Forget the Century coupe or the six-wheeled Lexus LS; peep the Daihatsu Midget concept

It’s almost time for the Tokyo Motor Show Japan Mobility Show, and Toyota is first out of the gates with a buffet of unhinged concept cars. And yes, the coupe based on the Century SUV or Lexus LS reborn as a six-wheeled van is sure to grab all the headlines, but we at JNC ask instead that you check out the lovable Daihatsu Midget reboot concept instead.

Check it out! Details are sparse so far, but the Daihatsu Midget X is an adorable commercial vehicle in the tradition of the 1957 Midget. Of course, with four wheels instead of three it looks more like the 1996 Midget II, but this one is likely electric. In the best Daihatsu tradition it’s a kei-sized trucklet that can be used for hauling last-mile deliveries down Japan’s narrow streets. We hope to find out more when the Japan Mobility Show begins.

Daihatsu is only a small part of the Toyota empire though, and because we mentioned it already here’s more images of the Century coupe. Given the front-end design Toyota appears to be linking it more closely to the Century SUV than the Century sedan. Other similarities with the Century SUV includes a taller ride height and doors that slide instead of hinge.

Toyota looks to be expanding the Century brand. There are already two models, and a coupe would make a fitting third. The Century phoenix has taken its own place among the other logos of the Toyota family. But going by these images from Toyota the brand is treading dangerously close to Jaguar absurdity.

Toyota calls this concept a “One of One”. It’s unclear whether there will be only a single Century coupe built, or if this is some kind of bespoke atelier service that will let customers choose wild colors a customization schemes for one-off cars.

We were saddened to hear about the end of the Lexus LS, the model that defined Toyota’s luxury marque. Well, the body was barely cold before Lexus released a teaser video showing a man striding up to a futuristic new LS. It’s not a sedan but a six-wheeled van that looks like something out of Total Recall.

This is particularly puzzling, because LS literally stood for “Luxury Sedan”. Now Toyota is saying this new form of luxury shouldn’t be limited to sedans and that it could also stand for “Luxury Space”. VIP vans are all the rage in Asia, a trend that originated with the Nissan Elgrand but was popularized by the Toyota Alphard and Vellfire. Those eventually spawned a Lexus version called the LM. A triple-axle rolling penthouse would certainly make crushing the peons easier.

Thankfully neither the Century coupe nor the Lexus XXLS are the new flagship Toyota teased last week. Here’s another teaser that reveals the headlight of the car. The Toyota 2000GT and Lexus LFA lineage are clearly referenced but no additional information is provided, just the phrrse “The soul lives on.” The light doesn’t look like the Lexus Sport Concept, so this is likely the Gazoo Racing GT3. The race car is set to debut first, followed by a roadgoing version.

Images courtesy of Toyota.