Tokyo Motor Show: the best-smelling car of all time

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Wednesday 21 October 2009 00:00 BST
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Most cars appeal to the eye, some go for the touch, but at the Tokyo Motor Show, which opened October 21, Mitsubishi's new PX-MiEV plug-in hybrid concept CUV may be the first car dedicated to the sensitive sniffer.

Mitsubishi's new enhanced "cocochi" interior package offers an unparalleled array of technologies that both pamper the nose and use the olfactory capability as a tool.

The PX-MiEV's upholstery is coated with an anti-allergen coating and visible light photocatalyst which Mitsubishi claims counteracts offensive odors, volatile organic compounds as well as ticks, pollen and other allergens.

In another layer of protection against unpleasant fragrances, each of the car's four seats are individually air-conditioned to increase air circulation.

But not only does the PX-MiEV counteract funky smells, it actually promotes both nasal pleasure and brain alertness through the emission of multiple, targeted scents.

A unique driver monitoring system emits a distinctive fragrance if it perceives that the driver's concentration is wavering, in addition to visual, vibrational and audio warnings. The car's air conditioning system produces relaxing perfumes as well as enriched, negative-ion oxygen that aims to reduce fatigue and increase alertness.

But the Japanese automaker can see past its own nose: the interior also includes a UV radiation-blocking glass, to keep your skin paler and more youthful.

Mitsubishi also claimed their hybrid is superior to others because it relies more on electric power than gasoline, as evidenced by its extraordinary 118 miles per gallon (2 liters per 100 kilometers) fuel efficiency.

Productions plans were not announced, but it's an impressive first serious venture into hybrid passenger cars from Mitsubishi -- they may not even mind if you sniff at it.

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