One other yr of Tokyo Auto Salon means one other round of scouring the depths of the Makuhari Messe automotive parks – the unofficial TAS automotive meet.
TAS reigns supreme as the top event of Japanese automotive culture, drawing over 200,000 visitors to the Chiba convention centre yearly. With that sort of foot traffic, it’s no surprise that the automotive parks hide some real gems. So, let’s take a have a look at what I discovered during my Friday visit to Tokyo Auto Salon 2025.
Right near the doorway, I used to be greeted by this – guerrilla marketing at its finest. And it worked. Someone has taken it upon themselves to ‘fix’ the G87 M2, addressing the overly adventurous front grille design with a more traditional BMW look. If I needed to guess who’s behind this, it will be ADRO, a Korean-based body kit company making waves within the BMW aftermarket world. They’d a large booth inside TAS, so dropping one other automotive within the automotive park just is smart. I’m interested to see if I’m correct, and if that’s the case, hopefully, a rear bumper redesign is within the works too.
A bit further along, Dino and I parked our cars, sandwiching this FL5 Honda Civic Type R.
One further spot along, one other blue FL5 sat next to what you could possibly consider its European rival, an Audi RS 3 in an identical shade.
Very similar to the show, there was no shortage of stance within the automotive parks, with every thing from vans to GT-Rs sitting on the pavement.
It’s also price noting that stance here in Japan doesn’t just mean a set of wheels and bags. Owners all the time go the additional mile to construct a whole automotive. Try the large Brembo brakes on this Lexus, for instance.
It was hard to miss this Mitsuoka Orochi, taking over two parking spots. The Orochi is one in all those quirky early-2000s Japanese creations which are often neglected. Powered by a 3.3L Toyota V6, you could possibly call it another tackle the Honda NSX formula.
Next to it, occupying only one space, was a pristine Nissan Sil80 (Silvia-faced 180SX), sitting on SSR mesh wheels and sporting a classic B-Wave wing – an authentic nod to ’90s Japanese street drift culture.
Mazda RX-7s appeared to dominate the automotive park, with FCs and FDs just about in every single place you looked. Listed here are just a couple of of those I spotted.
There have been loads of Porsche scattered across the place too, including this beautiful blue 993.
AE86s got here in all shapes and forms. It was great to see an FK’s Factory Trueno hatch out within the wild. FK is well-known for its unique builds and liveries, and this one isn’t any exception.
Nissan’s presence within the automotive parks was almost stronger than at its booth contained in the Makuhari Messe. GT-Rs and Silvias from every generation filled the spaces, with no shortage of variety.
Front and centre – and sure one in all the primary cars to reach at TAS – was this beautiful Datsun 510 1600 SSS on Hayashi Racing wheels.
There have been a couple of Honda NSXs that retained their factory aesthetic – for probably the most part.
RE Amemiya made its presence felt each contained in the show and outdoors within the automotive parks with this Mazda RX-8.
It was nice to see a wonderfully finished 180SX Type-X sitting pretty on RAYS Gram Lights wheels.
Staying on the Nissan theme, this C10 Skyline GT-X was attracting loads of attention as crowds ushered by.
Then, there was this JZ-powered Toyota duo. Seeing a Toyota Chaser and a Supra side by side highlighted just how similar their sizes and proportions are – the ‘four-door Supra’ nickname seems pretty spot on.
Many readers will recognise John’s Toyota Corona GT. After a yr of drifting, he’s has treated his AT141 to some latest bodywork and paint, and it’s really looking the part.
Joining John was an NA2 Honda NSX-R – a rare sight out within the wild. That’s no surprise given their exorbitant price tags today.
One attendee was so wanting to start tinkering with the parts he’d picked up contained in the show that he couldn’t even wait until he got home to start fitting them!
Here’s a polarising combo for you: a track-focused FD Mazda RX-7 paired with a Fabulous-built Honda StepWagon. I’ve seen this van before, and it’s as wild as they arrive with scissor doors and an enormous sound system.
Liberty Walk made its mark on the automotive parks, too. A full-kitted Lamborghini Aventador, together with Huracán and a Lexus LC, all wearing Liberty Walk branding, turned heads and stopped traffic.
I wasn’t the just one admiring the treasures of the automotive parks. Any seasoned TAS attendee knows that the show truly begins before you even enter the gates.
Much like every other Japanese automotive event, the automotive parks offer a real insight into Japanese automotive culture. While TAS showcases the glitz and glamour of Japanese automotive life, you possibly can’t have one without the opposite. For that reason, when you ever attend Tokyo Auto Salon, I highly recommend dedicating no less than half your day to cruising around the varied automotive parks. You never know what you’ll find.
Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco
This Article First Appeared At www.speedhunters.com
