The event is being held for the sixth year, and offers a bit of everything ranging from outlandish custom cars to a live Japanese cultural show, sexy presenters and even an international food court right inside the main hall.

The event is held at Challenger 2 Hall, which isn’t too large to walk around. Organisers say that there are more than 150 booths set up this year, but with a large number of mainstream automobile companies taking part and offering sales promotions for current models, I felt that the “tuning car” theme of the show has somewhat been weakened.

Nevertheless many of the highlights, which are top exhibits from the Tokyo Auto Salon held in January this year, were able to catch the attention of showgoers with their “wackiness” level.

For example, the Nissan 4 Turbo Quad Eyes. Built by Caroline Racing, it is based on an S14 Sylvia for drift shows and is powered by a 2JZ-GTE Toyota engine blown by four turbochargers. They consist of two Trust TD-06-17C turbochargers and a pair of T88-34D turbochargers, which are the largest ones made by Trust.

The T-88’s are the main turbochargers, while the smaller pair is activated via a lever in the cockpit. In addition, there’s also a small jet turbine to help create downforce at the rear.

Production of the Mazda RX-7 ended ages ago, but the sexy coupe is still a hit among car tuners. The RX-7 BN Sport BLS FD3S gets bridge port mods and a large HKS T51R turbocharger.

BN Sport, which is a world-class car-body maker, came up with new BLS body parts, adding a 95mm length to the front and 100mm to the rear.

Another fun car on display is the yellow Suzuki Swift Monster Sport XZC33S that has been tuned for rallying and gymkhana. Thanks to the K200 turbo kit made by Mitsubishi (including intake and exhaust systems) and a new N1B ECU that has been re-tuned to match the modifications, the Monster gets 190 horsepower on a 1.1-bar boost pressure.

Another outstanding exhibit is the Tommy Kaira R Concept, which is based on a Nissan GT-R. It comes in a striking “bay-side blue” colour and a front bumper with large air intake and cooling ducts.

The Honda NSX Modulo features add-ons from Honda’s official accessories brand, and exterior decals is based on the Modulo Kenwood NSX GT3 race car.

After the highlight exhibits, visitors can continue towards the accessories zone that abounds with products and pretties in colourful outfits. Apart from checking out products on display, a common tradition for many visitors is to take photos with the attractive presenters.

Tuning parts such as turbochargers, brake discs and car audio booths can be found, along with famous tuning stables such as Spoon and Liberty Walk, well-known for customising supercars such as Ferraris and Lamborghinis.

More car distributors are present this year and are located towards the end of Challenger Hall. Apart from displaying a good collection of customised vehicles, each brand also gets to sell new vehicles just as they can at other motor shows such as the recently-concluded FAST Auto Show Thailand at BITEC last week.

Once again, Honda’s highlight is the recently-launched HR-V minor change, which is available with Modulo parts, while Mazda is showing off its two Mazda2 road racing cars as well as its usual product lineup.

Toyota has a big collection of modified cars, including a blue C-HR carrying two kayaks as well as tuned-up Hilux Revo pickups. Next door, you can find Isuzu’s special models as well as quarter-mile drag racers based on the D-MAX.

Nissan’s highlight is the GT-R and the Gran Turismo Racing Pod, while Suzuki is present with a large number of customised Swift eco cars.

There’s a centre stage in the middle of the hall where special activities are held, whether it’s the ninja shows from Japan or sexy carwash performances by Japanese and Thai models.

The food court is located on the left side of the hall and features a good number of stalls offering many different treats, ranging from Japanese curry to pasta and Thai cuisine.

While Thailand hosts a large number of auto shows each year, the Bangkok Auto Salon, with its good variety of attractions, has its own unique theme and offers an entertaining day out for car nuts and even car buyers in general.

According to the firm, the transport sector worldwide is going through a period of profound transformation impacting a variety of sectors. EV battery prices, raw material prices, national policies, automaker plans, mobility as a service, charging infrastructure and other forces are all changing rapidly.

These will have a profound impact on oil resources, electricity and automotive markets over the next 20 years, it stated.

Thailand is deeply embedded in the global auto supply chain as the sixth largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in the world.

