Daihatsu in Tokyo: Tanto, Mud Master

Happy birthday to Daihatsu! The Japanese brand best known for its city cars is celebrating 100 years in business and marked the occasion with new concept and production cars at the Tokyo Motor Show.

 

The most striking was the Mud Master, a small transporter prototype. Gull-wing doors open on three sides to create a convenient and practical storage/work space, and the car has good ground clearance and knobby tires for off-road ability.

 

On the exhibition stand it was being used as a mountain bike support vehicle, and leading Japanese professional rider Raita Suzuki had been involved. However, the company says the interior can be rearranged for other uses.

 

Also making its world debut was the Tanto, a practical blue high-roofed city car with what’s believed to be the first execution of pillarless powered sliding doors. According to Daihatsu, it’s technically a concept car but is described as a planned production model. Another feature claimed to be making its debut in a vehicle is wooden flooring.

 

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