Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Tokyo motor shows: past, present and future

By Tim Pollard Motor Shows 20 August 2009 09:30 As bets in this topsy-turvy, unpredictable industry go, it’s a banker: of all the motor shows on the global calendar, the Tokyo exhibit is always the barmiest. Although the Chinese shows are rising in importance – and amusement value –  there’s something peculiarly bonkers about the biannual Japanese bash held in downtown Tokyo. So strange is the exhibition at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba City to westerners, that you don’t bat an eyelid at talking cars, vehicles with feelings, or cars designed for dogs.

Vauxhall Astra GTC (2011) more official pictures

This is the Vauxhall Astra GTC, Luton's new three-door rival for the Renault Megane and VW Scirocco. It's an important car for GM, expected to take up to 20% of all Astra orders, and the UK is traditionally the biggest market in Europe for the three-door Astra. Vauxhall Astra GTC: design and packaging The Astra GTC may be related to the existing Vauxhall Astra five-door hatchback, but the GTC is a substantially different design. The only exterior features shared with the five-door are the door handles and aerial on the roof.

Geely FC-1 concept

The third concept Geely is poised to reveal in Beijing will be the the FC-1, a station wagon-based CUV. With only a single side view image to judge from, the overall styling of the FC-1 displays a much faster and sleeker look than the other two, comparing to the GT concept's retro-organic and HL MPV's modern and simple design. By targeting the CUV segment - the trendiest vehicle segment in the world today - the FC-1 concept depicts the least 'shock value' of the three concept vehicles, and it might just have the brightest and most realistic future of them all.