2026 Tokyo Auto Salon

• Mitsubishi Delica Mini x Dali with DAMD at Tokyo Auto Salon – classic Pajero face, retro-patterned upholstery

  In Cars, International News, Mitsubishi / By Jonathan James Tan / 19 January 2026 3:59 pm / 0 comment

  

  Sliding into your DMs with lots of Ds and Ms is the Mitsubishi Delica Mini x Dali with DAMD, which was at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon. Want your Mitsubishi kei car to look like a classic Pajero? You’re not alone!

  Dali is a new brand under DAMD, and what you get here are round headlamps encased within an angular grille, black bumpers, a roof-mounted ‘Trip Basket’, wood-like side decals and 15-inch DAMD Cantabile alloys wrapped in 165/65 Toyo Open Country R/T rubber.

  

  

  

  The interior’s my favourite – the beige bits on the door cards and dashboard are actually from the factory; to complement them, DAMD put in an upholstery with a really retro pattern (tartan, houndstooth, whatever you want to call it). Pretend the steering wheel and connected screens aren’t there, and you’ll really think this is a ’90s car. Simply fantastic.

  Retro, cute and rugged all at once – just like many of DAMD’s creations. See what they’ve done to the Suzuki Jimny, Suzuki Every, Mazda MX-5, Mazda 2, Mazda CX-3 and the Toyota 86.

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  
  

   

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• Honda Super-One Prototype gets the Mugen treatment

  In Cars, Honda, International News / By Gerard Lye / 19 January 2026 1:02 pm / 0 comment

  

  The Honda Super-One Prototype has yet to make it to production but Mugen has already gotten its hands on the electric hatchback to make it look sportier. The end result was put on display at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon as a preview of what is possible.

  To start, the Super-One gets a two-tone, beige and black paint job and five-spoke wheels, the latter paired with a lowered ride height. Equally as prominent are the body add-ons that include a large front lip, vented overfenders, side skirts and a new rear bumper that integrates a diffuser.

  You’ll also find carbon-fibre pieces like the side mirrors and large rear wing, with the Mugen script in Japanese applied to the front, side and rear of the car. The Mugen colours are also found on a piece of trim ahead of the new bonnet that appears to be vented.

  

  

  

  As for the interior, Mugen replaced the stock steering wheel for a new one upholstered with perforated leather, a carbon-fibre bottom rim and 12 o’clock marker. The company also installed its own branded sill plates and floor mats that are accompanied by Recaro seats.

  Unlike the Prelude Spec III that the company also showed at TAS, there’s no pricing available for Mugen’s take on the Super-One, although it is expected to be made available when the Super-One makes it to final production.

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  
  

   

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• Nissan Aura Nismo RS concept at Tokyo Auto Salon – hot hatch with e-Power system from X-Trail Nismo

  In Cars, Concept Cars, International News, Nissan / By Jonathan James Tan / 19 January 2026 10:43 am / 0 comment

  

  Nissan has taken the wraps off the Aura Nismo RS concept at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon – garang, right? That Dark Matte Nismo Stealth Gray finish certainly helps. It’s basically a Note Aura Nismo with more aggressive styling and more grunt, thanks to the X-Trail Nismo‘s e-Power series-hybrid system.

  Here, a 144 PS/250 Nm KR15DDT 1.5 litre VC Turbo three-cylinder engine charges a battery which feeds a 204 PS/330 Nm front electric motor and a 136 PS/195 Nm rear electric motor. Comparatively, the standard Aura has an 82 PS/103 Nm 1.2 litre non-turbo three-cylinder engine (recognise this?), a 136 PS/300 Nm front electric motor (regular Aura FWD and Aura Nismo) and a 68 PS/100 Nm rear electric motor (regular Aura AWD).

  

  Length, width, height and wheelbase are respectively 4,262, 1,880, 1,485 and 2,580 mm, making it 142 mm longer, 145 mm wider and 20 mm lower than the Aura Nismo. You can see where it all went – wider fenders, more jutty-outty splitters and a dropped ride height. At 1,490 kg, the RS concept is, however, 100 kg heavier than the Aura Nismo.

