Art on Wheels: 8 Wildest Cars from Tokyo Auto Salon

Tokyo Auto Salon is one of those car shows that enthusiasts like us at Project DRIVE dream of going. Not only is the show in the beautiful country of Japan, surrounded by cars we dream of owning in the US but were never allowed to, but you are also immersed in a car culture that like to take it to the extreme. Tokyo Auto Salon is like SEMA, cranked to 11. While we can only dream of being there right now, we certainly can search the deep, dark corners of the internet for the wildest cars from TAS. Below is a list of what we think are the 8 wildest cars from Tokyo Auto Salon.

8) Lexus’s RC F Factory GT3 Concept

Photo courtesy of http://blog.lexus.co.uk/lexus-rc-f-gt3-racing/

You can’t argue with the fact that Lexus’s cars are beautiful, with their striking large grilles, smooth flowing body lines, and piercing headlights are a pleasure to look at in any form. The Lexus RC F, presented in a spectacular white-and-oil-slick livery that accentuates its already beautiful lines, is one of our favorites from TAS. I mean, just look at those haunches and that grille! It looks like its trying to swallow you in one gulp.

7) Fastes’Cars Widebody 911

Photo courtesy of http://speed.academy/tokyo-auto-salon-2015-coverage-parts-cars-new-trends/5/

It may seem that the market for widebody Porsches is dominated by Akira Nakai and RWB, but there’s some serious competition in the water now.  Fastes’Cars out of Japan offers this entire kit for the eye-watering price of $20,000, but if you’re lucky enough to own a Porsche and are considering modifying it, it may be in your best interest to spare no expense. The styling is rather conservative, lacking a few flourishes and vents found on RWB cars, but it still has a presence.

6) Top Fuel S2000

Photo courtesy of http://www.turnology.com/?p=756683

Look at the aero on this thing! It looks like it’s ready for takeoff. I mean, you could recreate The Last Supper on that wing. This monster 800-hp S2000 built for time attack is courtesy of Honda specialists; Top Fuel. You might notice, the aero is a bit front heavy. While it might look like a bunch of carbon sheets haphazardly stuck to the front of a Honda, there’s so much more to this car than that. The front-heavy aero package is designed to offset the lack of front-wheel grip in RWD cars and make it competitive in time-attack classes dominated by AWD cars.

5) Subaru STI Viziv Concept

Photo courtesy of https://www.carthrottle.com/post/the-subaru-viziv-performance-is-a-next-gen-wrx-muscle-fest/

The future looks pretty damn good with this one. While the looks of the current WRX and STI are a hit with enthusiasts and consumers alike, we sure do with they looked like this. Even though the next generation of WRX and STI won’t look like the Viziv concept, there are a few things that Subaru definitely should add, even as optional equipment (the illuminated bar across the grille, for example). The way the headlights are sunk in and how the illuminated bar splits each headlight in two but connects them at the same time is a stunning, almost 720S-like, design feature. If any Subaru executives read this, please make this car a reality.

4) Liberty Walk Lamborghini Miura

Photo courtesy of https://www.tuningblog.eu/en/categories/autos-of-az/lamborghini-miura-liberty-widebody-184598/

It seems widebody has become a bit of a theme in this article, and you can’t talk about widebody without mentioning the heavy hitters like Wataru Kato and Liberty Walk. This time, he’s outdone himself, creating something that almost looks like it should have been made this way in the first place. While its not argument that the original Lamborghini Miura is a beautiful car to begin with, the noticeably Japanese lines on the Liberty Walk iteration, as well as the classic racing car cues (like the sliding window vent), make an all-around package that’s hard not to stare at.

3) Toyota Prius GT300 Hybrid

Photo courtesy of http://www.hybridcars.com/new-toyota-prius-gt300-race-car-is-a-v8-hybrid/

As a diehard car enthusiast, my body is telling me know while I write about a Prius in a positive light, but my mind is telling me yes with this one. APR racing is the culprit for this mind-and-body confusion thanks to their hybrid-V8 Prius competing in the Japanese Super GT series. I’m honestly at a loss for words. This is a good looking car by any measure. What drives a shop to want to turn a Prius into an aggressive, aero-heavy racecar is beyond me, but hey, I’m not mad at it.

2) Toyota Gazoo Racing Super Sport

Photo courtesy of https://www.motor1.com/news/227034/toyota-gr-super-sport-revealed/

Forget the supposed new “Supra”, this is the one you want. Toyota’s Gazoo Racing just unveiled their LMP1-styled concept car that’s supposed to serve as a design platform for the new Supra, as well as Toyota’s racing efforts. However, since the GR (short for Gazoo Racing) Super Sport Concept is meant to be a road-going racing car, I can’t help but think that this will overshadow the new Supra, considering it won’t be met with the expectations of purists.

1) Toyota Supra IV Disguised as a Mustang

Photo courtesy of http://www.carscoops.com/2010/01/tokyo-2010-toyota-supra-iv-dressed-up.html

Honestly, I thought this was an actual Mustang “Eleanor” when I first saw it. I mean, it’s REALLY convincing. Other than the rather sunk-in wheel fitment, it’s almost a carbon copy if you look at it from far away. Sure, there are probably some proportion issues, particularly with wheelbase and size, but all in all it’s still a good looking car. Now, you may be asking “why?”. Why is it our pick for the wildest car at TAS? Why did someone spend all the time and money to do it? Honestly, I can’t tell you, but it’s certainly got a shock value to it. Can you imagine seeing someone pop the hood on an oddly short Mustang “Eleanor” to see a Supra engine?

Tokyo Auto Salon is an absolutely wild event, and there are some wild cars there. What do you all think? Do you agree with our list? What other cars do you think should have been on this list? Let us know in the comments below!

About Lei Yang

Photographer and Car Enthusiast Founder of Project DRIVE