By Steve Laser
Honda makes cars and motorcycles, so it’s always exciting to see a creative vehicle that combines both. The Bulldog concept was one of the stars at the Honda exhibit during the 35th Tokyo Motor Show, that also featured the Unibox, Dualnote, WIC and SUU.
This story takes a quick look back at our visit to the show, where we attended the press days, Oct. 24-25, 2001, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba. Shown above is the Bulldog concept that was presented during the automaker’s press conference.
Bulldog – Search Engine Sports
Honda called the Bulldog concept a “tenacious, go-anywhere sport utility vehicle that takes you where you want to go with the ease of an Internet search engine.”
Bulldog combined a car with a motorcycle, with the vision of searching city streets to reach desired destinations. Futuristic mobile gear, envisioned some 25 years ago, included two small electric e-DAX concept commuter motorcycles.
With an overall height of 1,485 mm, an overall length of 3,770 mm, and a width of 1,695 mm, the concept was said to be built like a metal bulldog, featuring a wide-track and tall, aerodynamic design.
The e-DAX duo were easy to load into the cargo area with a split tailgate and lower fold-down section. With adjustable seats and handlebars, the e-DAX seats were designed to serve as the backrests of Bulldog’s rear passenger seats.
Creative technologies gave Bulldog’s driver access to an 8-inch in-dash monitor that was said to allow real-time communication with the e-DAX. Bulldog was powered by the Honda IMA system, featuring a 1.5-liter gas engine with motor assist.
Photos 2001 by Steve Laser on location in Chiba, Japan
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