Tokyo Auto Salon: It's The Hachi-Roku Rama! An 86, FR-S, BRZ Picture Collection, Taller Than Mt. Fuji
On Friday, we mentioned that Toyobaru’s hachi-roku absolutely dominates the Tokyo Auto Salon into total submission. Just about any booth (save that of Honda, Nissan etc.) has the almond-eyes of one or more hachi-roku looking at you. On Friday, we promised you visual proof. Here it is, and it is a monster. It is the biggest collection of hachi-roku pictures this side of Gunma.
After we announced our intentions yesterday, the colleagues at our sister publication Autoguide agreed it is a good idea, and did theirs. Should you miss anything in our hachi-roku rama, head on over to theirs, and you will probably find what you are looking for.
The OEMs
The folks that actually developed and produce the hachi-roku, and there are two, Toyota and Subaru, both behaving as if the other does not exist, of course don’t let the opportunity go. They trot out THEIR hachi-roku in overwhelming strength.
Let’s start at hachi-roku central, at Toyota. Toyota will campaign two hachi-roku at the 41st 24 Hours Nürburgring endurance race to be held in Germany from May 17 through 20. Here is one racer.
And here is the other race car. At the Auto Salon, they both carry the same race number. I’m sure they’ll fix that before the race.
Toyota shows a few “concepts” – all could quite easily become reality, if there is enough interest. Here is the “86 × style Cb”.
And here again. Doesn’t look like your typical hachi-roku.
Here the “86 Modellista“.
The “86 TRD Griffon”.
Budget LFA: The TRD has a carbon fiber winglet.
Here the “Tom’s N086V.”
This is the “GRMN Sports FR Concept Platinum,” a hachi-roku -based circuit sports car with a turbocharger, and a supercharger.
Two halls down, Subaru shows the BRZ Premium Sport Package Concept, a long name for something it could offer at short notice.
Subaru also proudly displays its boxer engine, claiming prominently that its THEIRS.
The Plastic Surgeons
There is a huge industry for making the hachi-roku look different. Better? You decide.
This is a rather harmless operation by DAMD.
As you can see, hardcore showgoers look for more hardcore stuff.
Abflug x Pentroof is a Japanese tuner with a German bent. Also quite tame.
[Tangent] What is it with the Japanese and their infatuation with all things German? They eat more Baumkuchen than the Germans, Toyota has cars called Raum, sold via Vitz stores. I know what some of you will say. Abflug goes as far as calling a black car “Schwarzer”. Someone should tell them that in the German language, “Schwarzer” is an n-word equivalent . [/Tangent]
Outerworldly hachi-roku. K-spec sells performance parts in Japan.
This is getting quite hardcore. Total facejob by WALD, yet another Japanese maker with a German bent.
From the side.
What else can be done to make the hachi-roku look different? Ah, yes, the opposite of matte black: Chrome.
The hachi-roku by BLITZ can do dual duty as a mirror, but it failed to attract the ladies.
What else can be done? Of course: Gold.
This Blows
The lack of a turbo in the hachi-roku had been decried long before the car was available.Now, there are blowers galore.
Fanatics were convinced that the stock 197 hp were not enough, the factories claimed there is no space. The aftermarket seized the golden opportunity and quickly showed that there is ample space for ample power in any hachi-roku.
The HKS-GT is a favorite blower among the hachi-roku otaku.
The HKS can be found under the hood of many hachi-roku on the show floor.
The HKS does not have the market to itself, there are other players in the power game.
This blower was found under the hood of the golden hachi-roku.
Turboworld-powered hachi-roku.
This is how most will see it.
More boost.
Blown hachi-roku by Chargespeed.
Purveyors Of Bolt-Ons
There is one thing that sets the Tokyo Auto Salon apart from SEMA. At SEMA, there are bolt-ons and bolt-ons. At the Tokyo Auto Salon, there only are bolt-ons.
The hachi-roku already spawned a largest after market, which can only get bigger.
Brakes don’t show well, but a hachi-roku with brakes does.
From the rear.
The R-Spec Datasystems suspension controller also is quite a boring sight. Dropped into a blue hachi-roku, it can be quite an attraction.
Gram Lights does not make lights, as one would suspect, but lightweight wheels. They also look better on a hachi-roku than nailed to the wall.
Wedsport is another supplier of wheels & rims.
Yet another wheel maker, Treasure One. Yet another hachi-roku.
Boldworld makes suspension and brake systems. It shows a nice red hachi-roku.
IPF makes lights. They look better on a hachi-roku.
Vertex sell parts. With a purple hachi-roku.
A neighbor of Vertex. White hachi-roku.
D2 used to be a big German mobile phone operator, owned by Mannesmann. Now it is a small seller of performance parts, using a hachi-roku.
BLITZ is a Japanese seller of performance parts, and it does it with a hachi-roku.
Fujitsubo makes high-end mufflers. A hachi-roku pulls-in the crowds.
A mirror under the car shows off the shiny new muffler.
Close-up of the underworld.
Falken makes tires. Black and boring. They look much better on a white hachi-roku.
Carbing doesn’t make carbs, it makes a whole array of performance parts.
One of them a cage for the hachi-roku.
Exedy makes exhilarating products like clutches. A hachi-roku acts as a marketing vehicle.
Even toolmaker Snap-on uses a hachi-roku to sell wrenches to wrenchers.
Rare Miscellania
Some hachi-roku defied categorization.
Found on the sidelines.
Found next door.
I forgot to ask what a Barüla is. The red hachi-roku is nice.
Another one.
And another one.
It’s endless. Absolutely endless.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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See? Toyota is obviously on to something with this. This will be the next Crown Victoria.
I really like the 86 x style Cb. There are also a few "classic" body kits like that for the Miata.