Article from WeChat public account:autocarweekly(ID:autocarweekly), author: Dedee, from the head of FIG: Oriental IC
Someone said that this year’s Tokyo Motor Show – is the “Tokyo Motor Show.” European and American car dealers have absent, so that the entire exhibition is like a highly localized Japanese car exhibition.
In fact, since its birth in 1954, there have been 16 years of time. The Tokyo Motor Show is the exclusive arena of neon cars in the early days.
After 1970, due to the advantages of the time and place, the Japanese car that was thick and thin, instantly became a mudslide in the global auto market, and the old European and American car companies were caught off guard.
The Tokyo Motor Show has gradually gained its name and place. It not only stands for the “Asia’s largest auto show”, but also becomes one of the vane of the world’s automobile trend.
But no matter how internationalized, the nature of the Tokyo Motor Show has never changed – rooted in neon to do the best.
Therefore, there have been thousands of different K-cars. They are not concept cars and they are better than concept cars, and they often make you look like you are.
Therefore, there have been super-segment models designed according to gender, age, cultural level, and so on. They look similar, even if the difference is only due to a certain design point.
The above shows the essence of the neon people’s delicate and perverted.
But Mr. Lu Xun really said in the “And Jieting Essays Collection”: “Only the nationality is the world.”
It is precisely because the neon car company has done a lot of things to make it a unique Tokyo auto show, and it has made a big Japanese car.
Today, let’s talk about it – those years, especially in the second half of the 20th century, the Japanese legends who grew up at the Tokyo Motor Show.
1954-1960: Auto Show? I just don’t talk.
Since the neon people are no longer struggling on the food and clothing line, they are in desperate need of the three major needs of “black and white TV, refrigerators and washing machines” to enrich their increasingly decent lives.
Cars? Just think about it.
1954 Tokyo Auto Show was born
The World War II has just ended less than a decade. The first Tokyo Motor Show opened at the doorstep of Emperor Hirohito’s home, and the famous Hibiya Park opened.
The Tokyo Motor Show at the time had a more grand name: the all-Japan auto show. It brings together 254 local companies and 267 cars, most of which are neon-style three-wheeled trucks and motorcycles.
The passenger car is definitely a vulnerable group, a total of 17 vehicles.
These three-wheeled trucks and two-wheeled motorcycles actually attracted 547,000 tourists to visit.
It’s only a matter of signing up.
However, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry of Japan can not think so. The forward spies they sent back, the visitors’ eyes were full of eagerness for the car.
1955 Toyota Crown Release
The 2nd Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota released the first generation of Toyota Crown, and is also the first neon car to export to the US.
The full name of the car at the time was Toyopet Crown.
Toyopet means “Toyota Baby”, which shows that Toyota has a lot of love for this car. It is said that the most painstaking thing is the youngest managing director of the company at the time, and now Toyota’s uncle, Toyota Yingji.
It was in his wall cracking proposal that Toyota decided to independently develop the car platform. Yingsang Sang not only directly participated in the development, but also volunteered to carefully open the first “crown” to the production line.
Neon’s famous car critic Yu Daji has always described the first generation crown:
“It’s easy to drive, the equipment is very luxurious, and it has good durability. It lays a solid foundation for the future reputation of Made in Japan.”
When Toyota Crown became the benchmark for the entire island’s automobile manufacturing industry, Japan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry’s wall cracking requires domestic automakers to quickly develop a civilian car that conforms to the local characteristics of the island:
1, the maximum speed can exceed 100 kilometers
2, can take 4 people
3. When the speed is 60 km/h, the fuel consumption is 30 km/l
4, the price does not exceed 250,000 yen (at the time it was about 2,000 yuan, it is not cheap)
1958 Subaru 360 released
The 5th Tokyo Motor Show, Fuji Heavy Industries released a – in addition to the price, all other “national cars” that meet the requirements, Subaru 360.
Although at the time, the average neon’s monthly income had reached 40,000 yen, but to buy a price of about 425,000 yen (converted to RMB 3,300 yuan) Subaru 360… Still quite strenuous.
