The Tokyo Motor Show is a biennial auto show held  October–November at the Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), it is a recognized international show by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles, and normally sees more concept cars than actual production car introductions which is the reason why the auto press see the show as one of the motorshow's big fi ve (along with Detroit, Geneva, Frankfurt and Paris).

History

The show, originally called All Japan Motor Show was fi rst held in an outdoor venue called Hibiya Park, the show was considered a success with 547,000 visitors over ten days and 254 exhibitors displaying 267 vehicles, but of the number of vehicles only 17 of them were passenger cars as the show was dominated by commercial vehicles. In 1958, due to construction of a subway and underground parking lot near Hibiya Park, the show was shifted to the Korakuen Bicycle Racing Track. The show, as the previous year was marred by heavy rain, in 1959 the event moved indoor to its newly opened Harumi Showplace venue which was three times the size of its previous venue. Onward from 1973, as the organisers decided not to host a show for the following year due to the international energy crisis and the show became a biennial event. The show relocated to its current venue, the Makuhari Messe in 1989 and due to high public demand for vehicles in everyday use and the fact concept cars dominate the show, the show returned to being an annual event from 2001 to 2005 with a show for passenger cars and motorcycle and another for commercial vehicles for the following year. However, from 2007 onwards the event has once again returned to a biennial schedule which combines both passenger and commercial vehicles, including motorcycles and auto parts.

Alternative propulsion Hybrid and electric vehicles dominated the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show.

Concepts for new hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles from Japan's leading automakers are now on display at the Tokyo Motor Show. As one example, Toyota Motor Corporation introduced its 1/X (pronounced "one-Xth") concept vehicle, a Prius-like sedan that tips the scales at a third of the weight of the Prius and obtains double the Prius' fuel economy. Toyota's other plug-in hybrid concept, the Hi-CT, is a small, boxy, two-door vehicle aimed at young car buyers. In addition, Toyota's luxury brand, Lexus, introduced its next-generation hybrid sport utility vehicle, the LF-Xh, an all-wheel-drive vehicle powered by a V6 engine teamed up with a high-output electric motor. Mitsubishi Motors Corporation introduced a Beetle-like electric vehicle with in-wheel electric motors, called the i MiEV Sport, which even has a solar panel on its roof. Nissan unveiled  he Pivo 2, a small electric vehicle with a lithium-ion battery pack and wheel motors. But Japanese automakers weren't the only ones unveiling clean car concepts in Tokyo. Audi arrived with its "Metroproject Quattro," a plug-in hybrid with a direct-injection, turbocharged, 150 horsepower (110 kW) gasoline engine mounted up front and a 30-kilowatt motor on its rear axle. The concept vehicle employs a lithium-ion battery pack that allows it to run on electric power only.