Tokyo Motor Show - Making Driving Enjoyment With the Latest 4WD Technology

TOKYO--Nov. 5, 2001--TOKYO MOTOR SHOW 2001

The rains lifted and the weather is beautiful.

As one might expect for Sunday, the crowds were large and there was a steady stream of people moving toward the hall. Inside, the booths were the scene of excitement and enthusiasm. Today's visitors included lots of young marrieds pushing baby carriages and lots of young couples, and lots of people were taking advantage of the outdoor benches for a short break. The heavy turnout of the last two days has brought new vigor back to the restaurants and shops. It has also brought more people into the first-aid stations and more lost children, keeping the administrative staff busy, too.

Making driving enjoyment with the latest 4WD technology

The Subaru booth in the East Hall lies just across an aisle from its partner company, GM. You'll recognize it from the giant parasols resembling yellow parabolic antennas hanging from the ceiling. The company's PR staff says, ``We designed it to show that you can send and receive every single bit of information you need.'' Subaru's theme this year is ``Driving emotion.'' It emphasizes that it raises the level of ``driving enjoyment,'' but does so in harmony with other social concerns.

In front of the large, movable screen at center stage is a clear, full-scale model of the ``Legacy Touring Wagon'' up on jacks. As the showroom assistant begins her speech, the model starts to turn around and lamps inside it flash to show the drive control technology and other parts in time with the explanation. Subaru provides a rundown on the mechanisms behind fun driving in a way that even the uninitiated will understand and appreciate.

The most popular part of the booth is the motor sports corner, where Subaru has its ``Impreza WRC 2001'' rally car on display, among others. This area is so popular, the crowd spills out into the walkways.

Subaru's concept car stage features 2 models: the ``WX-01'' and the ``HM-01.'' The ``WX-01'' is a multi-passenger car with seating for 7 (5+2) that promises excellent performance regardless of the number of passengers or the load it is carrying. The ``HM-01'' has drawn particular interest for its combination of a mini car gasoline engine and an electric motor into a hybrid 4WD compact car. The booth staff's could be heard fielding lots of questions about when the car would be launched and what its fuel economy rating was.