It was at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show that Yamaha teased with its highly promising Yamaha Sports Ride Concept. To say that the car was overwhelmingly promising is indeed an understatement.
One of the outrightly notable and outstanding aspects is that the car had been developed in conjunction with the highly regarded Gordon Murray Design Limited. As such it utilized the designer’s iStream vehicle manufacturing.
The result as in many vehicles from a similar process has been a lightweight, great quality, high-rigidity vehicle layout that borrows heavily from Formula 1 technology. Fitting. Gordon Murray has previously worked with McLaren and this serves as a good sign of its exotic nature.
The concept brought an interesting 750 kilograms (1,653 pounds), signaling lightweight as a foremost objective. It was also 153 inches long, and 67.7 inches wide. The height stood at 46 inches only.
The engine was also a rather small three-cylinder turbocharged that needed only 1.0-liter to move. This engine producing around 200 is a sensible fit for the car that has a high center-mounted exhaust. The mid-engine positioning and rear-drive design also serve this car pretty well.
It becomes saddening when seemingly practical cars like the Yamaha concept fail to see the light of day. They are the kind of vehicles that petrolheads should be allowed to taste, feel and write about. They are for enthusiasts who more than get enticed by looks want to feel the power of the car.
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