The Aftermarket at Tokyo
Makuhari Messe, Japan
While there is a large show in Tokyo every year focusing exclusively on the automotive aftermarket and the latest doo-dads and gadgets, most of them aimed at younger drivers, the Tokyo Motor Show concentrates on new production models, concepts and prototypes from the OEMs (the car-makers themselves). At the Tokyo Motor Show, the aftermarket companies can be found along the inside of the exhibition's outer walls, and there's plenty to see. Many, if not most, of the exhibitors are electronics companies which make GPS systems, audio upgrades, in-car DVD screens and computer games, but there's very, very little in the manner of performance add-ons, such as one would find at the SEMA Show. Changes to a car's engine and throughout the drivetrain which might be considered minor in the US are strictly forbidden in Japan. At the aftermarket exhibit pictured, I still can't figure out what product the model is pitching ...