Nov. 1, 2025 | Weekend Drive in Tokyo: Japan Mobility Show special
About this episode
The latest Weekend Drive dives into the vibrant atmosphere of the Japan Mobility Show, highlighting Toyota's dominance and the introduction of its luxury sub-brand, Century. Hosts Larry Veloquette and Hans Greimel discuss the resurgence of the show post-pandemic, showcasing innovative concept cars and Toyota's new Corolla design. They also explore BYD's ambitious plans to enter Japan's mini car market and Mazda's efforts to revive the rotary engine with futuristic technologies. The episode captures the excitement and challenges of the automotive landscape in Japan.
Automotive News journalists Hans Greimel and Larry P. Vellequette join the show from Tokyo, where they are covering the 2025 Japan Mobility Show. They discuss the new products on display, involvement from Chinese automakers and some of the more dubious unveilings at this year’s show.
Subaru
"[41.4s] Larry Veloquette covers Toyota and Subaru for us at Automotive News."
Subaru cars are known for good traction in bad weather because they drive all four wheels.
Subaru is a Japanese automaker famous for its all-wheel-drive vehicles and boxer engines, such as the Outback and Forester.
Toyota
"[41.4s] Larry Veloquette covers Toyota and Subaru for us at Automotive News."
Toyota makes cars that are popular worldwide for being dependable and easy to maintain.
Toyota is a Japanese automaker known for reliable, fuel-efficient vehicles such as the Corolla and Camry.
Daihatsu
"from the main brand, Toyota, to Lexus, to Daihatsu, all of its partners."
Daihatsu makes small, affordable cars that are popular in Japan and some other countries.
Daihatsu is a Japanese automaker that specializes in small cars and kei vehicles, often sold under Toyota’s umbrella.
Lexus
"from the main brand, Toyota, to Lexus, to Daihatsu, all of its partners."
Lexus is a fancy brand that makes nicer, more expensive cars for people who want luxury.
Lexus is Toyota’s luxury vehicle division, offering higher-end models like the RX SUV and ES sedan.
concept cars
"The one thing that I'm really impressed with is the number and the variety and scope of concept cars, that's catnip for auto show consumers..."
Concept cars are like test models that show what a future car might look like, but they aren’t usually sold to the public.
Concept cars are prototype vehicles shown at auto shows to showcase new designs, technologies, or future directions.
sub-brand strategy
"[196.2s] Well, let's talk more about Century and Toyota's plan for the sub-brand."
A sub‑brand is like a smaller brand that comes from a big company. It’s used to sell cars that appeal to a particular group of people.
A sub‑brand is a secondary brand under a parent company that targets a specific market segment or demographic, often with distinct styling and positioning.
Rolls-Royce
"they're going to try and export these and go after the Rolls Royces of the world, right?"
Rolls‑Royce makes very expensive, super fancy cars that are considered the top of the luxury market.
Rolls‑Royce is a British luxury car manufacturer renowned for its opulent, hand‑built vehicles and high price tags.
Sentry
"Finally putting Sentry out on the global stage. And he phrased it, you know, the name of the brand is Sentry."
Sentry is a new car brand that Toyota started, so it will make its own cars in the future.
Sentry is a new automotive brand launched by Toyota, aiming to bring innovative vehicles and technology to the global market.
100-year cycle
"And the meaning is that this is starting a new 100-year cycle for the car company."
A 100-year cycle means the company is planning for a long future, about 100 years ahead, to keep growing and improving.
A 100-year cycle refers to a long-term strategic plan or vision that spans a century, often used by companies to guide growth and innovation.
six-wheeled vision
"And you saw that firsthand on the stage of Lexus this time when it was coming out with its six‑wheeled vision for what the Lexus LS flagship might be in the future."
It’s a creative idea where the car would have six wheels instead of the usual four, showing how it might move differently.
A design concept where a vehicle is imagined with six wheels, often to explore new handling dynamics or futuristic styling.
Corolla concept
"Now, they showed off a new Corolla concept."
It’s a new, experimental version of the everyday Toyota Corolla that shows what it could look like in the future.
The Corolla concept is a prototype version of Toyota’s popular compact sedan, showcasing potential future design and technology updates.
kaizen
"[523.9s] We're just going to kaizen the hell out of it until we can't do it anymore."
Kaizen is a Japanese idea that means always making small improvements. It helps companies keep getting better over time.
Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning "continuous improvement." In business and manufacturing, it encourages small, incremental changes that collectively lead to significant gains in efficiency, quality, and safety.
Japan Mobility Show
"[529.4s] Coming up, we'll turn to some of the lowlights of this year's Japan Mobility Show."
The Japan Mobility Show is a big car event in Japan where new cars and tech are shown to the public. It’s like a trade show for car makers.
The Japan Mobility Show is an annual automotive exhibition held in Tokyo that showcases the latest vehicles, technologies, and mobility solutions from Japanese manufacturers and suppliers. It serves as a platform for industry announcements and consumer previews.
BYD
"There was a truck maker, but most notably, there was BYD. Of course, that's the world's biggest maker now of electrified vehicles."
