Toyota's Tokyo Motor Show History (1975 - 1993)

1975The 21st Tokyo Motor Show

Due to the first oil crisis, the 1974 show was cancelled, leading the event to go semiannual from 1975 to 1999. The theme pavilion was introduced at the 1975 show, and the overall theme for this year was "Life on Wheels." As a new attempt, special-purpose vehicles were exhibited, as well as car-exporting vessels including the Toyota-maru. Toyota also exhibited some commercial-use vehicles that have rarely attracted the public's attention yet served social needs, including a moving library, a bathing car, and an atmospheric observation vehicle with advertising panels.

1977The 22nd Tokyo Motor Show

Toyota presented the latest results of its technological R&D. In its passenger car booth, the company displayed the F110 luxury sedan at the center. The vehicle featured a unique 2-box silhouette with an ultra-short nose, a long cabin, and asymmetric doors including sliding doors. These novel mechanisms and the unusual body color drew visitors' attention. Among other exhibits was the CAL-1 (a leisure-oriented preview version of the Celica XX with the rear section modified for recreational use). The quick transformation of the rear section into a deck reminiscent of a pickup truck or a cruiser with rumble seats delighted the visitors.

1979The 23rd Tokyo Motor Show

The exhibitors displayed advanced technologies to conserve energy and natural resources.

The Toyota corner was divided into a passenger car section (consisting of the production car, theme, and technical zones) and a commercial-use vehicle section (consisting of the logistics, social role, leisure, and show car zones). The Family Wagon became the first 1-box car to be exhibited as a passenger car, popularizing the concept of 1-box cars for passenger-use.

1981The 24th Tokyo Motor Show

To improve on the last show where Toyota's exhibits had been relatively few in numbers, the company developed ambitious exhibits to attract keen attention of visitors. While the show had been rather low-key due to such factors as the oil crisis, slowing economic growth and more stringent regulations, its atmosphere brightened around this time, thanks to the increase of overseas exhibitors and the abundance of advanced technologies showcased by domestic exhibitors.

1983The 25th Tokyo Motor Show

28 foreign exhibitors from six countries participated to add to the international nature of the show.

Under the catchphrase "What's Next?―New Dreams Brought by New Technologies," Toyota showcased six passenger cars and five commercial-use vehicles, as well as technical demonstrations of four drive train configurations (FR, FF, 4WD, MR) and ten engines.

1985The 26th Tokyo Motor Show

As the show became increasingly popular internationally, press days for overseas as well as domestic media were newly created. The exhibitors significantly enhanced the level of sophistication of their show cars and presentations. Running prototypes were also presented, giving visitors a glimpse of the near future.

Toyota set up a motor sports corner to present the Celica Twin-cam Turbo that won the Safari Rally and the Toyota Tom's 85C.

1987The 27th Tokyo Motor Show

Prior to the show, automotive journalists and writers for car magazines were invited to the Higashi-Fuji proving ground to test-ride the cars to be presented at the show, giving the journalists a taste of Toyota's latest technologies and demonstrating its tireless pursuit of technology.

The FX-II attracted particularly keen attention at the show, thanks in part to the magazines' coverage of the features of this high-end specialty car.

1989The 28th Tokyo Motor Show

The show moved its venue from the Harumi Fairgrounds to the Makuhari Messe this year, resulting in record numbers of visitors and exhibitors.

Perceiving the Tokyo Motor Show as an excellent opportunity to present the company's vision for the prosperous automobile-based society of the future, Toyota had been regularly presenting show cars and mechanical components at the show featuring newly developed technologies.
Toyota took this approach a step further at the 28th show, and demonstrated its commitment to exploring new possibilities of the automobile. Under the New Challenge theme, the company exhibited a number of near production-ready show cars and advanced components developed with unfettered imagination and cutting-edge technologies.
Toyota's show cars that attracted visitors' attention included the 4500GT (a next-generation sports car with ultra-high-performance engine and suspensions), the Sera compact vehicle featuring a new variety of gull-wing doors, and the RAV4, novel recreational 4-wheel-drive vehicle.
Advanced mechanical components displayed at the show included a new generation of LASRE engine, new engine and transmission prototypes, as well as actual cross-sections of the Celsior and the Celica to demonstrate how Toyota's advanced technologies are used in these cars.
Toyota also exhibited the EV-40 at the booth of the Japan Electric Vehicle Association, emphasizing the company's focus on developing futuristic automotive technologies. Through this show, Toyota presented its concept cars for the 90s and clearly indicated the future direction of its car-making.

1991The 29th Tokyo Motor Show

The number of visitors exceeded two million despite economic recession and stagnating car sales. Reflecting the rising interest in environmental issues, compact cars were the focus of attention at this show.

Toyota demonstrated its unflagging commitment to people-friendly car-making for the 21st century that harmonized with society and the earth's environment.
In the passenger car corner, Toyota presented such show cars as the AVX-III, a "gentle" sedan that reflected considerations for safety, comfort, and the environment in a highly balanced manner, and the compact and lightweight AVX-IV personal commuter.
Toyota also showcased five commercial-use vehicles, including the high-spec Ambulance equipped with the latest emergency medical devices, the stylish Fun Runner sport utility vehicle, and the Hiace Limo.
At the technical exhibition corner, Toyota presented the fruits of its environment-friendly R&D projects, including a high-pressure fuel injection diesel engine and an exhaust cleaning system (particulate trapping system).
Furthermore, Toyota demonstrated its focus on environmental protection by showcasing alternative energy vehicles, including the Townace EV electric vehicle that combined a highly efficient motor with practical lead-acid batteries, and the RaRa II solar car with high-performance batteries that could cover long distances even in wet conditions.

1993The 30th Tokyo Motor Show

Japanese car manufacturers competed to showcase near production-ready concept cars that were focused on safety and environment, making the 30th show a technologically noteworthy, fruitful event.

Toyota emphasized its stance of making cars coexist more harmoniously with people, society, and the earth, under the theme, "For greater harmony."
To drive this message home, Toyota exhibited a number of show cars that embodied its futuristic proposals. For example, the next-generation AXV-V tourer incorporated many of Toyota's state-of-the-art technologies to make the inter-city traffic more harmonious with people and the environment, pointing to new potentials of automobiles that technologies might yet uncover.
At the technical exhibition corner, Toyota demonstrated how it was working to secure safety and to protect the environment―efforts that Toyota considers essential to its product development.

Safety-related exhibits included not only the technologies adopted in production cars but also safety systems that were being developed. Regarding the environment issues, Toyota demonstrated its diverse approaches to environmental protection, including emission control as well as conservation of energy and resources. Toyota also presented its vision of building a comprehensive transport system based on the network of intelligent cars and intelligent traffic infrastructures.