Colin McKerracher, head of advanced transport, answered questions regarding EV technology for use in this part of the world.

Q: From your findings, do you think customers are ready for EV technology? In 10 years, would the number of EVs rise significantly in this region?

A: Interest in electric vehicles is rising around the world and automakers are responding by launching many new models across almost all vehicle segments. We expect there to be almost 300 different EV models available globally by 2022 and we expect EV sales to rise significantly in all regions over the next 10 years. In Thailand specifically, much of the near-term opportunities will be around electrifying buses, two-wheelers and three-wheelers, we think the four-wheeled passenger EVs segment will take a bit longer to get going here than in markets like the US, China and Europe.

Q: Since EVs are intended to be charged at home while the owner is sleeping, how important is it to have a network of public charging stations?

A: For many EV owners, home charging will be all they need. But not everybody has easy access to home charging points, and for these people a robust network of public charging infrastructure is still important. At the end of 2017 there were over 500,000 public charging points globally, but the distribution is very uneven. Some regions like China, California and parts of Western Europe have jumped ahead, but others will take longer to build up their networks. In our long term EV adoption outlook, we view access to charging infrastructure as one of the biggest barriers that holds back faster adoption of EVs in the longer term.

Q: With increased EV use, how would the power industry handle the significantly increased demand for electricity?

A: Despite our forecast of rapid growth, EVs add just 6 per cent to total global power demand in 2040 because of their high efficiency. This can be accommodated easily by the power system, but there is some risk of localised grid issues in cases where EV charging is clustered in a certain areas. To mitigate this, we expect energy suppliers to push more time-of-use EV charging tariffs and other smart charging tools. Done right, EVs are an opportunity, not a threat, to the power system.

Ford’s first high-speed, off-road performance truck built in Asia-Pacific was revealed at the 2018 Bangkok Motor Show in March where Ford began taking customer orders.

Deliveries are scheduled to start in August. Combining tough character and capability, the Ranger Raptor “is truly the ultimate Ranger. With its bold appearance and extreme, off-road performance features, it represents a new and distinctive breed of truck”, said Yukontorn Wisadkosin, president of Ford Asean.

The Ranger Raptor has a 2-litre, bi-turbo diesel engine, 10-speed transmission to deliver 213PS (157kW) of power and 500Nm of torque.

Built with increased ride height and a wider track, it includes standard front and rear Fox shock absorbers to improve ride and handling. It has a terrain management system and Watt’s linkage rear suspension with coilover rear springs for rear axle lateral stability when travelling at high speeds off-road.

The steering wheel has a magnesium paddle shifter and the vehicle has underbody protection to deflect off-road obstacles.

The new bash plate 2.3mm thick, high-strength steel.

 The show, held in Challenger Hall 2 at Impact Muangthong Thani, is considered an extension of the Tokyo Auto Salon, one of the world’s largest custom car shows. Top exhibits from the Tokyo event are brought over to the Bangkok event, along with local custom cars, tuning parts and other accessories.

A larger field of automobile companies is also taking part in this year’s event, which has over 150 booths and lasts until July 8, said organiser Wiluck Lohthong, president of Cournot and Nash Co Ltd, part of Siam Sport Group.

“In order to fully respond to the consumers this year, the format of the BIAS has been expanded, and now covers sales of new cars and motorcycles, with a larger number of companies taking part including automobile, motorcycle, custom car, accessories and tuning parts,” he said. “There are more than 150 booths this year, with a large number of highlight exhibits from this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon being closely shown to visitors.”

Major auto brands like Toyota, Honda and Isuzu have set up booths at the show and are offering attractive sales promotions. Honda, in particular, is highlighting its minor-change HR-V that comes with Modulo accessories. Other auto companies present are Mazda, Nissan, Suzuki, BMW and MINI (Millennium Group), Kia and Mercedes-Benz (Metro Auto Haus) – all offering aggressive sales campaigns to woo customers.

Motorcycles brands include Yamaha, Royal Enfield, Benelli, Suzuki, and MF Motorrad.