BYD is a company from China that makes electric cars and trucks. It’s become very big in the world of electric vehicles.
BYD is a Chinese automotive manufacturer known for producing electric vehicles, including cars and trucks. It has become one of the largest EV makers worldwide.
K-cars
"Every time I'm out on the street, because K-cars, for those of our listeners that don't know, it's like watching little models..."
K-cars are small Japanese cars that were cheap and easy to drive. Think of them like the early Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla.
K-cars refers to compact, affordable Japanese cars that were popular in the 1970s and 1980s, such as the Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic. They were known for their practicality and fuel efficiency.
Mario Kart models
"it's like watching little models, you know, little Mario Kart models drive by."
Mario Kart models are tiny cars that look like the ones in the Mario video game. They’re fun and small, often seen on city streets.
The term refers to very small, toy-like cars that resemble the characters from Nintendo’s Mario Kart video game series. They are often used in urban street scenes for their playful appearance.
US-built cars
"I did see a couple of US-built cars driving around here."
US-built cars are cars made in America, like Ford or Chevrolet. They’re usually bigger than Japanese cars.
This phrase denotes vehicles manufactured in the United States, such as Ford, Chevrolet, or Dodge models. They are often characterized by larger size and different design cues compared to Japanese cars.
German luxury cars
"I saw, obviously, some way more German cars, a lot of German luxury cars."
German luxury cars are fancy German-made vehicles like Mercedes, BMW, or Audi. They’re known for quality and performance.
This refers to high-end vehicles produced by German manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi. They are known for advanced engineering, premium materials, and strong performance.
dually
"Wait, real quick, Larry. So is it like a dually? Does it look like a dually truck?"
A dually is a truck that has two sets of rear wheels instead of one, so it can carry more weight and stay stable when pulling heavy loads.
A dually (short for dual-axle) is a truck configuration that has two rear axles instead of one, providing extra traction and load capacity. The term is often used to describe large commercial trucks that need more wheels for heavy hauling.
front fascia
"They have a new front fascia. So it really highlights Mazda's role as a design centered brand, I think."
The front fascia is basically the face of a car. It’s what you see when you look at the front and includes things like the grill and bumper.
The front fascia is the outermost section of a car’s front end, including the grille, bumper, and hood. It shapes the vehicle’s appearance and can influence airflow to the engine.
rotary engine
"But at the same time, they are really vlogging the idea of the rotary engine still. Remember the RX generation where they were famous for their rotary engine?"
A rotary engine is a type of car engine that uses a spinning triangle instead of the usual pistons. It’s smaller and runs smoothly, but can use more fuel.
A rotary engine, also known as a Wankel engine, uses a triangular rotor that turns inside an oval chamber instead of pistons moving up and down. It’s compact, produces smooth power, but can be less fuel efficient.
emissions control
"The emissions control on that engine, they're very difficult."
Emissions control means the parts in a car that help keep the air cleaner by catching bad gases before they leave the exhaust.
Emissions control refers to the technologies and systems installed in a vehicle to reduce harmful pollutants released into the atmosphere, such as catalytic converters, particulate filters, and exhaust gas recirculation.
green technologies
"So what their solution is now is to pair it with a bunch of green technologies"
Green technologies are new ideas or parts that help cars be kinder to the planet, like using electricity instead of gasoline.
Green technologies encompass a range of innovations designed to reduce environmental impact, including electric powertrains, renewable fuels, and advanced materials that lower emissions and improve efficiency.
carbon neutral fuel derived from algae
"One is that first, of course, that it will run on carbon neutral fuel derived from algae."
Carbon neutral fuel from algae is a type of biofuel made by growing algae that takes in carbon dioxide, so using it doesn't add more CO₂ to the air.
This refers to biofuel produced from algae that, when burned, releases no net increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide because the algae absorb CO₂ during growth. It is considered a renewable, low‑carbon energy source.
electrified
"so that it's electrified to some degree."
It means the car has some electric parts, like a small battery or motor, to help it run cleaner and use less gas.
Refers to adding electric power components, such as batteries or motors, to a traditionally internal‑combustion vehicle to reduce emissions and improve efficiency.
catalytic converter
"And then they have a new contraption that they're going to strap onto the exhaust, kind of like a modern day catalytic converter, if you will."
It's a metal box on the car's exhaust that turns bad gases into cleaner ones before they leave the tailpipe.
A device that reduces harmful exhaust gases by converting them into less toxic substances using chemical reactions.
carbon capture system
"And that's going to be a carbon capture system to capture the carbon emissions as it goes out so that it can be sequestered."
It's a gadget that grabs the bad gas (CO₂) from the car's exhaust and keeps it from going into the air.
Technology that captures carbon dioxide from exhaust gases and stores or reuses it, aiming to reduce atmospheric emissions.
Mazda
"So these are the lengths to which Mazda thinks it needs to go"
Mazda is a car company from Japan that makes cars like the RX‑7 with a special engine type.
An automotive manufacturer from Japan known for its rotary engines and innovative design approaches.
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