Toyota is bringing a trio of futuristic-looking concepts to the Japan Mobility Show that’s opening its doors on October 31. The brand will unveil a luxurious, Century-branded coupe, Lexus will display a six-wheeler minivan, and Daihatsu will show off a pocket-sized van that resurrects the long-dormant Midget name.
We’re most intrigued by the Century coupe. It’s presented as being a “one of one” on Toyota’s official site: It’s unclear whether the Century is a one-off concept or a one-off that was built at the request of a customer. Toyota doesn’t run an in-house coachbuilding division like, say, Bugatti, but it certainly has the industrial might to make a one-of-a-kind car happen. There’s a lot of equity in the Century name, too.
Visually, the concept seems to ride a little higher than the average luxury coupe, and it looks almost Rolls-Royce-esque in its size and proportions. The photo of the driver’s side (above) clearly shows a front and a rear door that each slide open instead of swinging out and power-folding side steps, but the passenger side (below) doesn’t show a cut line for a rear opening. The front end draws inspiration from Toyota’s two existing Century-branded flagship models. Technical specifications haven’t been released yet, however.
Toyota
Toyota
Toyota
Toyota
Lexus hasn’t revealed what its concept is called. The only picture released shows the outline of a boxy people-hauler that may as well have been beamed from the 22nd century. It’s not the brand’s first minivan; Lexus sells a model called LM in some markets, but we don’t think the two are related. The concept has six wheels: Two big wheels in the front and four smaller-looking wheels out back. We can’t wait to hear how Lexus will justify fitting a third axle to the van, and we bet it’s even wilder-looking inside.
Lexus
Finally, the Daihatsu Midget X concept picks up where the second-generation model left off in 2001. Its dimensions haven’t been released yet, but it’s truly tiny. It shares a handful of styling cues with the last-generation Midget, including headlights and wheels that stick out from the body, but it’s a lot more modern-looking. It has a single mid-mounted seat, and it’s powered by an electric drivetrain. Put another way, it would look right at home meandering its way across a crowded street in downtown Tokyo.
Daihatsu
More details about the three concepts will emerge in the coming weeks. We’d be surprised if a Lexus van with six wheels rolls into showrooms, but the Century and the Midget X could one day reach production.
AloJapan.com