The Tokyo Auto Salon never fails to bring to light the latest and greatest from the Japanese tuning world and, much like SEMA in the U.S., every year a particular model serves as the main attraction for the event. For 2022, the Nissan Z and GR86/BRZ seem to serve that purpose but as with every year, there are plenty of gems sprinkled throughout the TAS halls and these two bite-sized creations deserve some of that spotlight.
First up is this Toyota iQ—known in the U.S. as a Scion iQ—built by students from Saijidai Automotive College. This four-seater (well, more like a three-seater with an additional seat suitable for a small child) has been heavily modified both in appearance and power production.
The original 67-hp engine under the hood was pulled and, in its place, a fuel cell was added. The rear seats have been removed with a new firewall constructed to surround the motorcycle engine that now takes up the rear of the car and powers its rear wheels.
Sourced from a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R, the 1.4-liter mill produces over 200 hp with an 11,000 rpm redline, and only has to push about 1,000 pounds of iQ around. The Kawasaki’s radiator is fitted into the bay and the engine rests on custom-fabricated mounts.
Just above the individual throttle bodies are a pair of motorcycle mufflers that send spent gases out through both rear side windows. The mufflers appear to be ceramic coated and the piping covered with DEI heat wrap for thermal management, though the Y-pipe’s close proximity to the throttles and how fresh air is directed to them and the cooling system is a question that crossed our minds.
For the full story, check out this article from Motor Trend.
