The Tokyo show

By Andre Palma Inquirer MAJOR motor shows are often difficult to initially grasp in their entirety. Merely a single pass of the major manufacturer's displays can send even the most jaded of motoring hacks reeling from all the sights, sounds and sheet metal. You just get numb from the sensory overload. Trying to understand what's going on and what the general flavor of the show is comes only when the shell shock passes. Even then, moments of true insight are rare. Tokyo's place in the international motor show arena is to divine the future. It is through the fantasy world of concept cars that the world's major players try to capture our imagination. For manufacturers, showing up at Tokyo without a jaw-dropping interpretation of the future is like going to a wedding reception in your flip-flops. This year there were quite a few who apparently forgot the dress code. Maybe it was a calculated risk on the part of the manufacturers. In all honesty, trying to steal the limelight from two of the most exciting new releases would be near impossible. Show headliner Headlining the show for all intents was the unveiling of Nissan's GTR. As bold as the concept, technology and execution of this soon-to-be available super car is its rebellious break from the sustainable eco friendly line that most of the mainstream players are towing. It would be hard to find anyone who went to the show this year who did not take home a snapshot of the latest interpretation of the all-conquering Skylines of years past. Off-duty showgirls, clad in trench coats over their scant motor show finery snapped away on their equally tiny and cute mobile phones. Even executives from the European sporting brands jostled with masses to get a closer peek. You get the picture. The excitement about the GTR is deserved. This car revives the Japanese super car genre and is the gauntlet on the table to the other players who traditionally participate in the segment. Significant too is the gossip going around the Nissan GTR. Finally available in left-hand drive for the first time in history, it looks like the Philippines will be getting a few units. Don't hold your breath though, as this information came from the same people who promised us the Teana in 2003. Controversially designed A new release that is sure to hit our shores will be the controversially designed 2008 Subaru Impreza and the generally more impressive STI version. Derogatory remarks about the styling of these WRC-derived everyday tarmac monsters are getting tiresome already. There is really nothing we can do about what this car looks like. And if we can get that out of the way, maybe we can focus on the changes that are going to affect more important things regarding Impreza -- mainly the way it will drive. Pray that function overshadows form in this case. The shift over to the hatchback format is a necessity born of the WRC. Subaru needs a platform that will go toe to toe with the kinds of car that Loeb and the gang are driving. Shorter wheelbases combined with lighter cars will logically be snappier around the corners. Engines remain the same with the beautifully linear power of the EJ25 turbo family of power plants under the brand's signature hood scoops. Seriously folks, these cars are coming and there's an invite in my mailbox to allay any fears that the Philippine market is going to lose out on these models. The mid-level Imprezas are going to break cover soon, likely within the month. The much-awaited, hot and bothered STI version will hit the fast lanes of Philippine roads sometime next year. Cars that are able to steal the limelight from the futuristic prototypes and concepts are rare indeed and in this case, the Nissan GTR and the Subaru Impreza WRX Sti define the 40th Tokyo Motor show. This year has given us two models to that are really worth the wait. Speed is on the Philippine motoring horizon. What a wonderful world indeed!