86s and BRZs make presence felt in smash-hit 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon

86s and BRZs dominate this year’s show.

Just like the recently concluded SEMA Show (Specialty Equipment Market Association) in Las Vegas, it came as no surprise that the Toyota 86 and the Subaru BRZ dominated Japan’s foremost aftermarket show, the 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon last week at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center.

The Japanese tuner and aftermarket industry has gone a long way since its backstreet workshop days and it has been a forum even for car manufacturers to showcase how one can turn vehicles from an average run-of-the-mill car to a show-stopping high-powered streetfighter.

The Subaru BRZ GT race car

According to a regular visitor to the show, Sammy Liuson of Wheel Gallery, “the global economic down turn is making the market more practical in a sense to get a relatively cheaper tuning car like the 86 or BRZ. It has been decades since the Japanese companies came out with an awesome rear wheel drive, two-door car that the car enthusiasts can play with, and tinker with without having to sell their soul. Almost all major aftermarket tuners chose the 86 as their model car this year where a few of years ago, the darling was the mighty GTR, the Subaru STI and Mitsubishi Evo X or Nissan 370Z. So the public should expect a lot of engine tuning kits, suspension, body kits and all sort of upgrades for the 86 and BRZ to flood the market soon.”

According to Liuson, the performance and style-conscious aftermarket and tuner car industry didn’t seem to pick up last year’s trend on hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius. Several highly customized hybrid cars were on display in last year’s show but the interest was short-lived and not much hype followed afterwards. It seems like outlandish styling and high-performance cars still buck the trend despite calls for more fuel-efficient cars and growing consumerism towards greener vehicles. There were a few companies that showcased electric vehicles but of interest were some which fitted electric motors in classic cars like the one fitted inside a 1960s Toyota 2000GT chassis.

FAB Design’s fully customized McLaren MP4-12C

Liuson regularly visits the TAS to see what will be the trend in the ever-changing and fickle-minded auto personalization market.

Two notable newcomers to the show that generated a lot of attention were LB Performance and FAB Design. These two companies are more into personalization of exotic cars. Each company limits their designs to about 10 units for markets all over the world. They, however, get to charge top dollar for exotic car owners to personalize and customize their Lamborghini Aventadors, McLarens, Mercedes-Benz SLS or SLR’s to as high as hundreds of thousands of dollars on each car. One of FAB’s main attraction was a McLaren MP4-12C with a custom matte orange finish that took centerstage in its exhibition booth. Both designers—Wataru Kato for LB Performance and Roland Rysanek of Fab Design—have found a niche despite the global economic downturn.

PHOTOS BY SAM LIUSON