Yamaha reveals teaser image of sports car ahead of Tokyo motor show

Yamaha will launch a new sports car at the forthcoming Tokyo motor show – and it could well have input from McLaren F1 designer Gordon Murray.

The Japanese motorcycle manufacturer has released a single teaser image for its Tokyo concept, and merely stated that its line-up of two-wheeled vehicles will be joined by “an automobile”. The blurred side-on image of the car – labelled 4Wheeler by unconfirmed sources – shows a dramatic, low profile, a sign that Yamaha is considering a sports car as it prepares to enter a new market.

The 4Wheeler will follow up Yamaha’s 2013 Tokyo Motor Show concept, the Motiv (depicted above), which used Gordon Murray’s innovative iStream car creation process to underpin a rival for the Smart micro-car. However, Yamaha’s general manager of innovation, Masato Suzuki, confirmed at the time that different body styles were possible – and Murray himself confirmed that a convertible and a sports car could be spun off the technology. Indeed, sketches of both of these vehicles were present in a video loop shown during the Motiv’s presentation. There's been no confirmation yet that the Surrey-based engineering and design consultant has been involved with the 4Wheeler.

The sports car could mix electric power with an internal combustion engine drawn from Yamaha's motorcycle powerplants. The original Motiv was shown with 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol power and as a pure EV; Yamaha may well decide to mix the two technologies to provide strong acceleration without compromising on one of the iStream construction's biggest strengths: light weight.

Although Yamaha officials made no reference to the sports car sketch in our 2013 gallery, it was shown on a video loop on the manufacturer’s stand following the launch of the Motiv concept at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show.

Tokyo motor show 2013 - what they said then

“The manufacturing system allows for a longer vehicle, a wider vehicle and many other modifications, without significant additional costs,” said Suzuki in 2013. “The first step is to consider if the reaction is positive enough to put the car into production, but it is my hope and goal that it will be. I am pushing hard for that. After that decision is made, we must consider the body styles.”

Suzuki also confirmed that Yamaha would not have pursued a mainstream road car project unless it allowed it to demonstrate engineering innovation. “Gordon Murray is the perfect partner because he thinks in new ways, and that embodies the Yamaha way,” he said. “We would not enter the car market to build a car in the same way as everyone else. Yamaha does not think like that, and nor does Murray.”

It was also confirmed that the car has been engineered to meet all global standards, including those in Europe. “Downsizing is a global trend, and this car encapsulates that.

"The time is right for us to take mobilisation on to four wheels,” said Suzuki. “Everything is under consideration at present. We see an opportunity for us in many different markets around the world.”

The Motiv was the first concept to be created as part of the new Yamaha-Murray partnership and there has been no further news on whether it will reach production. The car, which can be made in both petrol and electric-only versions, would represent a siginificant challenge to the Smart ForTwo if it gets the go-ahead from the Yamaha board to enter production.

More from Tokyo Motor Show:

- Toyota to debut three new concept cars

- Suzuki to showcase Ignis and Baleno among others

- Honda to display future mobility solutions and concept motorcycles