However, for a great many of the visitors, the highlight of the show isn’t the range of new cars, but the customised models on display. Famous tuning houses from Japan and around the world, including Thailand, are taking part, such as Oak Club, Liberty Walk, PP Superwheels, Forever Shop, ECU Shop, Monza Shop, BRC Clutch, BRD, PPK Racing, Aek Garage, WORK, Cusco and HC Group. Many accessories manufacturers from China, Japan and elsewhere are also taking part with attractive sales promotions.

“With the large variety of events taking place, whether it’s the imported custom cars from Japan or the special sales promotions offered by various auto and motorcycle companies, including accessories and tuning companies, plus the entertainment, the BIAS 2018 is the place to be,” Wiluck said.

“We give customers not only a great experience but also the best deals as we are, in fact, the largest custom car and accessories show in Asean.”

Meanwhile, organisers of the FAST Auto Show Thailand 2018, which was held from June 27 to July 1 at BITEC, said more than Bt3.1 billion was spent at the show, up 10 per cent from last year.

Organiser Pattanadesh Asasappakij said 2,356 orders were placed for new vehicles and 1,472 orders for used cars.

“Attendance grew by 40 per cent, resulting in 35 per cent growth for new car sales and 40 per cent per cent for used cars,” he said.

Although hybrid models are the top variants in the Toyota C-HR line-up, there are also 1.8-litre petrol versions available at lower prices and with less equipment.

And that is actually a good decision by Toyota, because after driving the 1.8 Mid model for a while, I liked it better than the hybrid.

Priced at Bt1.039 million, it lacks some of the premium features offered in the top hybrid model, such as blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and pre-collision systems, as well as navigation and T-Connect telematics.

Which was fine for me as the 1.8 Mid still comes with a healthy level of features that you’d expect in a modern automobile. They include smart entry, auto brake hold, sport and eco engine mode, seven airbags, cruise control, DVD player with seven-inch touchscreen, and a 4.2-inch colour TFT screen on the dash.

The C-HR 1.8 Mid is powered by a punchy 2ZR-FBE 1,798cc gasoline engine (with the same displacement as the hybrid’s 2ZR-FXE Atkinson-cycle engine) pumping out a good 140 horsepower and 175Nm of torque. Without any electric motor assistance, the engine, mated to a CVT (continuously variable transmission), still gives the C-HR punchy acceleration that harmonises with its highly dynamic character.

Built on Toyota’s TNGA platform, the C-HR has a low centre of gravity, high body rigidity and rear double-wishbone suspension. The steering is surprisingly responsive too, adding to the driving enjoyment from the C-HR.

Weighing in at 70 kilograms less than the hybrid, the C-HR 1.8 Mid goes through the corners with less resistance, giving the driver even more fun.

While all this is happening, the cabin is well protected from wind and engine noise. In fact at idle speed the engine purrs smoothly like in a luxury car.

The interior is as modern as the exterior, and very stylish too, but the quality of the materials isn’t as impressive as the competition, such as the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3. Even with all the impressive upgrades, this is something that reminds you that the C-HR is in fact still a Toyota, and luxury isn’t the name of the game here.

There’s adequate space for the front occupants and the stylish seats are comfortable as well, but as you move back there seems to be less space due to structural design. The small rear windows are stylish and make the C-HR look cool, but aren’t good for avoiding claustrophobia, and there’s less luggage space than the segment leader.

The powered windows are all anti-pinch, but Toyota’s marketing guys should have offered automatic windshield wipers with every variant across the range, including this one. The rear-view camera is nice, featuring guiding lines, and there is also a tire-pressure monitoring system, apart from the usual driver-assistance systems.

Finally, also in the C-HR plus column, is that is comes with a five-year/150,000km warranty, which is a great offer from distributor Toyota Motor Thailand.

While the hybrid version of the C-HR has yet to achieve plug-in status, it would achieve good fuel economy (24.4km/litre average) but not a long EV range as the Ni-Mh battery runs out quickly.

I’m not a big fan of hybrids anyway, so naturally I would strongly consider the C-HR 1.8 Mid for its lower pricing (Bt120,000 compared to the top hybrid variant) and better handling due to the lighter weight (no battery and electric motor).

It would also be beneficial for the customer if the additional equipment offered in the top hybrid model could be ordered for the gasoline variants as well. This would give customers more freedom in selecting the options that best suit their lifestyles.

