Yamaha’s Sports Ride Concept car was revealed at the 43rd annual Tokyo Motor Show which shouldn’t come as a complete surprise to folks who have kept up with the company. According to an article at Cycle World, Yamaha has been involved in the four-wheeled business for a very long time. The company built the original Toyota 2000GT and then top-quality engines for the Ford Taurus SHO and Volvo XC90 V-8.
According to Road and Track Magazine, this new concept car by Yamaha is really stylish and lighter than a Mazda Miata. The Sports Ride Concept weighs in at a mere 1,653 pounds and even 400 pounds less than a Lotus Elise. The interior looks quite futuristic and just all around great! it is comprised of leather, metal, and carbon fiber. It is a 2-seater with a front-engine/rear-driver and a mini McLaren look on the outside. It is built using the iStream process developed by famed F1 designer Gordon Murray.
The carbon-chassis Yamaha is touted as rigid and extremely light. This makes for a sports car that’s a half-inch shorter and a half-inch narrower than the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Moreover, this new Yamaha concept presumably hasn’t had to meet any sort of crash standards. There is still no information on what type of engine Yamaha plans to install in this beast or has installed.
For all we know, it may have a motorcycle engine under the hood. Mind you, this is speculation along with the rumor that the Sports Ride Concept may be the basis for the new Toyota MR2. Time will tell! In the mean time take a look at some pictures of this rad vehicle.
