TEASERS: The Japan Mobility show late-October exhibition will host dozens of concepts from Nissan to Toyota to Mazda and everyone in between

By Ali Mphaki

Never mind they are still in concept form, but intelligence will reveal that the outies in the Vaal townships have already rebaptised them as Koyoko – a monster of a thing in Sesotho. Memory would also remind us that Koyoko is the name in vogue during those dark days of Struggle – to describe the imposing police armour vehicle called the Hippo.

Comrades before you get carried away, here we talking about the Toyota Kayoibako (Battery Electric Vehicle) BEV and the Nissan Hyper Tourer concepts – two of the stars expected to glitter at the Tokyo Mobility Show which kicks-off this week after its every-two-years scheduling pattern was broken in 2021 by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tokyo Motor Show is back for 2023 with a new name: the Japan Mobility Show. Make no mistake, all major manufacturers will be out there exhibiting their new offerings with a more emphasis on EVs, BEVs, hybrids etc, but from glimpses of what is on offer, both Nissan and Toyota look to be in pole position to attract more feet and eyes to their stands.

Lets take a look at the Kayoibako:

We may forgive the gents from the Vaal for their overdrive creative juices going into overdrive in jazzing up the tongue-twisting Kayoibako name, it is so named because the word, in Japanese, refers to the modest concept of a reusable shipping carton – although Toyota puts it thus:

“The word kayoibako refers to configurable shipping containers for safely and efficiently transporting parts and products between facilities, sized to eliminate waste and able to meet diverse needs with changeable inserts. Toyota says it conceived the Kayoibako as a “quality base unit” packaged as a solid interior and exterior package, without bending your wallet over. Its expandable design would let you tailor it to all sorts of roles, making it a flexible player in the game.  The design is said to be ultra-expandable, allowing for various customisations – and while there’s no getting around the fact that it looks like nothing more than a van, it’s a cool-looking van.

The Kayoibako was designed to connect with smart grids and other systems that go beyond just getting you from point A to B. In a business context, this could mean efficient last-mile logistics or even a mobile shop with built-in product display shelves.

For personal use, the van is intended to be heavily customisable, both from a styling and a functional, accessible perspective. Wheelchair access? No worries. Off-roading? Apparently, yes.

As with many dedicated EVs, the Kayoibako boasts some bizarre dimensions – although, as a van, its specs make sense. It’s only 3990mm long, making it shorter than the compact Yaris Cross, but its 2800mm wheelbase is just 50mm shy of the big Kluger’s footprint. And, at 1855mm tall, it’s comfortably taller than both.

NISSAN HYPER TOURER

Nissan has unveiled the Hyper Tourer concept as one of three new models that will be showcased at the Japan Mobility Show. The electric people carrier is fully electric and fully autonomous, designed for long-distance road trips. It has a passenger-centric interior that enables the front seats to be rotated so those travelling together can do so face-to-face.

The car also has an AI system that can monitor your key biometrics – such as heart rate, breathing and perspiration – and automatically select complementary music and adjust the lighting to fit your mood. The eye-catching exterior design is said to benefit aerodynamics, while the sliding side doors open in opposite directions to give a large access point.

Powering the Hyper Tourer is Nissan’s e-4ORCE all-wheel-drive system and a solid-state battery. Like the Hyper Adventure concept, announced last week, Nissan says the Hyper Tourer’s battery allows electricity to be supplied to homes, stores, and offices, while travelling and on various business situations.

Nissan’s Hyper Tourer looks absolutely wild and unlike any we’ve seen from the Japanese manufacturer. Nissan will be showing some of the concepts off solely using virtual reality, which almost  seems like an effort to make the models seem even more futuristic.

MOTORING

Briefs

EM-VINDO NEW CORSA

The new Opel Corsa is arriving across Middle East & Africa starting from October 2023. – more modern, more digital and more diverse than ever.  The range will be completed with the highly efficient combustion engines: 75 HP 1.2 gasoline engine with manual 5-speed transmission, 100 HP 1.2 Turbo gasoline engine with manual 6-speed transmission, 130 HP 1.2 Turbo gasoline engine with automatic 6 or 8-speed transmission and the 110 HP 1.5 Diesel engine with manual 6-speed transmission. With power units ranging from all-electric to hybrid and highly efficient combustion engines, the new Corsa therefore offers customers an unrivalled choice of drivetrains.

Customers who prefer to drive electrically and locally emissions-free can choose from two all-electric drivetrains: a new option with 115 kW/156 hp and up to 405 kilometres range as well as the proven variant with 100 kW/136 hp and a further improved range of up to 357 kilometres (WLTP2); and with 260 Newton metres of maximum torque available from a standstill, both versions of the Corsa Electric deliver high driving enjoyment.

The best-selling small car, which recently celebrated its world premiere at the 2023 IAA Mobility in Munich, impresses with its new styling including the characteristic Opel Vizor brand fascia at the front and the confidently placed nameplate at the rear.

YEAH VW POLO SUV

A fresh report out of Brazil suggests an upcoming Polo-based SUV – which could also be the model set to be built in South Africa – will be called the Volkswagen Yeah…

It’s no secret Volkswagen is planning a new Polo-based SUV, which is expected to be positioned below the T-Cross. Now, a fresh report from Brazil suggests the as-yet-unrevealed model will be called the Volkswagen Yeah.

As a reminder, VW SA announced its intention to add a new model to its Kariega production line back in November 2022, confirming the upcoming vehicle would ride on the same MQB-A0 platform as the Polo hatchback and numerous other VW Group products. In April 2023, Martina Biene, chairperson and managing director of Volkswagen Group South Africa, revealed some fresh information to Cars.co.za, including that production of the newcomer would likely commence in 2026 or “probably 2027”.

ALPINE SCORES WITH TRENT

Liverpool and England footballer Trent Alexander-Arnold, (former) heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, four-time golf grand slam and Ryder Cup winner Rory McIlroy, NFL and Kansas City Chiefs’ stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, and retired World Cup winning footballer Juan Mata have all joined the Otro Capital fund that bought 24 per cent of Alpine for $200 million this summer… right before the team sacked a bunch of people for the 2023 car’s poor performance. Oops.

Anyway, the idea is that the high-profile investors will be able to raise awareness of the Alpine brand in their respective circles, and as the value of F1 teams skyrockets, no doubt some juicy profits will be expected in return.

“I’m excited to be joining Otro Capital’s group as an investor into Alpine F1 along with my brother Tyler,” said Alexander-Arnold. “Having been to Formula 1 races as a fan, I love the high-pressure environment of the paddock and I’ve seen firsthand how incredibly impressive the Alpine team is.”-TOP GEAR

ONE MORE THING…

Nissan faced backlash after they implied the latest Qashqai model is more of an EV than a hybrid. The industry giant saw two ads pulled by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after viewers complained it wasn’t made clear that petrol was still needed to power the electric motor. This meant potential buyers could also be more likely to believe the Qashqai was more environmentally friendly, according to the ASA.

 In the first advert, Nissan stated the model’s e-Power “comprises a 100 per cent electric motor-driven system, powered by a lithium ion battery and a petrol engine”.

 The watchdog concluded adverts would convince viewers that the cars ran on ‘e-Power’, electric technology rather than petrol.-The Sun UK