Tokyo motor show. Concept car heaven and, especially after Frankfurt, a compact layout that is easy to navigate, saving shoe leather and reducing human energy expenditure – and related CO2 emissions.


Frankfurt seemed even more sprawled out this year, with the major German players each in their own pavilions and a cluster of major brands apparently two time zones away, and reached ony after an almost endless trawl down corridors and over a major highway. It took determined effort to find one major hall.


Tokyo, in contrast, is compact and easy to navigate. You can do a quick circuit of the main east, west and central halls in under an hour and, this year, the commercial vehicles and motorcycles are back, for the first time since 1999, in the north hall, making for an even more compressed show. And suppliers are in with the cars in both the centre and eastern halls. If you’re pushed for time but want to see lots in a limited space, this is the international motor show to visit.


After Frankfurt’s emphasis on environmental issues and CO2 reduction, Tokyo – theme: ‘Catch the News, Touch the Future’ – is a lot lighter in mood and full of fun concepts – especially personal mobility, mini-trucks and sheer wacky fun ideas that likely will never see production.


From here, we’ll let the pictures tell the story.

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