In this country where the well-disciplined and well-mannered people have braved and survived the recent earthquakes, expect big and colourful signboards at the top of buildings and shopping malls, sidewalk ramen stalls bursting with people in their working suits, electric scooters, rows of bicycles lined up on sidewalks everywhere and cool kids with their funky dressing that may be deemed as an ah beng back in Singapore. It is very different from the old-world aura of impatient, inconsiderate and intolerable behaviour that has cast a dark and rusty shadow on our country.




For the first two days in Tokyo, we stayed in Shinjuku, a happening suburb 30 minutes away from Tokyo Big Sight where the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show (TMS) 2011 was held. Every single one of them was cocooned in their “little world” of completing a certain task, and I was no exception to that. Themed “green mobility”, the motor show was more an excitement for petrolheads but it wasn’t magical. There were too many familiar sights, such as the Volkswagen Bulli, the Audi A1 e-tron and the next generation of the Honda CR-V. Of course, I had my fair share of exciting moments.The fact that I was in Tokyo didn’t raise a hair on my body but being at a motor show did. There were highly anticipated cars such as the Toyota 86, Subaru BRZ, Mazda’s Shinari concept car and MINI Paceman.




The first step into the hall meant that I was a step further in having a better understanding of car manufacturers and their theories of creating their cars. It also meant that I had the opportunity of viewing the cars before most in Singapore.




Of the many different cars that were available, Honda showcased what I reckoned to be very futuristic and green, leaning towards the theme of the motor show. Volkswagen, on the other hand, displayed models that weren’t be coming to Singapore anytime soon such as the CC, Passat Crosstrack, Cross Coupe and the Cross Touran. And who says punk rock is dead? While soothing guitar-jamming may be a vanishing breed, Volkswagen has picked up the torch with its Beetle. Collaborating with Fender, the muscular black beetle on display garnered a lot of attention, with guitars and pounding music that sounded like sugar being poured into the machinery of a rock and rock museum.




While the high energy sound of the TMS 2011 can be frenetic, bordering on Germanic abrasive, it’s hard not to take note of Toyota’s booth down the West hall. Filled to the brim during the press conference, Toyota stole even the limelight of Lexus with its new models. It has to be the hair-raising , intensely sharp with real emotional power of the 86. It drew the crowd in immediately after the press conference, with lights flashing all over the car and words of admiration filling up the entire hall. It was stadium-sized epic.




The visit to Toyota’s battery plant will be next. Stay tuned for more.

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