In just a little over a month’s time, no less than a few hundred thousand persons are anticipated to make their approach to Makuhari Messe for the 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon. The largest modified automobile present on this planet is a bucket checklist occasion for a lot of, and since Speedhunters acquired its begin in 2008, we’ve attended religiously. It’ll be no completely different this coming January, with an enormous group on the bottom in Japan’s capital metropolis to seize the newest and best tuning tendencies from the JDM motherland.
With this in thoughts, we thought we’d revisit TAS from 10 years in the past for this week’s Throwback Thursday put up. How far have issues advanced during the last decade? You may be stunned… When you’ve completed up with this put up, you may also take a look at Dino’s high 5 automobile picks from Tokyo Auto Salon 2014 right here.
2014 Function
It’s 9.00am Friday morning in Japan and the doorways have simply swung open on the Makuhari Messe, permitting a monstrous crowd of media to spill into the halls of the 2014 Tokyo Auto Salon. Since I figured you wouldn’t wish to wait a complete day for a style of what this yr’s present has to supply, yesterday I paid my common pre-show go to to TAS whereas the tuners, producers and elements makers have been busy organising their cubicles.
My first port of name was a fast cease on the huge 13-car-strong Liberty Stroll show. After seeing the success its US demo automobile loved on the SEMA Present in Las Vegas a few months again, I simply had to see an LB Works kit-equipped Ferrari 458 up shut. After weeks of testing Kato-san’s Instagram feed I knew precisely what a number of the automobiles appeared like, however regardless of what number of footage I’ve seen, nothing fairly ready me for the visible influence his wild kits had on each the Italia and the sweet blue R35 parked subsequent to it.
I’m glad the entire purple wheel factor is catching on too… With the roof down, the Ferrari’s rear three-quarter view is solely mouthwatering; these fender flares simply containing the aggressive offset of the wheels.
If the Spider isn’t for you, the black 458 hardtop Kato additionally introduced alongside to the present is certain to fulfill. I simply can’t stress how rattling low these automobiles sit! As soon as the rear diffuser is fitted (it was but to be put in on black automobile on the time I grabbed this image) there’s lower than one centimeter of floor clearance…
What was I saying about journey peak? Liberty Stroll is on a real roll. It had some of the talked about automobiles of SEMA and now it’s properly on its approach to being a stand-out exhibitor at this yr’s Auto Salon. Whereas this pink Murciélago was nice and all, it was Kato’s two Kenmeris that I used to be actually itching to see. Nevertheless, as a consequence of some delays they weren’t going to be dropped off till later within the evening, so that you’ll want to attend for my subsequent put up from the present to see them intimately.
And sure, if you happen to’re one of many lucky individuals heading to the present over the weekend, you’ll get to see a couple of of LB Works’ GT-Rs too!
It’s not simple to face out amongst a sea of prohibitively costly exotica, however the second I noticed the S & Firm Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale I simply needed to go in for a better look. The automobile sports activities S & C’s newest satin wrap, which appears to be like and feels remarkably like actual paint.
The KM4SH 86
It looks as if a very long time in the past since we started chatting to Miura-san of TRA Kyoto about collaborating on a singular collection of aero elements. After a lot discussions, translation, and quite a few 3D renders, I used to be blown away by how good the KM4SH 86 turned out. I like how aggressive it manages to be, with out being excessive, and that entrance lip spoiler appears to be like even higher than it did in digital idea kind. The soon-to-be-released 6666mesh wheels from Enkei are simply what the physician ordered for a equipment of this nature – you simply can’t argue with copious quantity of lip mated to a traditional middle.
The blokes at S & Firm have been ensuring the black physique shined like a mirror because of a choice of Kleers detailing merchandise. You possibly can learn extra in regards to the KM4SH undertaking right here.
I should ask Miura-san what number of automobiles at this yr’s present are fitted together with his aero elements.
