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Daihatsu Wants To Blow Away 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon With a Camper Based on the Atrai Kei Car

Daihatsu will storm the Tokyo Auto Salon with two custom cars based on the Atrai kei truck and van, as well as two versions of the Rocky subcompact SUV. The most interesting concept seems to be the kei camper based on the Atrai Deck Van.
Daihatsu will go to the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon with an impressive kei car collection 6 photos
Photo: Daihatsu
Daihatsu Atrai Deck Van CamperDaihatsu Atrai vanDaihatsu Rocky off-road conceptDaihatsu Rocky premium conceptDaihatsu will go to the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon with an impressive key car collection
The Tokyo Auto Salon is like a Japanese SEMA Show, except developed in the opposite direction. Whereas the cars on display at SEMA Show grow bigger and bigger, the Tokyo Auto Salon shrinks everything to the size of a Lego car collection, as kei cars are all the rage in Japan. Kei car popularity has to do with the fact these miniature cars, no longer than 11.2 feet (3,40 meters), are exempted from the usual requirement to certify that adequate parking is available for the vehicle.

That’s not to say we won’t be seeing the usual luxurious or high-performance custom cars and vans popping up here and there. It’s just that a microcar will not look out of place, and it shouldn’t, as those proved to be monsters of creativity. Take for instance this kei camper Daihatsu is bringing to the show. It is based on the Atrai Deck Van kei truck, a miracle in itself.

The kei truck is a delivery truck with a pickup truck style bed and a four-door cabin able to seat four, all within the 11.2 feet of length allowed by the law. The rear doors are of the sliding variety while the tailgate folds open 180 degrees for easy loading. Imagine this transformed as a camper van and I’m sure you’d be on the floor laughing.

To achieve this, Daihatsu Atrai Deck Camper features a rooftop canopy that opens and unfolds outward to function as a tent. Pretty clever, considering the roof canopy also has a safari-type rack. Or maybe this is a solar panel to power the whole camper. A LED light bar and two pairs of auxiliary lights complete the image of this innovative micro camper.

Four other cars will make their way to Daihatsu’s booth at the Tokyo Auto Salon. One of them is a more luxurious version of the fully enclosed Atrai van, adorned with a gigantic grille that hilariously contrasts with the small wheels of the van.

Also, Daihatsu will show off two versions of the Rocky subcompact SUV, a luxury-oriented version and an off-road version. This is no kei car although at 13.1 feet (4,00 meters) is no giant either. Unlike the body-on-frame predecessor from the late 90s, this one sports a unibody structure.
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 Download: Daihatsu Village 2022 for Tokyo Auto Salon (PDF)

About the author: Cristian Agatie
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After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
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