Mitsubishi unveiled i Miev Sport concept at the 2007 Tokyo auto show. i Miev Sport has a simple and fluid exterior and interior design, the layout provides optimal distribution of weight. This futuristic electric car has a sporty performance and spacious interior. This concept car has an aluminum space frame body structure to minimize it�s weight. i Miev also has three permanent magnetic synchronous motors. As environmental considerations, on the roof of i Miev sport an auxiliary photovoltaic generator was installed for energy saving.
i Miev has a sporty, spacious and dynamic interior. The interior gives the security and comfort feelings to the user. Mitsubishi also gives excellent occupant protection from collisions from any direction, even when colliding with a vehicle of different height or weight.
No shoes were flung when the 2010 Toyota Prius debuted at the recent Detroit auto show. Considering the grim mood in the Motor City - with domestic automakers on death watch and frozen credit paralyzing sales - and the fact that a gallon of gas costs little more than a can of beer, that's remarkable. Detroit was hardly the opportune place for a fuel-scrimping, technically advanced Asian import to bow. Then again, consider the Latin meaning of the word Prius: to go before. Defying skeptics is this car's cause. The Prius's mission has always been venturing ahead of the gas-saving, earth-hugging curve.
Toyota calls this the third generation of the Prius (not counting one sold in Japan from 1997 to 2000 but never imported here), but the gist of the world's best-selling gas-electric hybrid hasn't changed an iota. It rides on the same 106.3-inch wheelbase as its predecessor, and its external dimensions are longer, lower, and wider by smidgens. The fresh but still nerdy-looking skin smites the wind with a drag coefficient trimmed from 0.26 to 0.25. The front wheels are again energized by a compound powertrain consisting of one four-cylinder engine, two motor/generators, one planetary gearbox, and a nickel-metal-hydride battery pack.
The rumored plug-in lithium-ion batteries are a no-show for now, yet Toyota engineers overhauled the rest of the Prius's propulsion system. The DOHC sixteen-valve I-4 engine grows from 1.5 to 1.8 liters in displacement, upping peak output from 76 to 98 hp at 5200 rpm. One carryover feature is the use of the Atkinson cycle, a delayed intake-valve closing arrangement that yields a longer expansion stroke and reduced fuel consumption. The most notable engine innovation is the elimination of belts under the hood; all accessory equipment (A/C compressor, coolant pump, power-steering pump) is now directly driven by the engine or by an electric motor.
The RX is the best-selling Lexus, and one in five sold is the hybrid version. It's no surprise, then, that with the new third-generation RX - the second to have a hybrid powertrain - Lexus is treading very carefully.
The design is a careful evolution, both inside and out. The car is slightly longer and wider but manages to look sleeker than before. The interior retains the traditional Lexus virtues of comfort (on even bigger, cushier seats) and refinement (with available semi-aniline leather for a still more luxurious feel). Lexus has joined the Germans by adopting an iDrive-style controller instead of a touch screen for its optional navigation system. But rather than a knob you twist and push, the Lexus control (called Remote Touch) works more like a joystick that you move from side to side or forward and back, and then make a selection by pressing buttons on the side of the unit. It takes some getting used to.
Other new options don't require a learning curve, such as the head-up display and the curb-view camera; the latter is located in the right-side mirror, and at low speeds it shows an image of what's alongside the car. The hybrid model supplements its previous ECO indicator, which lights up when you're driving efficiently, with a selectable ECO mode, which changes the responsiveness of the throttle and instructs the climate control to use the A/C compressor more judiciously. There's also an EV mode, which extends the threshold before the engine starts, up to a still-modest 8 to 10 mph.
The changes aren't dramatic, but Lexus has given its cushy suburban hybrid a slightly greener tinge. Lexus engineers identify four elements that underpin the brand's hybrids: performance, quiet refinement, low emissions, and fuel economy. In this redesign, the latter received the most emphasis.
Nissan Pivo 2 concept was unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show. It runs on compact Lithium-ion battery. Nissan Pivo 2 has a rotating cabin and wheels that can rotate 360 degrees, this feature allows easy parking. This cool car also has a Robotic Agent, robotic agent is a voice recognizing interface. This feature allows the car to detect and conclude the driver�s mental state by facial expressions and by voice patterns. With this robotic agent you could ask for directions or the nearest parking space or even basic vehicle functions. This feature is available in English and Japanese languages.
The design of Pivo 2 is very unique and futuristic, it has a round dome as it�s main shape with four small wheels. The chassis of the car doesn't have a front or back, instead the dome revolves, letting the driver face whichever direction needs to be front. The Interior of the car also has a dome shape and the dashboard looks like a toy car.
Nissan Pivo 2 Specifications:
Introduced at : 2007 Tokyo Auto Show
Engine : Energy consumption of a conventional lightweight vehicle
Torque equivalent : V8 4.5L engine (528Nm) (twice the torque output of a conventional electric motor)
Power equivalent : 2.5L engine .
Battery : The new lithium-ion battery (twice the energy density of conventional batteries
Brake : Regenerative braking (Battery capacity has doubled and energy efficiency is improved by better response to regenerative braking).
Special Features :
Robotic Agent : Inferring a driver�s mental state by facial expressions and by voice patterns
Metamo System : a new concept which enables independent control of each wheel (The angles and position of the wheels are controlled to ensure an even load across the chassis to match driving conditions. This optimizes load distribution and ensures stability with minimum body movement during acceleration, deceleration, braking and cornering). The use of In-wheel 3D Motors and X by-Wire technologies.
Mazda Taiki has a very unique shape and the concept is based of a front-engine rear-wheel drive layout. The design of this concept car were inspired by flowing robes, it has a complex styling lines which represent the flow of air and it�s looks like a highly stylized sheetmetal sculpture. Mazda Taiki is the latest radical concepts that express organic themes from Mazda.
From the press release they claimed that Mazda Taiki reflects a future generation of Mazda sports cars that aim to create a sustainable society. Mazda Taiki based on the "flow" theme to establish a breathtaking presence which visually expresses the atmosphere (called taiki in Japanese) that wraps the Earth in its protective mantle. The basic proportions of the car begin with the stretched coupe form of a front-engine rear-wheel-drive layout, the short overhangs, and an all-glass canopy.
The Interior concept was based on an Air-tube, the interior space creates the dynamic sensation that the flow of the wind is being visually depicted. The effect of the design integrates the design theme perfectly to realize outstanding aerodynamic performance.
Mazda Taiki Specifications :
General Specifications :
Country of Origin :Japan
Numbers built : Not Available (Prototype)
Produced in : 2007
Introduced at : 2007 Tokyo Motorshow
Engine Type :Next Generation RENESIS
Transmission Type : Dry twin clutch 7-speed power shift