From Tokyo With Love: 5 Show-Stopping Sports Car Concepts You Must See

Before the auto show season continues in North America with stops in Los Angeles later this month and of course Montreal in January, we need to talk about the first-ever Japan Mobility Show that kicked off last week on the other side of the globe.

Formerly known as the Tokyo Motor Show, the event certainly did not disappoint fans of spectacular concepts and exciting sports cars. Here are five that particularly turned heads and caught the attention…

Nissan Hyper Force

Nissan took the show floor by storm with five radically styled concepts. The most stunning of them all was arguably the Hyper Force, a fully electric sports car generating 1,000 kW (1,341 horsepower) and blessed with the company’s e-4ORCE all-wheel drive system. The outlandish carbon fibre body is designed with extreme aerodynamic performance in mind, while the LED lighting signature pays tribute to legendary Nissan sports cars.

A preview of the next GT-R? Don’t get too carried away. The mind-blowing digital dashboard inside offers an innovative augmented reality and virtual reality experience. When the vehicle is stopped, the driver can use a special helmet with blind visors for VR that enables entering a gamified driving experience, complete with modes that enable racing against the clock or online racers.

Mazda Iconic SP

Mazda’s star in Tokyo was inspired by the final generation of the RX-7, as well as the best-selling roadster in history, the Miata/MX-5. The Iconic SP tips the scales at 1,450 kg, which is far more than the “1,000 kg and change” of the MX-5, but weight is perfectly distributed between the two axles.

The automaker also revealed some juicy details about the electric drivetrain. With 365 horsepower, the Iconic SP promises to continue the long tradition of Mazda sports cars in terms of performance. Fans are already praying for top management to greenlight this concept, even if such a car is never profitable for any automaker.

Subaru Sport Mobility

What Subaru came up with for the Japan Mobility Show is a modern interpretation of the old SVX. It obviously sports a much boxier, taller and more muscular body, as if it was prepping for a rally. Styling is questionable and won’t win any contest, but we applaud the effort, especially from an automaker that’s not known for its bold designs.

The missing grille up front hints at the electric powertrain under the metal. However, Subaru didn’t say anything about specs including power, battery size, range and more. All we know is that the Sport Mobility concept features all-wheel drive.

Toyota FT-Se

Toyota used the 2023 Japan Mobility Show to present its vision for an electric future with the FT-3e and FT-Se, two concepts that embody the automaker’s design direction for next-generation vehicles. The latter was designed and developed as an electric sports car with input from Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division. The car’s striking looks are supported by a low and wide stance, as well as an extremely aerodynamic and drag-reducing body.

Inside is a fully digital HMI offering an immersive driving experience, Toyota claims. Interestingly, there is no centre display, but a smartphone holder is mounted next to the yoke-style steering wheel. Also, foam cushions protect the driver’s body sides during hard cornering. We suspect the future production models will be assembled using Toyota’s new gigacasting system and leverage solid-state batteries that are currently under development.

Honda Prelude

Last but not least, the Prelude is coming back! Honda unveiled a seemingly production-ready concept hinting at what the future coupe might look like. It’s about the same size as a Nissan Z or Toyota GR Supra, yet with signature Honda styling and what we assume is a front-wheel drive layout.

Honda was pretty tight-lipped about the car’s specs. We know it’s electric, and our best guess is that it will use Honda’s upcoming e:Architecture, especially considering the relatively short wheelbase. One thing’s for sure: Honda fans have a new sporty car to dream about other than the Civic Type R.