5 Japanese Concepts Coming to Auto Shanghai 2013

Well, it’s finally here. Auto Shanghai, the biannual motor show that alternates with the Beijing Motor Show, opens up doors tomorrow. With it comes a whole slew of new Japanese concept cars to ogle over, five of which we’ll cover below.

But first, let’s take a quick moment to review the importance of Auto Shanghai 2013. This is perhaps the highest-impact motor show China has ever seen, at least internationally speaking.

Why?

Because now more than ever, major manufacturers recognize China’s potential for growth, especially for Generation Y drivers and luxury drivers. So, the concepts you’re going to see below will fall into one of those two markets.

Acura Crossover Concept

Both Honda and Acura are bringing a brand-new concept to Shanghai. We don’t know very much, but the artistic rendering Acura gave us as a preview indicates a style that fuses the Honda CR-V with the Acura RDX. Current speculation is that the new concept will be the smallest crossover in Acura’s lineup, coming in smaller than both the RDX and MDX. While this vehicle is debuting in China, you can rest assured that a similar small CUV will make its way into the global market eventually.

Honda MPV Concept

Again, much like the Crossover Concept, Honda is looking to take a successful vehicle – the Honda Odyssey – and make it smaller and more dramatically stylized to fit the Chinese market. The preview rendering shows a vehicle fairly similar to the Odyssey in form, but with a smaller front clip and more pronounced exterior lines. It remains to be seen whether this will be a China-only vehicle or a global one.

Mitsubishi Concept G4

We’ve already written about this concept, so I won’t go into great detail here. Basically, this is a budget-friendly Mirage sedan. The show car looks impressive, but underneath all the bells and whistles is an unexciting entry-level car that probably drives great, but that won’t stand out from other manufacturer’s entry-level sedans (ahem, Toyota and Honda).

Nissan Friend-ME Concept

We’ve written about the Friend-ME Concept too, but it’s much more exciting and innovative than Mitsubishi’s G4. Basically, this futuristic sedan is targeted towards a young, social and Internet-friendly audience. We don’t know much, but it will apparently use a multifaceted center console to share information between drivers and passengers. I know, curious, right? Can’t wait to see this one.

Suzuki Authentics Concepts

Last but not least, we have Suzuki making a bold effort to solidify their place in the Chinese market with the Authentics concept. This looks to be a fairly standard sedan as far as show cars and concepts go, but unlike the G4 which is just a sedan-ified Mirage, the Authentics concept is actually new and interesting. I’m sure Suzuki will bring many innovative features to the table to authentically separate this concept from the crowd.

Hopefully this Auto Shanghai preview primer gives you enough auto-goodies to whet your appetite. Don’t worry, there will be lots more to see and read over the coming week, so stay tuned for more Auto Shanghai coverage. Until then, thanks for reading!

Sources: World Car Fans, Motor Authority, Autocar, Car and Driver