It’s not a lot the 86 kits that I’m speaking about – there have been loads of these together with the Rocket Bunny V2 on the Belief sales space – however his type has actually influenced a big slice of the JDM aftermarket.
That features unique imports, time assault machines and excessive pace automobiles.
However in fact, there’s much more to TAS. It’s such a mishmash of kinds and ideologies, with a definite have to shock.
It’s all the time attention-grabbing to see how shortly tendencies arrive and are utilized to the very newest crop of automobiles.
In The Combine
Historical past is rarely forgotten – which is an excellent factor – however up to now I haven’t seen fairly as many old skool rides as I’d have favored to.
That mentioned, I’ll undoubtedly be on the hunt for extra as we speak!
As you’ll be able to think about, the new-gen child Lexus sedan has shortly turn out to be a well-liked platform for aesthetic modifications. That is Tommykaira’s takes on the refreshed IS.
Lexus’s spindle grille meets the Works overfender look on the Aimgain ZN6. May this be thought-about a luxurious drift automobile?
Over the course of the weekend I’ll be spending a whole lot of time within the adjoining halls that have been added to TAS final yr. That is the place the massive Choice show is located, in addition to the RH9 guys with their crazy-powerful automobiles. It’s these machines that add a extra ‘purposeful’ side to the present, the place energy nonetheless guidelines above type and the place the automobiles are engineered for objective. Oh yeah, that’s a twin turbo, four-rotor rotary engine that Kawato-san at Whole Automotive Produce Magic will likely be becoming in a brand new FD3S RX-7 drift automobile. Mad Mike Whiddett must be completely happy as he will get to drive it!
Who mentioned hybrids need to be boring? It might be an over-the-top present automobile, however the Kuhl Racing Prius sports activities probably the most distinctive roll cage I’ve ever seen – one thing to do with it being fabricated out of exhaust piping. Okay, so it’s not purposeful, nevertheless it’s cool and that’s all these kinds of automobiles are attempting to perform.
The 2014 Tremendous GT season is just a few months away and there are many GT500 and GT300 automobiles to take a look at on the present. That features the Nismo GT-R which we first noticed final month in Fuji on the Nismo Pageant. It’ll be thrilling to see how this 1000kg, 2.0L turbo, DTM-rule-based racer does agains the Honda NSX and the Lexus RC.
I actually can’t get sufficient of the Ferrari F12. I can’t recall a automobile that has accomplished ‘it’ for me as a lot because the R34 GT-R, as this one.
And speaking of GT-Rs, High Secret, together with a bunch of Japanese tuners together with Phoenix’s Energy, Display and JUN, had sufficient R35s between them to carry a single-make race collection!
Each time I have a look at a Varis automobile I can’t assist however shed a tear. Its automobiles are a number of the best-looking in the entire Japanese tuning scene and it simply makes me unhappy that they by no means did something for the R34. Guys, severely, please provide you with one thing good and purposeful made out of carbon for us forgotten san-yon house owners. Onegaishimasu!
The Varis identify was being repped within the RAYS sales space too with the Bulletproof Scion FR-S all the way in which from California. Initially unveiled at SEMA, the ZN6 was sitting fairly on Volk Racing G25s.
Modelling a set of brightly-colored 20-inch TE37s was the all-dry-carbon Overtake GT-R – a machine that completely balances operate with kind. Weight discount and some chosen engine upgrades are all that’s wanted to make this factor carry out.
I’ll end up this preview from TAS with one final shock – the BenSopra Z33 inbuilt collaboration with RYO in Hiroshima. The automobile was nonetheless being assembled as I grabbed this shot, so you’ll have to look ahead to the complete protection to see extra. Its flat-white sister automobile will likely be on show on the Belief sales space from as we speak, together with what could be the spotlight of the present. I may need to deal with you guys to a highlight in a while that individual automobile tonight as I know you’ll wish to see it!
Dino Dalle Carbonare
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