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.
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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funny car with funny name
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.
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)
for all you know, the wheels can be of magnesium alloy.
I would say fun car with a funky name.
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.
Why is there a pig picture on the rightmost meter stating 570m below it?
Pig crossing 570m ahead
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.
Nice CGI
wont look out of place in Midgar city…
This should be steam powered. Steam punk ride.
Strangely, it is appearing.
While naked bikes are okay, naked men are not. That’s the way I see this ‘machine’.
At first I thought it was a new interpretation of hotrod.
Bro, have you seen the original VW Beetle with all it’s fenders and rear engine cover missing? You’re looking at it.
I want to buy this.
RM300k also i want to buy.
This is collectible item!
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