Japan's contribution to the motoring world is one that has taken car manufacturing to another level. Japanese cars have not only changed the world but also brought forth a culture – the JDM culture. This culture is one that resonates with almost every car enthusiast across the world.
When it comes to building concept cars, car companies do exactly what fashion designers do when creating runway pieces. They build cars that they know all too well might never end up in production. The few that do end up in production are taken down a few notches to make them practical.
Nonetheless, we always look forward to seeing what new concept car manufacturers will think of. But while we wait, let us have a look at ten of the craziest Japanese concept cars ever made.
10 Bambgoo
There is no doubt that green technology is the next big thing. But how far can we think as far as this technology is concerned? Well, like Teslas, the Bambgoo is a green car. It might even be greener than any Tesla model out there.
The Bambgoo was the ingenious creation of the Kyoto University’s Business Venture Laboratory. This electric car’s body was made of bamboo and its drivetrain featured an electric battery pack that could run for 31 miles on a single charge. This crazy concept car was estimated to weigh 132 pounds. The Bambgoo never went into production. Let’s face it, who would drive this atrocity?
9 Honda Fuya-Jo
Honda is one of Japan’s best-known car manufacturers. Its success has been seen through the production of daily driver cars, to its performance engines on the Formula 1 circuit.
In 1999, Honda built the Honda Fuya-Jo concept, a weird boxy car that was intended for the younger generation. Designed to be a party on wheels, this car featured a floor that was designed completely flat to mimic a dancefloor and its dash and controls looked like a DJ's turntable. While it had the appeal to attract a younger crowd, there was no way it was going to see the production line.
8 Isuzu Como F1
If you thought that the Mercedes-AMG Project One was the first to experiment with Formula One engines on their road cars, think again. Formula One has inspired the build of some of the most powerful sports cars, supercars, and hypercars. It has on the other hand also inspired atrocities.
The Isuzu Como F1 is an F1 look-alike of some sort depending on which angle you look at it. This car was a concept geared towards building a road-legal F1 car. Its features included scissor doors, an extended truck bed, and a 3.5-liter V12 Lotus Formula One engine.
7 Mazda Furai
The Mazda Furai, a car whose name translates to “Sound of the wind”, was unveiled in 2007. This car was the fifth and final car in the Nagare concept car line up. It featured a chassis from a Le Mans Prototype racing car. The engine under the hood of this car was a tuned 3-rotor Wankel rotary engine that pushed 450 horsepower.
The Mazda Furai wore the number 55, the same number as the 1991 787B racer that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Unfortunately, this concept car is not in existence anymore. It caught fire during a test in 2008 and its idea sailed with the wind.
6 Nissan Pivo
Nissan has always found a way to keep its clients and enthusiasts on the edge whenever they unveil a new concept car. Some of their cars are on point while others make us wish that they didn’t go past the ideation stage.
The Nissan Pivo was a third-generation concept car. This car featured a rotating three-seater cabin that was mounted on a four-wheel chassis. Nissan did this to get rid of the need to reverse.
5 Suzuki Sharing Coach
What do you think of a two in one car? Well, not the Transformer kind but a car that doubles as two actual cars mashed up into one.
The Isuzu Sharing Coach or as it's better known, the SSC, was a mash-up of the PIXY and the Isuzu Coach. This car was used to transport passengers inside buildings and designated footpaths. This pod was equated to the Russian nesting dolls because it could be folded in or out depending on how many passengers needed to be transported.
4 The Eliica
The Eliica (ELectric Lithium-Ion CAr) is the dream child of Keio University in Tokyo back when it was under the leadership of Hiroshi Shimizu. This eight-wheel electric concept car was built to be the first performance electric car. The Eliica had a top speed of 230 mph and cleared a 0 to 62 mph sprint in 4 seconds.
The low height of this car was because its eight wheels were lower compared to standard cars. This increased its aerodynamic efficiency and downforce. The electric motors in this car pushed 640 horsepower to its eight-wheel drivetrain.
3 Toyota Avalon
Toyota is the most popular Japanese car manufacturing company. Toyota cars are known for their practicality, versatility, and affordable price tag. However, every once in a while, Toyota surprises the world with wild concept ideas.
The 1991 Toyota Avalon concept was a four-door convertible that was designed by Calty. Toyota said that the design of this car was inspired by cars from the ‘60s. However, if you look at this crazy concept car closely, its shape resembles an egg more than it does a car from the ‘60s.
2 Toyota RV-2
Toyota has built some of the best off-roading vehicles on the market. But have you ever thought of camping in your Toyota? Not your RV but your sedan? Without even thinking about the logistics, the first thing that may have popped into your head was how uncomfortable it might be.
Toyota had a solution for this, the Toyota RV-2, a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, camping wagon. This concept car made its debut in 1974 at a time when wedge-shaped cars were trending. This car was based on the Mark II. Its rear featured two-clamshell hatches opened partially across to create a place to span a tent. The front cabin was big enough to fit two adults and the rear could fit four adults.
1 Yamaha OX99-11
Concept cars are a chance for car companies to experiment with different technologies. One of the most fascinating technologies has always been the Formula One engine technology. Yamaha is one of the many car companies that have experimented with this technology.
The Yamaha OX99-11 is a concept that goes way back even before the Mercedes-AMG Project One. This car’s engine was a 3.5-liter Yamaha V12 engine. The body bore resemblance to Group C racecars and the chassis was based on the same carbon fiber tube chassis found in F1 cars. Before the Yamaha OX99-11 went into production, Yamaha decided that there was no market for this $800,000 car.