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Honda focuses on personal mobility and the environment at the ongoing Tokyo Motor Show

he 41st Tokyo Motor Show was a relatively subdued affair this time around. Noticeably absent were the big European manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and the French. In fact, the only European automaker present was Caterham, and even then, all they had was a very small stand with four or ďŹ ve variants of the Caterham. Lotus, which is actually Malaysian, was there too, although the models on display, including the Evora, may have come from England.

The rest of the Europeans were at home

Mobility concept

licking their wounds from the ongoing economic crisis.

My visit to the Tokyo Motor Show, held once every two years, was in limbo for quite a while. Usually, the invites are out from as early as March or April, but this time, I only got to know I was going about three weeks before the event, and in a roundabout kind of way. My hosts this time, as it has been for the past four Tokyo Motor Shows, was again Honda Malaysia and Honda Motor Company, Japan.

The Honda stand was one of the biggest

stands at the show, outdone in size only by its largest rival (Toyota), but this time the motorcycles were put on show together with the cars, whereas previously, all the motorcycles were in a separate section, a subtle reminder that although life must go on, it is not yet time to rejoice.

According to Takanubo Ito, president and CEO of Honda Motor Company Japan, the market has recovered to an extent that the banks are beginning to see light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel, but he believes that it will still be some time before the liquidity spreads

CRZ concept

downwards to the consumer, to prompt the purchase of new vehicles in big numbers. He agrees that the Cash for Clunkers schemes have helped in some ways in the sales of Honda cars, and that the worst is over, but it will be some time before the good times are here again.

Honda’s theme this time around is mobility, focusing on eco-friendly machines running on electricity generated through fuel cell technology, and goes beyond the scope of just automobiles, as personal mobility at home and on the streets is also covered. Of particular interest is a very

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Type R Euro FCX Clarity & Fuel Stack Insight

small gizmo about two feet high, shaped like two round discs joined together, one on top of the other. This strange machine seems to defy the laws of gravity, being able to stand upright on its own... the secret is a gyro-something gizmo, developed as a direct result of Honda’s Asimo humanoid robotics programme.

Honda has also showcased its selfdeveloped compact and lightweight fuel stack, one of the key components in the FCX fuel cell vehicle that runs on hydrogen, which combusts with oxygen, and the byproduct, or exhaust, is water. On display at the booth was the FCX Clarity, which runs on electricity generated by combining hydrogen and oxygen. The future for Honda seems to be in its compact fuel stack, proudly displayed in front of the FCX. The fuel stack is the main stage where the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen takes place to produce the electricity to drive the next generation car.

In the interim period, whilst developing its fuel cell cars, Honda has hybrid energy regenerative engines that are more ecofriendly than conventional engines, with smaller capacity engines that run with the Honda IMA system to provide as much torque and power as a much larger engine, and yet are more economical.

Malaysian motorists are likely to get the Honda Insight, which runs a 1.3litre hybrid engine. As part of our tour,

we visited the Honda factory at Suzuka, where we saw the Insight being rolled out on the production line at the rate of one every 50 seconds or so. We also had the opportunity on the last day to drive the new Insight at the Motegi Twin Ring Racing circuit.

Honda has also introduced the new CR-Z Concept 2009 car, giving a preview of what’s next on the menu for Honda lovers. The CR-Z concept represents Honda’s proposal for a new hybrid sports model.

Equipped with a six-speed manual transmission and a 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine, the CR-Z promises a fun to drive experience coupled with outstanding fuel economy.

The compact, lightweight Honda IMA hybrid system is packaged within an advanced form based on a “low, short and wide” design concept. Plans are afoot for a production model to be launched in February 2010.

Another interesting exhibit at the Honda booth was the Skydeck hybrid. The Skydeck is a study model focused on the concept of “freely expanding” opportunity and fun in people’s lives, featuring great flexibility in space utility. Funky doors that slide open and upwards enables extreme ease of entry and exit. Seat and interior materials are revolutionary in design, and offer versatility for transporting large families or moving large articles.

Of note is the Step WGN, which has

the largest interior space in its class and offers best-in-class fuel economy. Of more interest is the Freed, a six to seven-seater MPV slightly smaller than the Honda Stream. The current model on sale in Japan features a 1.5-litre engine, and a little bird tells me that it will soon be available in Malaysia. It won’t be long before Malaysians can look forward to an MPV priced lower than the Stream.

A more interesting piece of news to young car buffs would be the Civic Type R Euro, a really nice and sporty-looking hot hatchback, due to be introduced in Japan later this month. The Type R Honda range has always delivered extremely sporty and high performance and this is a car that will find its way into the country somehow.

The most interesting piece of news

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that I got from this trip would be Honda’s direction for the future. There are no statements or news releases, but it appears to me that Honda believe that their future lies in their fuel cell technology. It will, of course, depend on whether the “top up” infrastructure — in particular, the hydrogen refill stations, much like the gas stations we have today — are forthcoming, but one day, the Honda performance cars will be powered by hydrogen.

The writing is on the wall: zero pollution, tremendous torque, with instantaneously responsive power on tap. I wonder if it will happen in my lifetime. Such is the power of dreams, Honda style.

Y S Khong is a four-time Malaysian rally champion. He has been a consultant to several car manufacturers in the country.