  Red, red, red – all around the bodykit (and look at that rear diffuser!) and even the brake callipers, which are opposed-piston units – four-pot front and two-pot rear. The “airflow-optimised” fenders house 18-inch five-spoke alloys wrapped in 245/45 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber. What do you think – is the GR Yaris going to get a Nissan rival soon?

  Nissan Aura Nismo RS concept at 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

  Nissan Aura Nismo RS concept official photos

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  
  

   

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• Result Japan Neo86 at TAS 2026 – bodykit with pop-up headlamps inspired by iconic AE86 for the 86/BRZ

  In Cars, International News, Toyota / By Gerard Lye / 19 January 2026 10:15 am / 1 comment

  

  Osaka-based Result Japan showed up to this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon (TAS) with its Neo86, a bodykit for both the ZN6 86 and ZC6 BRZ that looks to pay tribute to the AE86 Corolla Sprinter Trueno.

  The kit itself will cost 860,000 yen (about RM22k) – pre-orders are now open – and is made up to 14 pieces, including a new front bumper that is highly angular as seen on the 80s icon. You’ll also get replacement front fenders and rear overfenders to give the car a wider stance, paired with more prominent side skirts.

  An AE86 tribute isn’t complete without pop-up headlamps, and that’s exactly what the Neo86 gets as well. Accompanied by a flatter bonnet, yellow fog lamps and even amber side markers, this is clearly a comprehensive retro-inspired makeover.

  

  

  

  As for the rear, there is a new, angular bumper to match what you see at the front. There’s also an extended decklid spoiler reminiscent of those fitted on modified AE86s, but the taillights retain their original shape instead of being swapped for boxier units.

  For its TAS debut, the show car gets a classic Initial D-spec paintjob and of course, Watanabe wheels. No changes under the hood that we know of, but customers who are keen to give their ZN6/ZC6 an AE86-inspired makeover might have other plans.

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

   

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• Mugen Prelude Spec III at Tokyo Auto Salon – carbon-fibre bodykit, sports exhaust for your Honda Prelude

  In Cars, Honda, International News / By Jonathan James Tan / 16 January 2026 4:47 pm / 0 comment

  

  Honda Malaysia’s teased it and John Cena’s just bought one; now this neat little number has turned up at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon. It’s called the Mugen Prelude Spec III, and of course it’s based on the new Honda Prelude, which launched in Japan in September.

  Mugen says this succeeds its 1987 Prelude Spec II, which was based on the third-gen model (the last generation to have pop-up headlamps). That’s a long wait for a threequel, but the world has been without a new Prelude for almost a quarter of a century, lest we forget.

  There’ll only be 16 units of the Mugen Prelude Spec III, and if you want one, you’ll have to first buy a Prelude and send it to Mugen. The company will then hold a lottery, and if you emerge one of the 16 luckies, that’ll be 1.65 million yen (RM42k) please, arigato gozaimasu. Mugen will then get to work.

  

  

  

  Besides the customary Mugen decals, your Prelude will get an all-round bodykit including a rear diffuser, a boot spoiler and side mirror caps – all in carbon-fibre. Then, a stainless steel sports exhaust system will be installed – get set for some aural stimulation.

  The car displayed here is a pre-production unit (serial number 0/16). It’s fitted with 19-inch Mugen FR10 alloys, Mugen brake pads, Mugen floor mats and boot lining, plus Mugen LED-illuminated door sills – all are purchasable separately. The Recaro seats and steering wheel sport Mugen logos – these items are not listed yet on the Mugen website so they could still be at prototype stage.

  The new Prelude gets its platform from the Civic, its powertrain from the Civic Hybrid and its suspension and brakes from the Civic Type R – but this is really simplifying things, so digest all you can about the 2+2 coupe here.

