Tokyo Auto Salon

The eyes of the motoring world might be focused on Detroit over the second weekend of 2009, but in Japan, car manufacturers and tuners alike gather at the huge Makuhari Messe complex just outside Tokyo to celebrate the very best that the local customisers have to offer.

Described as Japan’s answer to the SEMA tuning and performance car show, it's  actually the third biggest tuner and customiser show after Germany’s Essen show.

Highlights of this year's event the long-awaited and race-ready Nissan GT-R Spec-V, as well as special models from Toyota’s TRD racing unit and Honda Access’ Modulo tuner, Auto Express can now reveal pre-show information from Mazda.

At the centre of Mazda’s stage will be the all-new Axela (Mazda3), which goes on sale this spring and the Premacy hydrogen rotary hybrid concept. Using a dual-fuel system, this Premacy can run on either petrol or hydrogen that powers its on-board rotary engine and electric motor.

Mazda tells us that this minivan can now cover up to 200kms on the hydrogen alone thus significantly reducing CO2 levels.

Other highlights at the Mazda booth will be specially prepared “Circuit Trial” track-ready versions of the company’s bread and butter cars including the new Mazda3 Circuit Trial, the Mazda6 Circuit Trial, Mazda2 Circuit Trial and the RX-8 Circuit Trial, all tuned by Mazdaspeed.

Apart from unique aeroparts, racing decals, sports seats, bigger lighter sports wheels and grippier tyres, each car employs a stiffer suspension setup and high performance brake pads.

Mazda has been perfecting this customizing technique over the past 8 years, since it first launched its so-called MX-5 NR-A, a race-ready coupe with roll-cage, 4-point harness, racing seat, sports suspension, lightweight wheels and beefier brakes. The star of a well-known local one-make racing series, the latest NR-A version will also be on display.