However, this price still attracted a large number of middle-class families to buy and buy, and they even gave the car a nickname for fried chicken: small ladybug (Volkswagen Beetle: 喵喵喵).
Since its launch in 1958, Subaru 360 has been the driving force of neon light-duty cars, with a cumulative sales volume of 390,000 units in ten years.
More importantly, it has created a brand new island-specific K-car. For more than 60 years, it has saved a lot of land for neon.
1961-1970: National car, private car, everyone has a car era
Do not want for 10 years, “black and white TV, refrigerator and washing machine” has become the standard of neon family. The neon people of the early 1960s began to pursue new decent: “cars, air conditioners and color TVs.”
In particular, the car, at the time, claimed to be “a $1,000 to buy a car.”
The first opportunity was the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The island people also belonged to the Asian races that were both hospitable and good-faced. So, that year, it was a logical rush to buy a car frenzy – the annual sales reached 5 million units.
The car manufacturers have been rushing to make the most of their efforts to develop national cars of all sizes, grades and qualities.
The neon is gradually entering the automotive society.
1962 Honda debut
I have been focusing on motorcycles. Even in 1961, Honda, who was the top 5 in the TT250ml class on the Isle of Man, actually came to the 9th Tokyo Motor Show with two four-wheeled roadsters S360 and S500.
The DOHC inline four-cylinder engine of the two roadsters is actually derived from Honda’s first mass-produced four-wheeler T360, a small truck that looks like a human being and is harmless, with a sky-blue casing.
The two amazingly small sports cars directly caused the Tokyo Auto Show to break through the first million people. The road from Ginza to the venue has more than 10,000 cars waiting to enter the market every day. 睹 “The truck that doesn’t want to build a sports car is not a good motorcycle”.
The organizer had to temporarily change that road to a one-way street.
Honda Dafa is amazing.
1963 Toyo Kogyo launches dual-rotor engine and new car Cosmo
Toyo Kogyo is today’s Mazda.
In the early 1960s, due to a series of “unequal treaties” with NSU, Toyo Kogyo was under enormous economic and competitive pressure.
In 1963, the then president, Matsuda Hiroshi decided to fight back, and asked Yamamoto Kenichi (the future sixth Mazda president), Together with 46 engineers, the Rotor Research Department was established to research and improve the rotor engine.
The 47 people are called “Rotor 47 Strongman”.
(official arrival)“.
Yes, from this beginning, the Tokyo Auto Show is no longer simply a “national car” that supports cheap, good, and sufficient, but a new era of “hundred flowers, one hundred schools of thought” (I really look at it).
This year’s auto show not only introduced new mini-cars with engines of less than 660cc, such as Honda N360, Daihatsu Fellow and Suzuki Fronte.
There are two pioneers of world-class national cars: the first-generation Nissan Sunny and the first-generation Toyota Corolla, equipped with engines with a displacement of 1 liter.
More cattle fork, is the highlight of the first day of the exhibition – the release of Nissan Prince Royal, is also the first neon-made emperor’s royal car.
The countless visitors were shocked by the size of this royal car.
However, the little aunt thinks that what is even more amazing is the invincible quality of Nissan’s car – it was not officially retired until 2006, and the successor was the old rival Toyota Century Royal.
1970 Toyota releases Celica
In the same year, Osaka hosted the World Expo.
Therefore, 33 automakers from 7 countries entered the Tokyo Motor Show with 95 imported cars. The Asian Auto Show finally had a Western flavor.
Of course, the protagonist of the Tokyo Motor Show is still a local automaker. They are not limited to building a simple and easy-to-use national car, and they are starting to play various new ideas and models, especially some high-security and low-emission performance cars.
For example, the true ancestor of Camry and Supra, Toyota Celica.
It is said that the design concept of the original Celica was inspired by the Ford Mustang, which is also known as the “Toyo Wild Horse”.
The reason why the “Toyo Wild Horse” can become the ancestor of Toyota’s generation of classics and other classic cars is not only because it won the 5th Macau Guia Race, but also because of Toyota’s “FULL CHOICE” service. – You can make your favorite small sports car with more money and less money.
