Daihatsu FC ShoCase: Tokyo at its most extreme

Walk around Tokyo, and it's plain to see that the locals love small, boxy vehicles, thanks to cramped conditions, excellent public transport and government policy. The FC ShoCase takes this love of the box on wheels to a whole new level.

Mind you, we're not sure if this gullwing door is suited to tight underground car parks.

Standing at 1.9m tall, the FC ShoCase is taller than it is wide (1.45m).

The FC at the beginning of FC ShoCase alludes to the car's unique fuel-cell power pack. Unlike other fuel cells, Daihatsu claims that this one contains no rare earth metals, consisting only only of liquid, and is, therefore, cheaper to make.

When bystanders aren't gawking at passengers as they try to climb over the car's incredibly high door sills to get in, they can be distracted by this LCD screen and its relaxing patterns.

No word on how powerful, fast or efficient the FC ShoCase is. We'd also wager large wads of yen that it'll never be made.

With its vertical windscreen and tall body, we can't imagine that the FC ShoCase slices through the air like a rain drop. Vision outwards would also be pretty poor.

The steering wheel lies flat against the dashboard until you're ready to go. It also features a touchscreen display for all of your air-con, navigation and music needs.

It's probably good to ponder the car's emission-free drivetrain when on the move, as the thinly padded seats don't look especially comfortable.

When parked, the seats whizz away electronically into the floor. That way you can pull out your tatami mats and cushions, and enjoy that widescreen TV.

Derek Fung travelled to the Tokyo Motor Show as a guest of Toyota Australia.