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  
  

   

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• NATS Vellfire Sedan at 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon – Lexus LS460 with Vellfire face and tail lamps, air suspension

  In Cars, International News, Toyota / By Jonathan James Tan / 14 January 2026 5:08 pm / 4 comments

  

  The Nihon Automotive Technology School (NATS) is known for some crazy wheeled creations, including a Camry-based ‘Toyota 86 sedan’, an Alphard pick-up, an ‘Urus 86’ and an MX-5-based ‘RX-3 cabriolet’. They’re at it again, showing a Vellfire-faced old Lexus LS460 at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon.

  You know how Lexus is toying with the idea of turning the LS into an MPV? Well, this is going the other way round… sort of. The plucky students began by sawing off the nose of the sedan, then modifying the Vellfire AH40’s headlamps and front bumper to fit. The bumper had to be shortened and the LS’ wings had to be widened for maximum cohesion.

  

  

  

  At the back, the LS’ tail lamps have given way to Vellfire units (including the full-width LED strip). The boot is slightly duck-tailed, and of course, the Vellfire script sits below the Toyota logo. Then, the slammed ‘VIP’ look – deeper side skirts, air suspension and 21-inch Work alloys.

  Inside, the dashboard and steering wheel have been wrapped in suede and the seats have been re-trimmed in white leather. The boss at the back can enjoy a drink and a smoke on the move, thanks to a table built on top of the rear centre armrest that accommodates two flute glasses and a glass ashtray. What do you think of this… creature?

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  
  

   

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• 2026 Toyota GR Yaris Morizo RR debuts – 200 units; 8AT GR-DAT; upgrades derived from Nürburgring racer

  In Cars, International News, Toyota / By Gerard Lye / 9 January 2026 4:11 pm / 3 comments

  

  At this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon, Toyota announced a special edition of the GR Yaris that it plans to sell first in Japan through a lottery system that will be open to the public in spring 2026.

  Officially called the GR Yaris Morizo RR, the new offering is currently being displayed as an under-development prototype at the show and will be limited to just 100 units. The company adds that the model will also be released in certain European markets, also limited to 100 units.

  

  With the Morizo RR, Toyota applied the lessons it learned from competing in last year’s Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race to the GR Yaris. At that event, Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda, who also goes by the racing pseudonym ‘Morizo’, raced the #109 GR Yaris fielded by Toyota Gazoo Rookie Racing (TGRR) and equipped with the eight-speed Gazoo Racing Direct Automatic Transmission (DAT).

  Logging more laps than scheduled despite the course’s grueling conditions and successfully completing the race, Morizo came away impressed by the DAT-equipped GR Yaris that enabled him to conquer 15 laps of the famed track. That appeared to serve as the green light for development of the GR Yaris Morizo RR.

  

  

  

  So, what modifications did Toyota make to a standard GR Yaris? Well, the large carbon-fibre rear wing is an immediate standout and was developed based on the race car along with the new bonnet made of the same material. These are joined by a new front spoiler and side skirts.

  In addition to the aero enhancements, the GR Yaris also gets its suspension and power steering retuned based on learnings on The Green Hell. There’s also an exclusive ‘Morizo’ drive mode that sets front/rear initial torque distribution at 50:50 – this replaces the existing ‘Gravel’ mode. No mention of power upgrades, so the G16E-GTS 1.6 litre turbocharged inline-three petrol engine is presumed to continue making 304 PS (300 hp or 224 kW) and 400 Nm of torque.

  

  Further driving-related changes are found on the inside, starting with a revised digital instrument cluster that shows the new drive mode. The steering wheel is also new and has a smaller outer diameter along with modified paddle shifters. The wheel-mounted switches have also been changed for improved operability in motorsports, with inspiration coming from the switches used in the GR Yaris Rally2 rally car.

  As for aesthetics, all GR Yaris Morizo RR cars are finished in an exclusive Gravel Khaki, which is a favourite of Morizo. You’ll also find a piano black grille, matte bronze wheels, yellow brake callipers and Morizo’s signature is also found on the windshield. The interior gets yellow stitching and a serialised plate to remind passengers they are sitting in one of 200 examples globally.

  Toyota GR Yaris Morizo RR at 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  Toyota GR Yaris Morizo RR official photos

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  
  

   

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