New ConceptsThe 33rd Tokyo Motor Show saw the debut of a few interesting concepts we could see in the future. Among them:
*Daihatsu SP-4: It's smaller than a RAV4 and has a 0.66L turbocharged threecylinder worth 64 ponies that's hooked to a four-speed auto tranny. We thought that its having four-wheel drive with a low-range transfer case might pique your interest.
*Isuzu ZXS: OK, it looks like a minivan from the rear, but what sport/ute doesn't nowadays? It's likely to go into production and be built off the Rodeo platform. The ZXS seats only four, and the designers bypassed B and C pillars, making a wall of glass between A and D. It's basically an Isuzu you can see out of. The American version would have a 3.5L V-6. The torque-on-demand system was also featured in this concept.
*Honda Spocket: Don't call it a Sprocket, which you're likely to do at least twice in conversation. This El Camino wannabe is a two-door sports car with a pickup bed-in other words, it's a sports-utility vehicle, says Honda. It has a cement-scraping stance and a hardtop that will mechanically slide into the bed. The doors tilt up, and the dash has analog gauges.
*Mitsubishi SUW Active: The SUW stands for "smart-utility wagon," and it's a bit more of a macho-looking SUV from Mitsu. (Fun fact 1: Its concept sisters, the SUW Compact and SUW Advance, debuted at the Frankfurt show, but with slightly more tame looks.) It has five doors and seats, 16-inch tires, 8.1 inches of ground clearance, and a 2.0L four-cylinder that puts out 250 hp. (Fun fact 2: Natural coloring pigment is used in the bumpers, fender protectors, instrument panel, and interior trim for environmental reasons.)
Bonus: More Honda Concepts Even though you'll never see these on the trail, we thought you'd get a kick out of them anyway. The Fuya-Jo is a hyperly radical concept that is supposed to exude fun (check out that seating-that is fun), while the Neukom is more of a mini-bus. We're just a tad curious about that name
Did You KnowOwners of model-year 2000 vehicles in the state of Maine received titles in the mail claiming their cars and trucks were "horseless carriages." That's because the Secretary of State's computer read the year 2000 as 1900, and anything prior to 1919 is considered horseless.
ATV TVIf you can't get enough of the outdoors or ATVs, the Outdoor Channel has just debuted ATV Television. Click it on and you'll find long-term evaluations, new-product tests, reviews, and tech. There's also a segment called "Back Road Adventures" where, you guessed it, you get to ride along on trips that hit trails, as well as doing a little vicarious camping and poking around for bears. Yes, they'll go looking for bears. Tune in for all the adventure and wildlife on Mondays at 5:00 p.m. EST and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. EST.
The '01 Toyota WhachamacallitReally, no one knows the truth but Toyota, but here's what we've heard: Autoweek says the '01 Toyota Tundra- based SUV could be called Tundra Cruiser, Land Cruiser Highlander, or Highlander. Meanwhile, we've heard claims that the new Toy SUV will be called Sequoia. However, it will have the same V-8 as the Tundra and Land Cruiser, regardless of its name.
GM ConceptsScoop! The Detroit and Los Angeles auto shows haven't happened yet, but GM let a few cats outta the bag (including the supercharged Pontiac Piranha, which means nothing to our readers, but it's still fun to say). We were able to get you a preview of what could become reality.