2005 Tokyo Motor Show

Dates for the general public were October 22 - November 6, 2005, however the press are able to enter October 19-20, 2005. Below is a list of vehicles that I have interest in with a breif description of each.

2007 Bugatti Veyron


After a long, public gestation period, the Veyron has graced magazine pages around the globe this month, as it makes its world premier in production form in Tokyo. Power output has been finalized at 987 horses at 6000 rpm, with 922 pound-feet of torque at just 2200. The direct-injection 8.0-liter W-16 has 64 valves and four turbos. Engine drives all four wheels (with a fixed 30/70 front/rear torque split) through a seven-speed DSG twin-clutch trans. Bugatti claims 0-60 mph in under 3.0 seconds, 0-124 mph in 6.0, and 0-186 mph in 14.0. Amazing numbers. VW boss Bernd Pischetsrieder admits the Veyron will not make money, even with a $1.2 million asking price. But he insists the total cost of designing, engineering, and manufacturing the world's ultimate supercar is less than it would cost VW for a single season of Grand Prix racing. "This is our Formula 1," he says.

Ferrari GG50

Giorgetto Giugiaro began his car designing career at Fiat in 1955. In the five decades since, he’s been responsible for some of the greatest car designs of all times, from the Maserati Ghibli, to the VW Golf. While at Bertone he designed two custom one-off Ferraris to order for special customers, but those were the only Ferraris on his resume until this one. At last year’s Paris auto show, he asked Piero Ferrari if he could design a special Ferrari to celebrate his 50th anniversary as a stylist. Ferrari consented whole-heartedly, insisting he use a 612 Scaglietti as a basis. The maestro shortened the overhangs and relocated the fuel tank to beneath the trunk floor, freeing up luggage space and enabling a rear hatch with fold-down rear seatbacks. The visual mass of the car is concentrated at the rear, and the B-pillars are removed. Folding the front seatbacks causes the rear windows to retract to ease entry to the rear seat. The interior is redesigned, but retains all Ferrari switchgear and underlying structure. The bodywork is in carbon fiber. The GG50 is not a concept car, it is a runner that Giugiaro intends to drive. Happy 50th Sr. Giugiaro, and to the Tokyo Motor Show too.



Lexus LF-Sh

Toyota officials will deny it, but this rakish sedan is the next generation Lexus LS. The LF-Sh showcases what are now two key Lexus product trends: sporty styling, and a hybrid powertrain. The LF-Sh shows the next Lexus LS will be aimed at luxury car buyers who don’t like the bold look of the new S-class Mercedes or BMW 7-series, though the car features a raised trunk that’s clearly inspired by Chris Bangle’s work. This next-generation LS will be all new, with a new platform, new suspension, new transmission, a more sophisticated VDIM integrated stability control system, and a new V-8 engine with Toyota’s new, innovative D-4S dual injection system, which injects fuel into the ports like a conventional fuel injection system, as well as directly into the combustion chamber. The top of the range LS will feature a hybrid powertrain tuned to deliver high performance while delivering class-leading fuel economy. Finally, the new LS will be available in two wheelbases. This is the standard wheelbase version: the long wheelbase car will feature an extra 3-4 inches in the wheelbase, all of it devoted to rear passenger legroom.

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