Therefore, Celica’s engine is available from 1.4L to 2.2L, and there are three options: 3-speed automatic, 4-speed manual and 5-speed manual. It is free to match the owner’s personal preference, plus the body of only 890KG. The net weight quickly became Toyota’s best-selling coupe, which broke millions in six years.
In a word, the neon “everyone has a car era” officially arrived.
1971-1980: Performance and energy efficiency are needed, the spring of Japanese cars is here
In 1969, the Tomei Expressway in Japan was opened to traffic, and neon cars began to be high-speed and performance-oriented.
The 1970 Osaka World Expo completely reminded the neon and the world. evenWith the Tokyo Motor Show in the same year, the neon brand and the old European and American car dealers were able to see the truth.
The former took a few minutes, and the latter with a bit of disdain.
It’s only after three years, the first oil crisis broke out, so that the neon automobile manufacturing industry, which has always insisted on making small cars to make small displacement cars, suddenly turned to serfs and sang, becoming the model of the world automobile industry. .
With the support of the neon government, Japanese cars officially began to expand overseas, and Made in Japan gradually became the mainstream of the car market.
1972 Honda releases CVCC engine and first-generation CIVIC
The main focus of this auto show is undoubtedly vehicle safety technology and energy saving. At the same time, the US emperor on the other side of the ocean passed the “Maskey Act” that made Ford and GM a bald night. The latter requires that emissions of pollutants must be reduced by 90% within three years!
This is simply the difficulty level of Mission Impossible, which immediately caused a devastating blow to the North American auto market at the time.
When the bill comes out, who is fighting?
Honda CVCC engine and first generation CIVIC
It was at the 19th Tokyo Motor Show in 1972 that Honda introduced the CVCC low-pollution engine: the separation of the main combustion chamber and the secondary combustion chamber further increased fuel efficiency and greatly reduced displacement.
The CIVIC, which was equipped with the CVCC engine, became the first car to meet the standards set by the Muske Act, shocking the entire European and American car industry.
The legend of “buy the engine to deliver the car” comes from this.
Honda’s energy-saving and environmental protection concept has officially become the benchmark in the industry, and has become the object of American imitation research for many years.
Honda’s Shoichiro won the “Holly Award” for the world’s most popular fried chicken award – this award was established only twice by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for more than a hundred years. The last time was awarded to Ford in 1936.
Japanese cars have officially become a mudslide that cannot be ignored in the world of cars.
1977 Dafa released a three-cylinder engine and the first generation Charade
Because of the oil crisis, the neon, which is keen to build a fuel-efficient and small-sized car, has become the world’s largest auto exporter.
The biggest star of the 22nd Tokyo Motor Show is us.A hatchback car that the Chinese are familiar with: Daihatsu Charade.
It also has a name called Xiali…
Charade became the star of the year because it has the world’s first four-cycle three-cylinder engine, and the fuel economy reached a new height of 100 liters per 100 kilometers.
Don’t ask me if my first generation Charade is shaking and shaking as soon as it starts. After all, people’s focus is on energy saving.
1981-1990: Concept car and performance car rampage, the ultimate carnival of the bubble economy
From 1980 turbocharged and front-wheel drive, to DOHC·4WD and 4WS technology in 1985, to the first all-aluminum body production sports car in 1989… a variety of eye-catching blacks Technology, premium cars, high-performance cars, concept cars… have become the focus of the Tokyo Motor Show.
The seemingly normal traditional car ribbon has gradually spurred the small heart of the neon. They have begun to sneak in the bubble economy, and even can not distinguish between the southeast and the north.
Only those concept cars with brains wide open, futuristic and sci-fi elements, or luxury performance cars that focus on speed and passion, will allow hormones to be re-secreted.
1987 concept car becomes the mainstream show car
Finally, after the 26th Auto Show, the Tokyo Motor Show became Asia’s most famous international auto show – the number of overseas exhibitors reached a peak, and the area of the imported auto show area has been comparable to the neon local exhibition area.
However, the protagonist of this auto show is the most protagonist of the neon local brand.
