#TamerThanPreviousYears
This was the hashtag photographer Ken Saito used on his Tokyo Auto Salon Instagram post. No caption. While the sea of black suits and middle-aged men creates an austere atmosphere at TAS, there are always pockets of madness. But is that madness fading?
I’m not a big fan of crowds at the best of times, so the population of a small town crammed into the narrow alleyways between booths at the Makuhari Messe is never the most inviting. But I push myself to battle the sea of people, determined to hunt down the Tokyo Auto Salon oddities.
This year was my fourth time attending TAS, but even over this short period, the vibe seems to have been mellowing.
4x4s and vans now vastly outnumber the outrageous cars
Looking back at some of Speedhunters’ 2015 Tokyo Auto Salon coverage, the wackiness level seemed distinctly higher then. Remember the Mustang, the cake car, and those wrapping paper-covered supercars? Compared to what I’ve seen from the SEMA Show, TAS feels particularly tame now – at least in my experience.
A lot of the same stuff is still around; I spotted the Hello Special pink kei truck and the human-sized rabbit at the Osaka Auto Messe just last year. And companies like Rohan and Kuhl are still cranking out complex body kits and intricate paint jobs.
Speaking of Kuhl, what do we think of its new A90 Supra kit?
Ten years ago, cars like the SLR McLaren were being dressed in wild custom kits, while Hakosukas got V8 engine swaps. Today, these cars are too valuable to alter in such extreme ways.
Instead, we’ll just have to make do with stanced out Toyota Centurys…
Or this GX100 Cresta, which now sports a Crown Crossover front end, Camry XV70 rear end, and a 1JZ-GTE engine swap. What this year’s TAS may lack in quantity, it certainly made up for in quality.
Especially if you’re a fan of Transformers.
Check this out – believe it or not, a 2002 Jaguar XJ is hiding underneath. Somehow, it’s been reimagined as a Chevrolet Impala.
The majority of cars on display are flaunting crazy body kits and dress-up parts.
It’s no secret that Hyundai is absolutely on fire right now. The Korean automaker’s production Inster – and the Inster Cross Tarmac Concept on show at TAS – solidify its position as one of the leading car designers coming out of Asia. The model name might raise a few eyebrows, but that’s one seriously well-proportioned electric bulldog.
Some of the most interesting stuff at TAS is hidden in the larger booths, where you often catch a look at the future of car design and mobility. Imagine getting off the grid, tossing your turntables and audiophile sound system in the back of an SUV, and kicking back on your sculpted box trailer. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it?
The number of new and vintage Toyota Land Cruisers on display was overwhelming.
Not that I’m complaining.
99.9% of the 4x4s on display were Land Cruisers, though there were a few Land Rovers and mini G-Wagons. And you don’t see a five-door Suzuki Jimny in Japan every day.
Bryce Menzies’ Trophy Truck was by far the most extreme off-roader on show. It’s probably a good thing it doesn’t have space for licence plates.
Speaking of trucks, this NASCAR Craftsman Truck/787B-inspired mashup turned heads. Unfortunately, there’s no howling V8 – or screaming rotary engine – hiding under the hood of this pickup-converted Mazda CX-5… yet.
There’s still hope for the future of Japan’s weird and wacky tuning culture. Kei Miura was on hand to showcase the latest iteration of his custom tube-frame race car – the same chassis design used to create Mad Mike Whiddett’s five-rotor ‘787D’.
The last time I saw it was in his Kyoto garage, where it had just had its stainless steel frame welded together, the engine was still up in the air.
Surprisingly, Miura-san has gone with a twin-turbocharged Subaru boxer engine and a 6-speed transmission. The beauty of the AWD layout is that the engine and gearbox stay in their original orientation, with the axles that once powered the front wheels now driving the rear. That low centre of gravity and mid-engine layout should keep the car planted on track. I can’t wait to see the rest of the custom body.
Finally, here’s a peek at the future of mainstream tuning in Japan. This is what most people want: a stove and timber cladding in the back of a kei truck.
Tokyo Auto Salon 2025 may not have been as crazy as we’re used to, but one thing’s for sure – it’s still pretty mad.
Toby Thyer
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tobythyer.co.uk
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