
#TamerThanPreviousYears
This was the hashtag photographer Ken Saito used on his Tokyo Auto Salon Instagram post. No caption. While the sea of black suits and middle-aged men creates an austere atmosphere at TAS, there are always pockets of madness. But is that madness fading?
I’m not a big fan of crowds at the best of times, so the population of a small town crammed into the narrow alleyways between booths at the Makuhari Messe is never the most inviting. But I push myself to battle the sea of people, determined to hunt down the Tokyo Auto Salon oddities.


This year was my fourth time attending TAS, but even over this short period, the vibe seems to have been mellowing.

4x4s and vans now vastly outnumber the outrageous cars


Looking back at some of Speedhunters’ 2015 Tokyo Auto Salon coverage, the wackiness level seemed distinctly higher then. Remember the Mustang, the cake car, and those wrapping paper-covered supercars? Compared to what I’ve seen from the SEMA Show, TAS feels particularly tame now – at least in my experience.

A lot of the same stuff is still around; I spotted the Hello Special pink kei truck and the human-sized rabbit at the Osaka Auto Messe just last year. And companies like Rohan and Kuhl are still cranking out complex body kits and intricate paint jobs.


Speaking of Kuhl, what do we think of its new A90 Supra kit?

Ten years ago, cars like the SLR McLaren were being dressed in wild custom kits, while Hakosukas got V8 engine swaps. Today, these cars are too valuable to alter in such extreme ways.

Instead, we’ll just have to make do with stanced out Toyota Centurys…

Or this GX100 Cresta, which now sports a Crown Crossover front end, Camry XV70 rear end, and a 1JZ-GTE engine swap. What this year’s TAS may lack in quantity, it certainly made up for in quality.

Especially if you’re a fan of Transformers.
Check this out – believe it or not, a 2002 Jaguar XJ is hiding underneath. Somehow, it’s been reimagined as a Chevrolet Impala.

The majority of cars on display are flaunting crazy body kits and dress-up parts.


It’s no secret that Hyundai is absolutely on fire right now. The Korean automaker’s production Inster – and the Inster Cross Tarmac Concept on show at TAS – solidify its position as one of the leading car designers coming out of Asia. The model name might raise a few eyebrows, but that’s one seriously well-proportioned electric bulldog.


Some of the most interesting stuff at TAS is hidden in the larger booths, where you often catch a look at the future of car design and mobility. Imagine getting off the grid, tossing your turntables and audiophile sound system in the back of an SUV, and kicking back on your sculpted box trailer. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it?


The number of new and vintage Toyota Land Cruisers on display was overwhelming.


Not that I’m complaining.

99.9% of the 4x4s on display were Land Cruisers, though there were a few Land Rovers and mini G-Wagons. And you don’t see a five-door Suzuki Jimny in Japan every day.


Bryce Menzies’ Trophy Truck was by far the most extreme off-roader on show. It’s probably a good thing it doesn’t have space for licence plates.


Speaking of trucks, this NASCAR Craftsman Truck/787B-inspired mashup turned heads. Unfortunately, there’s no howling V8 – or screaming rotary engine – hiding under the hood of this pickup-converted Mazda CX-5… yet.

But there’s still hope for the future of Japan’s weird and wacky tuning culture, and Kei Miura was on hand to showcase this.


While it looks a lot like the custom chassis creation Miura-san showed off at Tokyo Auto Salon 2024 (which we originally, incorrectly reported it was) this is actually a Lotus Elise-based build, complete with a twin-turbocharged Subaru boxer engine and AWD.

Finally, here’s a peek at the future of mainstream tuning in Japan. This is what most people want: a stove and timber cladding in the back of a kei truck.
Tokyo Auto Salon 2025 may not have been as crazy as we’re used to, but one thing’s for sure – it’s still pretty mad.
Toby Thyer
Instagram _tobinsta_
tobythyer.co.uk
Ketchup and Mustard Accord Wagon brought to you by McD's
Don't you mean MUSTAAAAAAARD
Turn Brad's TV Off
You’re confusing 2 of Kei’s creations. That is not the sister chassis to Mad Mikes build. This is his latest creation, a Lotus Elise monocoque. I saw the 2 of them in his workshop in November.
I think you're right
They use the same pre cut components which made me think it was the kit car he made. This one has an Elise monocoque. Thanks for the correction!
The highlight for me is that frankenstein Cresta build which is a mashup of different Toyota models AND is a wagon
Yet somehow it all just flows so well together maybe Toyota can make this into an actual production car
The result of this cross-breeding of models turned out to be much better than that of Toyota itself - Mark X Zio.
The KUHL A90 kit looks like a *final boss* for a racing game from Genki...
99% sure that Mazda pick up is not related to the CX5 (?!) but is a build of the Mazda BT50.
Oof, It's been a while since the last barforama showcase. Waste of money and parts.