RX-Hachi

Nov. 2nd 2007 - It’s a cool autumn day as I make my way from Shinjuku to Makuhari Messe, the site of the Tokyo Motor Show. I have visited Japan on a very regular basis for the last 15 years, but this is my first visit to the Auto Show. I’m not sure what to expect. When I arrive there are signs pointing the way to the show, but it’s a bit more “low key” than I had envisioned.

Okay, so I pay my 1300 Yen (about $10) and head directly for the Nissan area. And there it is, sitting on a dark stage. Suddenly smoke fills the stage and lights begin to beam. There are 3 huge screens that move to become one. A video plays “The Legend is Real”. Images of the mighty GT-R flash across the screen, showing the car driven in anger in what looks to be Germany’s dark forest.

The spot light shines directly on the once dark GT-R and the car rotates on a big stage. A huge crowd is surrounding the car and I feel as though I’m in a rock concert. Dang it! I’ve flown thousands of miles and I can’t even get a clear view of the car from the back of the crowd! So I find a clear spot way far on the left of the big stage. But at least it’s a clear shot and snap some pics.

Then I notice the second floor. People have gathered from above to get a bird’s eye view. So what the heck, I go upstairs. This is a little better, but I still feel like I’m in a concert, but now up in the bleachers instead of on ground. I snap even more pics.

(End of Part 1)

RX-Hachi

Disappointed, I’m just about ready to leave and head off to the Mazda section when I hear a Nissan usher saying something in Japanese. Luckily, I speak Japanese fairly fluently. The man is saying please head to the rear and you can see the GT-R.

So I line up in the queue, which heads to a back room. They are only letting in a small number of people into the room at staggered times. NOW THIS IS MORE LIKE IT! Finally, I get to see the GT-R up close and personal. I’m awe struck. For me, the car looks much better in person than in pictures.

(End of Part 2)

RX-Hachi

I fill out some paperwork and get in line again so I can actually sit in the beast. Finally it’s my turn. I slide into the seats and grab the thick steering wheel, I flick the paddle shifter a few times and grasp the shift ****. As I start to examine things more closely, the lady attendant taps on the window, time to get out, next person’s turn.

I head down the steps leaving the room and there is a cut away of yet another GT-R.

(End of Part 3)

RX-Hachi

Next up Mazda, I head straight for the Taiki rotary sports concept display. Same deal, another huge crowd around the stage and I can’t see a thing. I quickly find a spot off to the side and snap more pics. All the other “flow” concepts are on display as well, but no Kabura.

The flow concepts all look kind of strange to me and this Taiki is no exception. I actually enjoyed looking at the pretty girl in white more than the car. But I can also see taking the best parts of all these flow concepts and creating a pretty stunning next gen RX car.

(End of Part 4)

chetrickerman

i honestly dont like the GT-R, but maybe cause its a rival, but that mazda is just extreme.

RX-Hachi

Speaking of next gen, the next gen rotary 16x was of course on display. The two rotors on the bottom show the difference in size of the 1.6 vs. 1.3, the 16x is on the left.

Also on display was the new Mazda Atenza (or Mazda 6 as it's known here). And our Mazda RX-8 was still drawing crowds.

(End of Part 5)

RX-Hachi

The new STi and Evo X were there as well. I personally liked the STi better.

There were many other cars of interest as well: Honda’s CR-Z concept, Civic Type-R, the Toyota concepts, BMW M3, Tii concept, Porsche GT2 to highlight just a few. But everything just seemed to pale in comparison to the Nissan GT-R.

Finally, the show was sponsored in part by Gran Turismo 5 “Prologue”. I stood in yet another line to play this game. Of course, I picked the GT-R as my car. GT5 is going to be yet another awesome game.

As I left the show, all I could think about was the GT-R. I still think the styling isn’t right, parts of it just don’t flow well. But I dunno, maybe it’s just all the excitement from the show, because I tell myself to put my name down for one of these babies as soon as I get back to the US.

(Finished!)

XDEEDUBBX

thanks 4 the pix..wow look at all that louis vuitton ahaha

lesper4

iTrader: (3)

is that the freaking rx-8 face lift?

Groundrush

Are those lights on the side of the Taiki actually UNDER the skin, or is that a reflection? Freaky.

And I'm sure I'll get flamed for this, but after looking at all the pics of the GT-R across the various threads, am I the only one who thinks it looks rather goofy? I mean, I love the *** end, but everything front of the windshield looks...chunky. And the folks at Mitsubishi must be privately snickering that the front of the GT-R looks damn near identical to the Evo X.

RX-Hachi

Nope. No RX-8 face lift shown at the show. Just another color combo. This one was either another new blue or strato blue mica with the off white leather/alcantra combo.

RX-Hachi

Taiki does have side and rear lights flush under the skin. The grill also had what looked like a neon strip of lights.

chetrickerman

its cool, i already said i dont like it.

zoom44

Hachi= first person onthe forum to actually sit in the GT-R great job!

now find this kid



and steal that rotor thing from him for me really .... i mean it... i want that thing

remy117

haha i want too

chetrickerman

who doesnt?

RX-Hachi

Never thought about that, guess you're right. Lucky me!

Okay zoom44, just for you.
I was about to hijack the kid and steal it from him, but I discovered that it's part of an interactive eco friendly "green" demonstration. What you can't see in the pic is the big screen everyone is looking at. The rotary object interacts with the screen and demo somehow.

zoom44

well then you have to get both - the rotor and the demo thing

RX-Hachi

Well I'm back state side now and I'm still thinking about that GT-R. Although the excitement of the Auto Show has worn off, my Nissan Tokyo Motor Show Brochure has kept the fire of interest burning. (I can scan a few pics if anyone is interested.)

OTOH, the wife thinks it's nuts to pay $70+ g's for a Nissan. She thinks I should just get a Porsche 911 instead. She has a point, maybe 80% of the people on the street won't realize the performance or price of this Nissan. And it will be interesting to see what kind of special service GT-R customers get at the local Nissan dealer.

The GT-R is suppose to go on sale in the US next June. Plenty of time to ponder...

Renesis_8

I personally wouldn't care about how other people thinks of the 70g Nissan. As long as you are happy with it, thats all matters right? =)

but if I had the money to get a GTR, I would still wait a little while to see the reliability of these machines. The car is a VERy complex machine.

Its a plus if you can understand Japanese, the JDM crowd will probably have reviews on this car on the net everywhere, since it'll go on sale sooner than USDM ones.
________
Fellis

chetrickerman

it IS a beautiful car, completely gorgeous, but the 8 is my dream car, but if you get it, more power to you, to bad you live in hawaii, if i do see someone with a gtr, it will prolly be some rich snob knowing the people here in wisco

Gish

If I had the money, I would choose to get a good looking car. The Nissan is just hideous, in my opinion of course.

chetrickerman

the front clip looks exactly like the evo x