Photo: Yamaha
Yamaha making a car might take some people by surprise, and rightly so: when year after year all you see from a manufacturer are motorcycles and similar stuff, you start to associate it with a certain type of products.
However, Yamaha has been quietly building car engines for quite a while for some of the biggest brands in the auto industry, so they have the powerplant part covered. No matter how important it may be in the mix, an engine isn't enough to make a car, so Yamaha still had plenty of work to do.
And it looks like that work is almost over, with the Japanese brand ready to preview a concept car at this year's Tokyo Motor Show. Since it's Yamaha we're talking about, it couldn't have been anything else but a sports car, but that's just a conclusion reached through observation of the released teaser and not something confirmed by the company.
In any way, it looks like a two-seater sports coupe with nice aerodynamics and a large greenhouse. By the looks of the car, it would by a crying shame not to make it rear-wheel-drive, but there's always the chance it will use a hybrid powertrain. That wouldn't really make too much sense on a small sports car, though, as it would add weight for very little extra power, but you can never know with the Japanese.
As if there were any need to mention it, Yamaha is saying that "the design is inspired by motorcycles and expresses the Unique Style of Yamaha."
We must admit we're pretty excited about (mostly) motorcycle manufacturers joining the auto industry. They know best how to provide kicks for their customers, something the established carmakers seem to have forgotten, and this type of small, light sports car is the optimal choice for your favorite winding road. It's still early to talk about an actual car, but there's nothing keeping us from dreaming it will end up delivering where the Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ failed.
And it looks like that work is almost over, with the Japanese brand ready to preview a concept car at this year's Tokyo Motor Show. Since it's Yamaha we're talking about, it couldn't have been anything else but a sports car, but that's just a conclusion reached through observation of the released teaser and not something confirmed by the company.
In any way, it looks like a two-seater sports coupe with nice aerodynamics and a large greenhouse. By the looks of the car, it would by a crying shame not to make it rear-wheel-drive, but there's always the chance it will use a hybrid powertrain. That wouldn't really make too much sense on a small sports car, though, as it would add weight for very little extra power, but you can never know with the Japanese.
As if there were any need to mention it, Yamaha is saying that "the design is inspired by motorcycles and expresses the Unique Style of Yamaha."
We must admit we're pretty excited about (mostly) motorcycle manufacturers joining the auto industry. They know best how to provide kicks for their customers, something the established carmakers seem to have forgotten, and this type of small, light sports car is the optimal choice for your favorite winding road. It's still early to talk about an actual car, but there's nothing keeping us from dreaming it will end up delivering where the Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ failed.
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