicles.

Mitsubishi i

The 'i' is the new production Kei-minicar from Mitsubishi that replaces the previous Minica/Toppo range and offers a highly original package with many new advantages for a small urban car. The design team arrived at an bean-shaped monobox profile with rear-midship engine as the best way of offering the most interior space within the tight Kei-car dimensions. This rear-midship layout is what gives the 'i' its innovative proportions and remarkably roomy interior. The very long wheelbase, with the front axle pushed as far forwards as possible, is also said to give a comfortable ride and provide excellent crash safety performance.

The elliptical design theme extends to the door shut and side DLO graphic, the screen and scuttle area of the car, the headlamps and the rear screen. The facial expression of the car is delightful: it's cheerful and confident rather than sickeningly cute as on so many small Japanese cars. The interior continues the soft shapes seen on the exterior, especially in the seats and IP forms, and the overall impression is of high quality design for such a low cost car.

Design Review coming soon...

Bugatti Veyron

It's been a long time coming but the production Veyron was finally launched for customers at the Tokyo show. It's hard to believe the original concept debuted here back in 1999 and the official launch was back in 2003. In the meantime the project has been beset by numerous development problems, not least finding tyres to cope with 1000ps and 1800kg kerb weight.

The styling itself is one of the best parts of the Veyron and still appears fresh. It's very hard to incorporate that horseshoe grille into a modern front end, as numerous Giugiaro and previous VW concepts of the mid '90's proved. Yet the Veyron has a hunched and powerful look that remains quite unique amongst current supercars. One small concern: the exterior design is characterised by a two-tone colour split yet the interior is available only in a single colour. It's also common knowledge that the kind of über-rich customers the Veyron is targeted at always demand very bespoke interiors, normally catered for by using two colours as a starting point. Bit of a problem for the marketing guys then…

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Whats New - July 2003: Bugatti Veyron