In particular, Toyota FXV-II, Nissan ARC-X and Mitsubishi HSR.
They are all typical experimental future vehicles. Although the brands are different, they have a similar design concept – the introduction of a large number of electronic control components, including suspension, steering, braking, and even the driver’s seat, can be changed according to different driving situations and environments, with strong adaptability Features.
Since the 1980s, the neon concept car with a wide open brain has become a major attraction of the Tokyo Motor Show.
1989 Honda releases NS-X
This is the first year from the Showa to Heisei, and the last carnival moment of the neon “bubble economy”. The consumers of the whole island country are staring at the luxury car.
It’s no wonder that the theme of this year’s show is “Freedom of Mobility – A Taste of Real Life and Luxury”.
Yu, I have always insisted on building a civilian car Honda, and launched the world’s first super-running NS-X with F1 design concept.
NS-X is also the first mass-produced sports car in the history of the car to use an all-aluminum body. Its aluminum body and aluminum alloy are suspended from the front and rear. Compared with the steel body, the weight is reduced by 200kg and 20kg respectively, which ensures the vehicle body is sufficiently lightweight.
It was also the first sports car equipped with a VTEC engine. It has easily won N JGTC Champions (predecessor of the Japanese GT Championship). VTEC is “Variable Valve Timing andAbbreviation for Valve Life Electronic Control System, the world’s first valve control system that can control both valve opening and closing time and lift.
Honda also has advanced technologies such as 4 independent channel anti-lock braking system, titanium alloy connecting rod, EPS, VTEC and so on.
It’s no wonder that NS-X has long been hailed as a neon national treasure sports car by Honda Powder. In 1991, NS-X successfully entered North America and Hong Kong as the flagship car of Yingge
1991-2000: New fuels, new energy, the new era of environmental protection is coming
Hydrogen powered vehicles, methanol powered vehicles, fuel cell vehicles and hybrid vehicles have appeared one after another – 30 years ago, “New Energy” has become a must-answer for the Tokyo Motor Show and continues to this day.
1995 Toyota launches Prius concept car
For the neon people, 1995 is truly unforgettable.
First, the Great Hanshin Earthquake, and later the Tokyo Metro Saline gas incident, as well as the economic recession that is extremely high – the 31st Tokyo Motor Show opened in such a bleak atmosphere.
However, the process and results of the auto show are not bleak.
Not only because of the Honda SSM, Mazda RX-01 and Toyota MRJ, but also a variety of seemingly exciting and fun little sports cars, but also because of a Toyota concept car called EMS.
In other words, the reason why it is familiar with EMS, which we are familiar with, is because the full name is called “Energy Management System”.
This one-of-a-kind two-color concept car is precisely Toyota’s “retrospective new car for the 21st century” – a hybrid hybrid system that not only enables the engine and generator to be used according to driving conditions. Drive or use separately. It can also automatically stop the engine when the vehicle is stopped, reducing energy waste, and basically “halving fuel consumption”.
Yes, EMS is the world’s first mass-produced hybrid car in 1997, and now the most familiar Toyota Prius.
Although its appearance has been unrelenting, it has become the most popular and best-selling new energy vehicle in the world due to its excellent and mature vehicle fuel consumption and exhaust emission skills.
1999 New energy vehicles get together check-in
In the last year of the 20th century, the theme of the 33rd Tokyo Motor Show was “Eye to the future. Changing vehicles for the earth.”
I don’t know whether it’s a heart, or a strong desire for survival. The five local brands, Toyota, Honda, Daihatsu, Mitsubishi and Mazda, have unveiled their own hydrogen fuel cell concept cars.
There are also five car companies that have launched the use of five flowers.Eight-door hybrid concept car – such as (still) Toyota’s hybrid minivan HV-M4, Suzuki’s old K-car PU-3 Commuter, etc…
Unfortunately, most of the new energy concept cars 20 years ago have been completely left behind.
The era of new energy vehicles has suddenly come to the forefront, and has become a hot spot for the next 20 years.
Article from WeChat public account:autocarweekly(ID:autocarweekly), author: Dedee