The current automaker bonanza of alternative fuel cars and technology will reach a new high later this month when the biennial Tokyo Motor Show opens its doors to the public October 24 through November 4 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City. All of Japan's big OEMs and many of its peripheral players seem to have something to add to the category, which frankly has left us a little indifferent to the expo this time out. Call it a sign of the times that we're not exactly thrilled about.

Not all is lost, though. While the 2007 show boasted long-awaited unveilings of the flagship R35 GT-R and EVO X, this year's edition of the car, motorcycle and commercial vehicle exhibition will have its own go-fast signature, albeit with a little less bite and fanfare.

As we revealed last week (http://urbanracer.com/articles/anmviewer.asp?a=4005&z=2), Toyota will display its FT-86 RWD sport compact concept, what many are already calling the rebirth of the beloved AE86 Corolla. Furthermore, production models scheduled for face time (and that will probably never come Stateside) include Honda's Civic Type R Euro and Subaru's Impreza WRX STI Carbon. There will also be some motorsports machinery in the spotlight, namely from Formula One and Japan's Super GT championship.

Read on to see what's in store for the 41st Tokyo Motor Show.

TOYOTA/LEXUS

We expect the debut of Toyota and Subaru's sports coupe lovechild, the FT-86, to generate a lot of interest, even if currently there is a dearth of salient details from either OEM. Described vaguely as having "racecar-like handling" and "power and environmental performance," we've heard that the car could be based on the current Impreza platform and will be powered by a two-liter Subaru-sourced flat-four with a new Toyota-developed head that is hoped will decrease emissions and increase fuel economy.

On the Lexus end of things, the five-door compact hybrid LF-Ch will make its Japanese premier, as will an unnamed "revolutionary two-seat supercar" (that's all Lexus would give away). We're assuming this mystery offering is the LF-A, a concept introduced previously in both coupe and roadster trim that rocks a carbon-fiber and aluminum body, 5.0L V10 mill capable of 500 ponies, vented brake rotors front and rear with six-pot forward calipers, fat tires (265s in front, 305s out back) and rear-mounted radiators that vent underneath the wraparound rear taillights. (Unfortunately Lexus provided no pics to go with its words, but check our previous posting on the LF-A for images: www.urbanracer.com/articles/anmviewer.asp?a=3773&z=2.)

TMC's display will also feature environmentally friendly concept vehicles including a plug-in hybrid vehicle, the Prius Plug-In Hybrid, and an electric vehicle suitable for short-distance trips, the FT-EV II. They'll share booth space with Panasonic Toyota Racing's TF109 F1 race car.

SUBARU

A pair of Subaru Tecnica International-touched production models will see daylight at TMS 2009, the Impreza WRX Carbon and the Exiga 2.0GT. As its name suggests, the WRX STI Carbon features the use of the composite material, primarily in the roof, as well as a suede fabric interior. The Exiga 2.0GT is Subaru's turbo seven seater and boasts an STI treatment that includes finely-tuned body and chassis elements and a basic black-themed cabin.

Tree huggers will dig the company's Hybrid Tourer Concept, a futuristic looking concoction that will come with both an electric motor and a direct-injected turbo gasoline engine in addition to Subaru's latest CVT, as well as a version of the plug-in Stella designed by BEAMS, a renowned JDM specialty clothing brand. The current-gen. Legacy touring car built by STI for the Super-GT championship (GT300 class) will also be among the featured Subies.

HONDA

Covering the largest floor area of any single brand at the show, Honda's automobile exhibit will focus on hybrids, but it's the Civic Type R Euro that'll have our undivided attention. The three-door, two-liter K-series powered hot hatch has been roaming Europe freely since 2007 and will finally be dropping in Japan this November (sorry, Americans, no R for you).

Joining the new-school CTR will be the new hybrid gas/electric Insight, the world premiere of the hybrid CR-Z Concept 2009, and the SKYDECK, a six-passenger vehicle that is yet another hybrid. Other models on display consist of the all-new STEP WGN and STEP WGN SPADA (both scheduled for introduction in Japan in October 2009) and the EV-N battery electric vehicle, a cute subcompact that reminds us of the big H's N-series kei cars.

MAZDA

The OEM doesn't have the diverse portfolio or resources of some of the big dogs, so it's no surprise that Mazda's TMS agenda is singularly focused, that focus being advanced technologies designed to improve the average fuel economy of its vehicles. Leading the charge are two new mills, Mazda's next-gen. SKY-G gasoline and SKY-D clean diesel engines.

Both employ newly designed blocks for reduced mechanical friction, and the SKY-G in particular will feature direct fuel injection and variable valve timing. The SKY-D meanwhile uses piezo injectors, a two-stage turbocharger and other technologies to make fuel economy approximately 20 percent better than Mazda's current 2.2-liter diesel engine.

The gilled, swoopy compact Kiyora concept will also be on display, a car that sports Mazda's SKY-G 1.3-liter bullet and lightweight six-speed Mazda SKY-Drive automatic transmission. The Kiyora achieves fuel economy figures of 75 miles per gallon aided by Mazda's i-stop idling stop system, regenerative braking, and advanced aerodynamics around a compact body that is 220 pounds lighter than Mazda's current mass production model in the same segment.

NISSAN

While it's not featuring anything we would categorize as overly "sporty" this year (and why should they? 2007: GT-R, 2008: 370Z), Nissan's Roox is yet another interesting take on the boxy-and-hip paradigm. It happens to be one of the segment's larger small cubes (pun totally intended), and to make ingress and egress easy it boasts a remote-controlled sliding door and steps that are relatively close to ground level.

Both the Roox and Nissan's top-of-the-line Fuga sedan, which will also be on display at TMS, are slated to hit showrooms later this year. Additionally, the OEM is nearly ready to start selling its new Leaf, the world's first electric vehicle designed for large-scale volume production, which is set for global launch in late 2010.

No auto show would be complete without at least one example of unbridled imagination (or weirdness), and for TMS 2009 we bestow that honor to Nissan's Land Glider EV concept. The single seater is ultra-compact, ultra-narrow and ultra-lightweight, and to further add to its futuristic freakiness the operator shifts the center of gravity by leaning (like a bike). Insert joke here:

www.tokyo-motorshow.com/eng/