Toyota Kikai – 3-seater hybrid is mechanical madness

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There’s some strange fetish going on here and we don’t know what to make of it. Toyota seems to have let its hair down for this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, and alongside the S-FR junior sports car at the Big Sight will be this – the Toyota Kikai concept.

Toyota said that it created the Kikai (‘machine’ in Japanese) to help people sincerely appreciate that machines represent a crystallisation of human wisdom. The car aims to highlight the beauty, precision and mechanical workings of a car by literally providing windows on action that’s normally out of view. We already have the naked bike, say hello to the naked car.

The Kikai is a hybrid, because its maker says that hybrids, which feature elaborate control of the engine and electric motor by way of a planetary gear, overflow with the allure of machines. Exposed elements include the engine, suspension fuel tank and exhaust piping. Such a car makes maintenance easy, and safety isn’t an issue thanks to the high rigidity of the CFRP (carbon fiber-reinforced polymer) cabin.

Click to enlarge

Speaking of the cabin, this is a three-seater with the driver in the centre, winged by two rear passengers who have unlimited legroom. Uniquely, there are a pair of windows located at the driver’s foot area, which allows he/she to see the movement of the wheels, front suspension and road surface, giving the driver a keener sense of speed. Also, the give-and-take of the suspension’s upper arms can be seen via the windscreen.

The raw, mechanical theme of the Kikai is matched with analogue instruments and straightforward ON/OFF toggle switches with a reassuring click. The doors however, are electric sliding units on both sides.

There’s a strange appeal to this “thing”, I have to admit. What do you think?

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • albag on Oct 08, 2015 at 5:22 pm

    funny car with funny name

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
    • Same L0rrrr on Oct 08, 2015 at 8:59 pm

      This is the real Innovation. Not like those take existing unpopular model, put in a turbo, park at Mars background then claim a whole new Iriz.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 5
  • thepolygonal on Oct 08, 2015 at 5:39 pm

    This will replace our ‘beca’ in various tourist hot spots, has the best rim in the world and the door will be modified to open up (gull-wing style)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • I would say fun car with a funky name.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
    • Nenek Kau on Oct 08, 2015 at 8:28 pm

      To us it sound funny, but to japanese, it is a straight forward name from the japanese word itself. Yes, Kikai means machine, but for this car, i personally think it means mechanical.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • thepolygonal on Oct 08, 2015 at 5:42 pm

    Why is there a pig picture on the rightmost meter stating 570m below it?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • alldisc on Oct 08, 2015 at 6:12 pm

    at first i was like… whoa. then the concept grows on you.

    i believe if proton makes the same concept, i will bash proton for the following 24 hours – my bad.

    this car is fresh and different and like what it said – hybrid is the way to go in the future. EV cars has a very limited range. and in order to extend the range (quoting tun mahathir) it will need bigger battery packs and this will cost more.

    while diesel has proven that the NOx emission is still high even VW cheated the whole world.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • Nice CGI

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • shawal on Oct 08, 2015 at 6:55 pm

    wont look out of place in Midgar city…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • sepul on Oct 08, 2015 at 8:13 pm

    This should be steam powered. Steam punk ride.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Strangely, it is appearing.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • leonardo on Oct 09, 2015 at 8:11 am

    While naked bikes are okay, naked men are not. That’s the way I see this ‘machine’.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • carazy on Oct 09, 2015 at 9:52 am

    At first I thought it was a new interpretation of hotrod.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • harris on Oct 09, 2015 at 10:26 am

    Bro, have you seen the original VW Beetle with all it’s fenders and rear engine cover missing? You’re looking at it.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Mark Tan on Oct 09, 2015 at 12:12 pm

    I want to buy this.
    RM300k also i want to buy.

    This is collectible item!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Welcome the Machine, 1 Man, 2Girls Machine.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • aliffyasin on Oct 09, 2015 at 12:26 pm

    Susah nak basuh ni…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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