As ever, the Auto Express team were pounding the halls at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. They saw a whole lot of cars, spoke to countless industry executives and gave their keyboard fingers a thorough workout telling us all about all of it. Then, just when they thought it was time for a long lie down in a darkened, car-free room, we grilled them to find out which single model stole the show in their eyes.
Below are the star cars of Tokyo 2015 according to our journalists at the show...
• The crazy cars of the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show
Best cars of the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show
Mazda RX-Vision
By deputy editor Graham Hope
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It takes a brave company to unveil a concept that heralds the return of a much loved engine, and reveal virtually nothing about the engine itself. But that was the unorthodox strategy employed by Mazda on its RX-Vision, which tantalisingly previews a production rotary-engined sports car. And it worked. The RX-Vision’s dramatic looks and compelling storyline made it the undisputed star of the show. You could sense the passion when Mazda execs talked about taking on Porsche’s Cayman head-to-head; the excitement is only going to build as the countdown to a production model gets underway.
Toyota S-FR
By editor-at-large, Mat Watson
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Okay so this is officially a ‘concept’. But seeing the S-FR up close leaves you in no doubt it’s pretty much production ready. The interior is the giveaway – something I managed to see on the the show stand. What’s even more surprising was there was four seats in there! So this 1.5-litre 129bhp front engined rear drive sports car should be as fun as a Mazda MX-5 but a whole lot more practical.
Porsche Macan GTS
By senior road tester, Sean Carson
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It might not boast the glitz and glamour of Mazda’s RX-Vision sports car concept, but you just know the Porsche Macan GTS is going to be an incredible road car. The regular Macan is already sensational, blending incredible agility on twisty roads with plenty of comfort on long journeys. So with Porsche giving its mid-size SUV the GTS treatment – creating the most driver-focused Macan yet in the process – this 355bhp SUV will combine huge speed and sports car like handling. Officially, 0-62mph takes 5.0 seconds, but efficiency of 31.4mpg and 212g/km CO2 is still impressive from the 3.0-litre V6 turbo.
Honda Clarity FVC
By senior news reporter, Jonathan Burn
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Forget autonomous cars, hydrogen is the future. Honda showcased its third attempt at a Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) at Tokyo and the most advanced to have ever existed. It costs no more than a petrol or diesel model to run, capable of over 430 miles on a tank of hydrogen but is completely emissions free. Water is the only waste product. Sure, at the moment there is a serious lack of refuelling infrastructure but Honda has assured us it's working on it, and when it also comes together it’s sure to be a winner.
Best cars at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show: video
Which Tokyo Motor Show car would be your pick? Let us know in the comments section below...