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Cars & Bikes

By Len Clarke

Tokyo Concours D’Elegance
Exotic autos from the past and present glide into Roppongi

1931 Alfa-Romeo 6C 1750 GS

For the first time, Tokyoites will be treated to an extravaganza of the world’s most beautiful and valuable cars when the inaugural Tokyo Concours d’Elegance kicks off this week. The event opens on the evening of October 25, when 17 of the 33 concours-level autos go on a Parade Run through the streets of Ginza, Aoyama, Omotesando and Roppongi. On Saturday, Concours d’Elegance opens to the public on the lawn of the Tokyo Midtown complex; admission is free, and some of the proceeds from the sale of programs and other goods go to charity.

This groundbreaking event features cars from four eras: Vintage (1910–1930), Classic (1931–1945), Postwar Classic (1945–1960) and Modern Classic (1961-1975). Visitors will be treated to gems from such marques as Rolls Royce, Delage, Duesenberg, Delahaye, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Facel Vega, Maserati and Monteverdi.

Events within the event

Villa d’Este entries at villa Erba, near Cernobbio, Italy

In addition to checking out the 33 priceless exotics parked on the lawn at Tokyo Midtown, there are a host of other activities to enjoy. The Stamp Rally takes visitors to all parts of the event, with the promise of fantastic prizes to those who complete all stages.

Also, famed Japanese motorsport photographer Joe Honda will give tips on how to take winning images through a series of tours on October 27, given to two groups of 10 people each. Enthusiasts will want to sign up early for that!

The Courtyard: Super Luxury
In the Courtyard of the Midtown complex, some of today’s most highly priced exotics will be exhibited, including the breathtaking Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR 722, the Rolls Royce Drophead coupe, and the US$1.7 million Bugatti Veyron 16:4, all guaranteed to amaze visitors and guests.

A selection of racing Ferraris from the 1950s

The Atrium: Celebrating 100 Years of Brooklands
In the Tokyo Midtown Atrium, there will be half a dozen timeless classic autos commemorating Brooklands, the world’s first purpose-built racetrack. Marvel at the 1936 Auto Union Type-C and its modern counterpart, Audi’s Rosemeyer concept car from 2000. There is also the newest from the German marque, the jaw-dropping R8. Close by will be the 1911 Blitzen Benz, straight from Mercedes’ museum in Stuttgart, featuring a massive 21.5-liter powerplant, and by far the fastest car of its day.

Also, see one of the most famous Ferraris of the modern era, the Zagato-designed 575GTZ. It’s one of only two ever built, and is being shown in public in Japan for the first time.

Japan is beautifully represented with one of the rarest cars ever commissioned by a Japanese manufacturer: the road-going Nissan R390 GT1 is the only one ever built for the street, and came with a price tag of over US$1 million when it was released in 1998.

Paul Goldsmith with a rare 1949 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith convertible

Photos courtesy of Hiromi Takeda

Hall A: Pairing the Past with the Present
This exhibit features 11 exotics from a variety of eras, including the yet-to-be released 2008 Nissan GT-R, paired with one of the most elegant Nissans ever made, the seldom-seen 1962 Skyline Sport, penned by Italian designer Michelotti.

Continuing the old-meets-new theme, there are Maybach from the ’30s and the present, Mercedes-Benz from the ’50s, ’60s and today, as well as examples of rare and beautiful Porsche from the past and present.

Interview with organizer Paul Goldsmith

What is Concours d’Elegance?
Tokyo Concours d’Elegance is, as the name suggests, a contest—a contest of elegance, with some of the world’s preeminent automotive designers participating as judges.

What can visitors expect to see?
Cars described as rolling works of art, with curvaceous lines draped in chrome, and design cues from a bygone era. Also vehicles brought over from manufacturers’ museums
in Europe, adding to the prestige and rarity of cars at the event.

What are some of the key objectives for the inaugural Tokyo Concours d’Elegance?
The main objective is to create an event that will become equal or similar in caliber to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in the United States, or Villa d’Este in Italy. We also hope that it becomes the “hub” event of its type throughout Asia for classic car owners who want to come and display their autos.

We aim to create an environment where, in particular, Japanese owners of gorgeous saloon cars can exhibit them in public. Tokyo Concours d’Elegance is an opportunity to show the cultural, artistic and lifestyle aspects of classic cars. Also, by looking back, you can look forward: some of the DNA of current key brands was created back in the ’30s, and is still reflected in some of the most successful brands today.

I think there’s something very emotional about these older cars. Many of them cannot be produced today—a lot were literally hand-built, and that is reflected in the shape and character of these cars.

See www.concours.jp/home_en.html for more info.

Autofile

The 40th Tokyo Motor Show will be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba from October 27 through November 11. This year, the organizers have added special events to promote audience participation—including test rides.

In addition to the usual attractions (which includes, of course, the babes adorning the various cars), a full lineup of funky concept vehicles will be unveiled. Nissan is showing off its battery-powered Pivo 2 (pictured), a state-of-the-art electric car that can move laterally and has a small robot to assist with navigation—and to keep an eye on things in general. The round-eyed ’bot head sitting on the dashboard has cameras that can tell when a driver is getting sleepy. It’s also bilingual, and can say things like “You look tired. There’s a coffee shop 500 meters ahead on the left.”

Meanwhile, Mazda’s theme for the show is “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom,” and the automaker will be debuting its all-new Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, which visitors will have the opportunity to take on a test spin at the “clean energy vehicle demo drive course.”

www.tokyo-motorshow.com/show/2007/eng. Chris Betros

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