Toyota C-HR 1.8 Mid specs

Engine: 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve

Displacement: 1,798cc

Bore and stroke: 80.5×88.3mm

Compression ratio: 10.0:1

Max power: 140ps/6,000rpm

Max torque: 175Nm/4,000rpm

Transmission: Super CVT-I with 7-speed manual mode

Ratios: 2.480-0.396

Final drive ratio: 5.698

Average fuel economy: 15.3km/litre

City: 11.9km/litre

Highway: 18.5km/litre

Average CO2: 150g/km

Suspension (f/r): McPherson strut, stabiliser/double wishbone, stabiliser

Steering: electrically-powered rack-and-pinion

Turning circle: 10.4m

Brakes (f/r): vented disc/disc

Dimensions (mm)

Length: 4,360

Width: 1,795

Height: 1,565

Wheelbase: 2,640

Track (f/r): 1,550/1,570

Weight: 1,385kgs

Wheels: 17-in alloy

Tyres: 215/60R17

Fuel tank capacity: 50 litres

Price: Bt1.039 million

Distributor: Toyota Motor Thailand Co Ltd

Lucky draw rewards and giveaways worth over Bt1 million include gold necklaces, iPad Pros, Apple Watches and discounts for Mobil’s lubricants when changing Mobil engine oils and oil filters with B-Quik.

Customers can easily take part by adding the Line ID @B-quik1153 and registering for the privileges. The programme runs from today throughout July. For more information contact B-Quik on 1153.

Pajaree Meekangvan, Esso’s Thailand lubricants sales manager, said B-Quik has been a business partner with Esso and distributed Mobil-branded products since 2003, as well as operated 12 B-Quik stations at Esso sites.

“Not only have both companies been a strong business partnership, but Esso has also sponsored BQ Racing, the motorsport racing team owned by B-Quik, for seven years, to demonstrate the Mobil 1 lubricant’s ability to optimise engine efficiency and reliability on the race track,” she said.

Henk Kiks, CEO of B-Quik, said: “We are delighted that B-Quik and Esso are celebrating our 15-year relationship. Currently, we operate 146 branches of B-Quik across Thailand and plan to add at least five more branches in the second half of the year. Next month we will open a new station at Robinson Chon Buri.”

The new office, three kilometers away from the previous one, is located in the heart of the Bangna business district.

Honda describes the new head office design as “simple yet inspirational” with ample space and able to support various functions to enhance flexibility and accommodate the many work functions at the facility.

The work environment is designed to support and maximise the potential and productivity of its staff, said the release.

The facility will allow Honda to achieve its commitment to deliver the best products and services to its customers as well as to support sustainable growth and advanced mobility technologies development in the future, added the release.

All Honda executives and associates will be relocated to the new sales and service head office by July 2.

Visitors to the Fast Auto Show Thailand 2018 at BITEC Bangna can take a spin on the simulator at Nissan’s booth, EH106, on a first-come, first-served basis until July 1, the company announced.

The GT Racing Pod also provides an alternative route into mainstream motorsports: the Nissan GT Academy uses it to host competitions with gamers to select the best player, who then has a chance to be trained as a real-life professional racer with Nissan Motor Sport (NISMO).

“The opening of this facility is an important part in our offensive plan for 2018 by expanding our sales and after-sales services to regional areas,” said Charnchai Mahantakhun, managing director of Inchcape (Thailand).

“We have strong cooperation from Lifestyle Auto Co, Ltd, which has vast experience in the automobile business and also high expertise in the southern region car market,” he said.

This is the third Jaguar Land Rover showroom in Thailand and is located on Thepkrasattri Road in Phuket.

Southern Thailand has many Jaguar and Land Rover drivers, said Charnchai and a Phuket operation would allow them to be better serviced.

The 1,158-square metre Phuket studio is divided into a display zone for six vehicles and a customer zone serving English snacks and beverages.

The service centre has four service bays and will offer experienced mechanics trained by the authorised importer and distributor. The centre also features the latest diagnostics equipment and tools, with genuine parts from Jaguar Land Rover. There is also an online database system linking the facility to the main service centre at the head office.