Imagination-stretching design studies to the fore.

MORE Japanese brands have given hint to the concepts they have prepared for the country’s largest car event, held in Tokyo soon.

Subaru, Nissan, Mazda and Mitsubishi are the latest to offer hints of what they will fully unveil at the Japan Mobility, which which runs from 31 October to 9 November at Tokyo Big Sight.

Subaru’s exhibit is framed under the banner "Driving the Subaru Difference”, splitting the floor into performance and adventure themes to reflect how its customers use their cars.

The "Performance Scene” part of the stand will host two premieres.

The Performance-E STI concept (above) is a battery-electric model intended to point to Subaru's next generation of performance cars, with an emphasis on clean aerodynamics, usable packaging and a driver-centred cabin.

Alongside it, the Performance-B STI concept (below) keeps an internal-combustion platform and draws on familiar Subaru hardware, including a 'boxer; engine and the firm's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, to show how the Japanese company might balance everyday use with higher performance across different powertrains.

In the "Adventure Scene”, Subaru will give the E-Outback (Trailseeker in some markets) its Japan premiere.

The stand will also feature Forester Wilderness and Outback Wilderness prototypes, plus the 1983 Subaru GL "Family Huckster”.

Nissan’s stand will be the stage for the world debut of the all-new Elgrand people carrier.

Nissan will also show other new and updated models aimed at its home market, along with the brand's latest mobility solutions and services. A facelift for the Ariya EV that has only recently landed here, but is well-established in other parts of the globe, is also set to show.

Nissan’s stand is also set to attraction attention as it delivers a manga aesthetic in a monochrome look, this to keep the focus on vehicle shapes and interface screens. The company says the concept is intended to highlight the link between Japanese creative culture and Nissan's future design direction.

Mazda has confirmed that its Vision Model concept (above) is going to be the main draw.

So far, Hiroshima has only released a single teaser image showing a shadowy silhouette with a low, sloping roof. At first glance, the small side window points to a two-door-style profile, but there are in fact two doors on each side of the concept car.

Their handles are hidden, however, complementing the smooth and uncluttered bodywork, while the car appears to use cameras in place of door mirrors.

Beyond the name and outline, there are no further details. However, Mazda has said that the Vision Model sets the tone for what comes next for the brand. the brand’s show theme is: “The joy of driving fuels a sustainable tomorrow.”

Mitsubishi has teased an electric crossover (above, below) that mixes off-road grit with a cabin designed for lounging and sleeping.

The yet-unnamed concept wears a sharply cut rear end with a full-width LED strip, no rear glass in sight, and a curious structural brace tucked underneath. Chunky tires, muscular wheel arches and dark plastic cladding highlight its off-road intentions.

The cabin features a large double bed positioned beneath a roof lit by ambient lighting with a faint sci-fi edge. Mitsubishi describes it as “a spacious interior offering a luxurious in-car sleeping environment that turns any destination into a glamping retreat.”