Tokyo Motor Show

Over 50 years old now, the Tokyo motor show has been a center of attraction since 1954, for all those interested in the automobile industry. The show is popular for featuring state-of-the-art and futuristic technologies in the form of concept automobiles including trucks, buses and cars. You can expect to find huge array of fresh concepts all across the show.

The Green Geneva Auto Show

The Geneva Motor Show is also known as the Salon International de l’Auto. Each year in March, auto aficionados, car makers, auto journalists, and just about everybody in the auto industry all trudge up to the city of Geneva in Switzerland. You see, this auto show is one of the largest gatherings of everybody in the industry.

For years, this auto show has showcased almost all kinds of vehicles and automobiles. It has also been the place wherein great vehicles have been unveiled. It has also become the venue for the boasting of automakers of tons of concept vehicles and production vehicles.

This year, it does look like the Geneva Auto Show has gone with what the auto industry is clamoring for and they are going to be dwelling on green vehicles, green techniques, and everything environment friendly that could be used in the industry. And journalists are saying that such can be because the auto makers themselves are making the move towards creating greener vehicles that would battle out the pollution issue that has been quite hot in the past few months.

It sure does look like the Geneva Auto Show is going green. In fact, at the days meant for the media, the organizers of the show did state that they would be looking into new vehicle models that are greener as well as looking into new green technologies. “This time we will have an environmental show in Geneva,” shares Willi Dietz. Dietz is an expert from the Nuertingen University of Germany and he looks into the trends going in the car industry. So most possibly, if a vehicle can be equipped with tail lights or catalytic converters that would not add to the pollution or the additional heat to the environment, most auto makers would be going for such.

What vehicles would possibly be joining in the show? It does look like the Toyota Motor Corporation would be joining in with its new concept car named the Hybrid X and this one is said to come using an electric motor and would be getting its power from a battery. Honda would also be showing off a new concept vehicle that comes as a hybrid sports car. Daihatsu would also be showing of its environment friendly small car named the Cuore.

The Tokyo Motor Show

Over 50 years old now, the Tokyo motor show has been a center of attraction since 1954, for all those interested in the automobile industry.

The show is popular for featuring state-of-the-art and futuristic technologies in the form of concept automobiles including trucks, buses and cars. You can expect to find huge array of fresh concepts all across the show. There are so many of 'em that you might find it tough to follow each of the exhibits in detail.

History

During the early history of the show, its focus remained on passenger vehicles viz. truck and buses. However, in the wake of the growing Japanese auto industry and trading of Japanese cars around the world it expanded focus to include passenger cars. Even now when the auto industry in the western hemisphere finds itself under rough weather, the Japanese auto industry hopes for landmark performance.

Organizers of the show, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, changed the format of the show beginning with last year's event (i.e. Tokyo Motor Show 2007). Now the show will be held once every two years, with the commercial vehicle show to be held in year in between. The next episode of the tradition is the forty-first, Tokyo Motor Show to be held in 2009.

The biennial event promises to include a comprehensive range of passenger cars, motorcycles, commercial vehicles, commercial vehicle bodies, and vehicle parts.

Tokyo Motor Show 2007

Carrying the theme "Catch the News, Touch the Future," the event was held at Makuhari Messe, Chiba and lasted a good 17 days, from October 26, 2007 (Friday) to November 11, 2007 (Sunday).

Visitors

Close to 1,425,800 people visited the show, however this number was considerably less than numbers who visited the show in 2005. In 2005 about 1,512,100 had come to the show.

Premieres

Considering both the Japan and the world, a good number of premieres surfaced at the event. Numerically, there were 77 World Premieres (5 commercial vehicles, 36 passenger cars, 32 motorcycles, 4 vehicle bodies) and 103 Japanese premieres (2 commercial vehicles, 75 passenger cars, 26 motorcycles).

Technology Featured

The themes and focus of the recent past shows have showcased drivetrains and its components viz. transmission, drivelines, etc, and fuel-cell and hybrid vehicles.

During the 2007 event fuel-cell and the hybrid vehicles stole the limelight. For instance, Toyota featured a concept vehicle "1/X" or "one-Xth."

Similar to a Prius, the vehicle claims to achieve twice as much fuel economy. It features a featherweight automotive frame made from carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, which also helps to save gas.

The concept further has an additional plug-in hybrid powertrain, which can run on either gasoline or E85 (a mix of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline).